IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i7p2464-d780810.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Green but Unpopular? Analysis on Purchase Intention of Heat Pump Water Heaters in China

Author

Listed:
  • Shucai Bai

    (School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
    Key Laboratory of Process Optimization and Intelligent Decision-Making, Hefei University of Technology, Ministry of Education, Hefei 230009, China)

  • Fangyi Li

    (School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
    Key Laboratory of Process Optimization and Intelligent Decision-Making, Hefei University of Technology, Ministry of Education, Hefei 230009, China)

  • Wu Xie

    (School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
    Key Laboratory of Process Optimization and Intelligent Decision-Making, Hefei University of Technology, Ministry of Education, Hefei 230009, China)

Abstract

Consumers are always influenced by external information before making decisions to purchase energy-saving electric appliances. However, the effects of different information sources are overlooked by previous studies. As a kind of green and safe appliance, the Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) is expected to be popular in the Chinese market. This study, based on an investigation in eastern China, will reveal the attitudes of potential consumers to HPWHs and verify the effects of different information sources. The results show that official information (Information from enterprises and governments) can arouse consumers’ positive attitudes toward HPWHs, yet can significantly reduce perceived usefulness among consumers, while unofficial information (Information from relatives and friends) negatively affects their attitudes. Although HPWHs are billed as energy-saving and eco-friendly appliances, consumers can obtain different information from online or offline interpersonal communications to obtain user feedback (which might be negative) before purchase. Some suggestions are proposed to promote energy-saving appliances.

