The responsible, sharing consumer: a closer look at the motivation of potential private durable goods’ suppliers in the sharing economy

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, consumers have various options in terms of acting more responsibly towards their environment. One of these options is a more conscious utilisation of private durables by renting them to other consumers at times when they are not being utilised. This kind of sharing has always taken place within living memory between friends and family. However, with the emergence of the Internet, consumers can now also initiate such exchanges with likeminded strangers from far away. They can meet virtually at C2C 1 online renting platforms, which allow them to exchange the rarely utilised durables with minimum transaction costs.