Guilt in the second-hand market : A qualitative study of consumers in Colombia and Finland

Abstract

Today’s world presents an urge to improve the post consumption of products. The global warming and other environmental phenomes are threatening the quality of life in our planet earth. Different models, such as sustainable consumption and the circular economy have surged to combat traditional models of consumption. In this paper the study is performed in the guilt of the second-hand market, since this is a great model to circulate products and diminish the environmental impact that consumption brings. Despite of the second-hand economy’s advantages, the topic is still stigmatized in different regions limiting the participation of people in this economy. Understanding the guilt inside the topic of the second-hand market can contribute to minimize the negative guilt that constraints the participation of people in this economy. Topics as consumer motivation, consumer classification, cultural and ethnographic differences of consumers in the second-hand market, and feelings were considered when developing the research. This master’s thesis took a consumer perspective and explored the guilt in the purchase and sales of toys in the second-hand market. This study investigated the four dimensions of guilt: financial, health, social responsibility, and moral guilt. The positive guilt was defined as motivating to participate in the second-hand market, while the negative guilt was defined as reluctance to participate in it. This study also classified the guilt as anticipative or reactive. The purpose was to explore the differences of guilt in the second-hand market in the two countries, identify if guilt was a big driver in the second-hand market consumption, and lastly to generate information that reduces the negative guilt in the second-hand market. The big questions for the study were: is the guilt it a big driver in the second-hand market consumption? How is guilt reflected in the buyers of the second-hand market in Finland and in Colombia? The research methods used in the study were non-probabilistic sampling and the snowball technic, followed by semi-structured interviews in Colombia and Finland using the thematic analysis. The research group were moms or close female family members of kids younger than 6 years old, the reason for choosing adults and not kids, was due that adults are the ones making the purchases, and they are in an age that understand the complex concept of guilt. Research suggests that findings in the guilt should not be generalized between genders, for this reason only females were selected. The study took place in two countries, a developed and developing country. By having two countries one with individualistic and the other with collectivistic culture, this study offers novel approaches exploring the different guilt experienced by nationals of the two countries based in different contexts. This study allowed to identify that guilt is a driver and detractor in the consumption in the second-hand market. The results suggest that guilt variables are not based on the same factors for different countries, and that guilt variables impact people differently specially when considering the macroeconomics of the environment. For instance, in this study financial, social responsibly and moral guilt were found for Colombia and Finland. The social responsibility dimension. was the topic that showed the most guilt for both countries. Nonetheless, the guilt for Colombia was negative as the guilt experience limited the participation in the second-hand market, while the social responsibility dimension for Finland was the reason why people participated in the second-hand market. The results founded have allowed to provide managerial recommendations with the aim of making the second-hand stores more attractive. The suggestions were made on marketing campaigns on topics around sustainability, the usage and life cycle of toys and its financial aspect, packing and toy rotation. To finalize, this research offers suggestions for further studies. The most important recommendations are to limit the dimensions of guilt to obtain deeper insights in each dimension, another recommendation is expanding on the topic of anticipated or reactive guilt in the second-hand market, and enlarge the topic of selling in the second-hand market.