The impact of E-Commerce sales events on the role of sustainability: examining German-Speaking consumers' purchase intentions

Abstract

Sustainability has become an important factor in shaping consumer preferences, prompting many brands to position themselves as environmentally responsible – so-called green brands. Green brands must cultivate two critical consumer perceptions to succeed: a strong green brand image (green brand perception) and high levels of green trust. Despite growing research on green branding and sustainable consumption, the impact of a brand’s participation in online sales events on how the brand is perceived and trusted remains unexplored. This thesis addresses this research gap by examining how the perceived sales event participation (SEP) influences green brand perception (GBP) and green trust (GT), and how these constructs subsequently relate to online purchase intention (PI). To investigate these relationships, a conceptual model was developed based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), specifically performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), and social influence (SI). SEP was modeled as an antecedent to GBP and GT, which were hypothesized to moderate the effects of the UTAUT constructs on PI. The study employed a within-subjects design in which each participant evaluated both a green and a non-green brand. Data were collected via an online survey (n = 120) and analyzed using SPSS for descriptive statistics and SmartPLS 4 for structural equation modeling. Separate models were estimated for each brand type, followed by an attempted multi-group analysis. However, measurement invariance using the MICOM procedure could not be established, and comparisons between green and non-green brands were thus reported descriptively. The results reveal several key findings. First, SEP negatively influenced both GBP and GT, but only in the green brand model. This suggests that participation in online sales events may be perceived as inconsistent with sustainability values, potentially damaging a green brand’s image and trust. Second, PE and SI significantly predicted PI in both brand models, while EE showed a borderline insignificant effect. Contrary to theoretical expectations and prior research, neither GBP nor GT showed a direct or moderating effect on PI in either model. While these constructs were insignificant in this study, their well-established relevance in prior literature suggests that the negative effects of SEP on GBP and GT may still carry risk for green brands.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Johannes Kepler University Linz
Supervisor	Martin Stabauer (Supervisor)