Impact of supply chain transparency on the consumption of remanufactured consumer goods

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate supply chain transparency in the context of remanufactured consumer goods. Supply chain transparency (SCT) is increasingly gaining importance for the relationship between firms and their final customers. Applied to a remanufacturing context, SCT may entail providing detailed information regarding the remanufacturing and return process, which can then be shared with consumers to alleviate potential quality concerns, decrease perceived disgust and ultimately increase consumers’ intention to purchase remanufactured goods. Design/methodology/approach Leveraging supply chain transparency embedded in signaling theory as well as the marketing framework of the hierarchy of effects model, this study employs a vignette-based experiment to investigate how process information, who performed the remanufacturing (remanufacturing firm: original manufacturer or a third party), and product information, the timeframe between the original purchase and return (length of return: short vs long), impact consumers’ intention to purchase remanufactured goods. Findings We find that information about the length of return has a significant impact on consumers’ intention to purchase the remanufactured good, while who performs the remanufacturing does not impact their decision-making. Originality/value Our results provide an overview of the externalities of providing supply chain transparency through the means of blockchain information on consumer purchasing behavior for remanufactured goods. Using SCT to engage with end customers in consumer goods is in its infancy and our work provides a basis for firms to invest in this in the B2C context.