Synergistic Premium Effects of Creativity and Sustainability in E-Commerce: Evidence from Consumer Willingness to Pay
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71222/xwanf219Keywords:
creativity, sustainability, willingness to pay (WTP), authenticity, e-commerce platformsAbstract
The increasing emphasis on sustainable consumption and the widespread application of creative design in e-commerce underscore the need to understand how these two elements jointly affect consumers' willingness to pay (WTP). Although previous research has explored creativity and sustainability as independent drivers of consumer behavior, little attention has been paid to their interactive effects or the psychological pathways through which they generate premium value. This study bridges this gap by adopting a multi-method approach that integrates cross-platform analyses of Etsy, Amazon Handmade, and Tmall Green with a survey experiment involving 600 participants. The results indicate that creativity enhances both the hedonic and symbolic value of products, while sustainability strengthens their ethical and environmental appeal. When combined, these two attributes create a synergistic premium effect that exceeds the sum of their individual influences. Mediation analysis further reveals that perceptions of authenticity and feelings of moral satisfaction partially account for this effect. Overall, the study enriches value perception theory by linking hedonic and ethical dimensions and offers practical guidance for e-commerce platforms and sellers aiming to increase product premiums through the integration of creative design and credible sustainability initiatives.
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