Abstract

Upcycling products have garnered attention as a new type of product that reduces resource waste and promotes sustainable consumption. However, the fact that upcycling products are made from waste materials may lead to assumptions about low production costs, which in turn could trigger perceptions of price unfairness. This study examines how perceptions of perceived fairness and purchase intentions vary depending on the product assortment organization of upcycling products and the gender of consumers. Specifically, this research suggests that upcycling products might be perceived differently depending on whether they are displayed based on their physical attributes (attribute-based assortment organization) or their benefits as upcycling products (benefit-based assortment organization). Furthermore, it hypothesizes that the effectiveness of the product assortment organization may differ by gender. Accordingly, the study explores the effects of product assortment organization (attribute-based vs. benefit-based) and gender (male vs. female) on fairness perceptions and purchase intentions. The results reveal that, in attribute-based assortment, males perceived higher perceived fairness and showed increased purchase intentions, whereas in benefit-based assortment, females exhibited higher fairness perceptions and increased purchase intentions. Additionally, the interplay between product assortment organization and gender was found to have a significant indirect effect on purchase intentions through the mediating role of perceived fairness. This study suggests that the differences in product assortment organization and gender play a crucial role in positioning upcycling products and shaping consumer responses. It provides practical implications for developing marketing strategies for upcycling products.