Green Marketing Strategies on Online Platforms: A Mixed Approach of Experiment Design and Topic Modeling

• Main Authors: Eunhye Park, Junehee Kwon, Sung-Bum Kim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: green; restaurants; experimental design; online intervention; consciousness
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/8/4494

This study aimed to examine the effects of two types of green information conveyed via online platforms and the moderating role of environmental consciousness on customers’ green perceptions, positive attitudes, and behavioral intentions. This study performed a 2 (firm-initiated green information: absent, present) × 2 (customer-generated green information: absent, present) experiment. These mixed methods were further implemented by using both open-ended surveys and structured measurements. Open-ended survey answers were analyzed with structural topic modeling to discover customers’ green perceptions. The results highlighted the importance of customer-generated green information to support firm-initiated green marketing, consequently leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Although displaying green information generated by both the company and its customers is effective in enhancing green perceptions, customers may react differently depending on their levels of environmental consciousness.