Suggested Citation

  • Shucai Bai & Fangyi Li & Wu Xie, 2022. "Green but Unpopular? Analysis on Purchase Intention of Heat Pump Water Heaters in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:7:p:2464-:d:780810
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/7/2464/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/7/2464/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tan, Chin-Seang & Ooi, Hooi-Yin & Goh, Yen-Nee, 2017. "A moral extension of the theory of planned behavior to predict consumers’ purchase intention for energy-efficient household appliances in Malaysia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 459-471.
    2. Barr, Stewart & Gilg, Andrew W & Ford, Nicholas, 2005. "The household energy gap: examining the divide between habitual- and purchase-related conservation behaviours," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 1425-1444, July.
    3. Zhongchao Zhao & Yanrui Zhang & Haojun Mi & Yimeng Zhou & Yong Zhang, 2018. "Experimental Research of a Water-Source Heat Pump Water Heater System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-13, May.
    4. Jaime Torres, Mónica M. & Carlsson, Fredrik, 2018. "Direct and spillover effects of a social information campaign on residential water-savings," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 222-243.
    5. Wang, Zhaohua & Wang, Xiaomeng & Guo, Dongxue, 2017. "Policy implications of the purchasing intentions towards energy-efficient appliances among China’s urban residents: Do subsidies work?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 430-439.
    6. Zhang, Li & Sun, Cong & Liu, Hongyu & Zheng, Siqi, 2016. "The role of public information in increasing homebuyers' willingness-to-pay for green housing: Evidence from Beijing," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 40-49.
    7. Yue, Ting & Long, Ruyin & Chen, Hong, 2013. "Factors influencing energy-saving behavior of urban households in Jiangsu Province," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 665-675.
    8. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    9. Zhang, Qunli & Zhang, Lin & Nie, Jinzhe & Li, Yinlong, 2017. "Techno-economic analysis of air source heat pump applied for space heating in northern China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 533-542.
    10. Christy E. Manyi-Loh & Mandlenkosi Sikhonza & Stephen Tangwe, 2021. "Linear Regression Analysis and Techno-Economic Viability of an Air Source Heat Pump Water Heater in a Residence at a University Campus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, April.
    11. Wang, Bo & Wang, Xiaomeng & Guo, Dongxue & Zhang, Bin & Wang, Zhaohua, 2018. "Analysis of factors influencing residents’ habitual energy-saving behaviour based on NAM and TPB models: Egoism or altruism?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 68-77.
    12. Abreu, Joana & Wingartz, Nathalie & Hardy, Natasha, 2019. "New trends in solar: A comparative study assessing the attitudes towards the adoption of rooftop PV," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 347-363.
    13. Momsen, Katharina & Ohndorf, Markus, 2020. "When do people exploit moral wiggle room? An experimental analysis of information avoidance in a market setup," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    14. Hori, Shiro & Kondo, Kayoko & Nogata, Daisuke & Ben, Han, 2013. "The determinants of household energy-saving behavior: Survey and comparison in five major Asian cities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 354-362.
    15. Carroll, Zane & Couzo, Evan, 2021. "Should North Carolina require more efficient water heaters in homes? A cost-benefit analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    16. Ek, Kristina & Söderholm, Patrik, 2010. "The devil is in the details: Household electricity saving behavior and the role of information," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 1578-1587, March.
    17. Richter, M.R. & Song, S.M. & Yin, J.M. & Kim, M.H. & Bullard, C.W. & Hrnjak, P.S., 2003. "Experimental results of transcritical CO2 heat pump for residential application," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 28(10), pages 1005-1019.
    18. Mills, Bradford & Schleich, Joachim, 2010. "What's driving energy efficient appliance label awareness and purchase propensity?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 814-825, February.
    19. Rajak, Manindra & Shaw, Krishnendu, 2021. "An extension of technology acceptance model for mHealth user adoption," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    20. Hepbasli, Arif & Kalinci, Yildiz, 2009. "A review of heat pump water heating systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(6-7), pages 1211-1229, August.
    21. Simcock, Neil & MacGregor, Sherilyn & Catney, Philip & Dobson, Andrew & Ormerod, Mark & Robinson, Zoe & Ross, Simon & Royston, Sarah & Marie Hall, Sarah, 2014. "Factors influencing perceptions of domestic energy information: Content, source and process," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 455-464.
    22. Choi, Yung Kyun & Totten, Jeff W., 2012. "Self-construal's role in mobile TV acceptance: Extension of TAM across cultures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 1525-1533.
    23. Chen, Victor L. & Delmas, Magali A. & Locke, Stephen L. & Singh, Amarjeet, 2017. "Information strategies for energy conservation: A field experiment in India," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 215-227.
    24. Wang, Fenghao & Wang, Zhihua & Zheng, Yuxin & Lin, Zhang & Hao, Pengfei & Huan, Chao & Wang, Tian, 2015. "Performance investigation of a novel frost-free air-source heat pump water heater combined with energy storage and dehumidification," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 212-219.
    25. Yu-Shan Chen & Ching-Hsun Chang, 2013. "Greenwash and Green Trust: The Mediation Effects of Green Consumer Confusion and Green Perceived Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 489-500, May.
    26. Park, Hansaem & Kim, Dong Ho & Kim, Min Soo, 2013. "Performance investigation of a cascade heat pump water heating system with a quasi-steady state analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 283-294.
    27. Stephanie Anne Nicole Bedard & Carri Reisdorf Tolmie, 2018. "Millennials' green consumption behaviour: Exploring the role of social media," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(6), pages 1388-1396, November.
    28. Mustofa, Rochman Hadi & Pramudita, Dias Aziz & Atmono, Dwi & Priyankara, Rasika & Asmawan, Mochammad Chairil & Rahmattullah, Muhammad & Mudrikah, Saringatun & Pamungkas, Leonny Noviyana Sakti, 2022. "Exploring educational students acceptance of using movies as economics learning media: PLS-SEM analysis," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    29. WeiYu Ji & Edwin H. W. Chan, 2019. "Critical Factors Influencing the Adoption of Smart Home Energy Technology in China: A Guangdong Province Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-24, November.
    30. Viswanath Venkatesh & Fred D. Davis, 2000. "A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(2), pages 186-204, February.
    31. Gaspar, Rui & Antunes, Dalila, 2011. "Energy efficiency and appliance purchases in Europe: Consumer profiles and choice determinants," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(11), pages 7335-7346.
    32. Goto, Hisanori & Goto, Mika & Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki, 2011. "Consumer choice on ecologically efficient water heaters: Marketing strategy and policy implications in Japan," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 195-208, March.
    33. Chen, Shih-Chih & Hung, Chung-Wen, 2016. "Elucidating the factors influencing the acceptance of green products: An extension of theory of planned behavior," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 155-163.
    34. Ma, Ben & Yu, Yihua & Urban, Frauke, 2018. "Green transition of energy systems in rural China: National survey evidence of households’ discrete choices on water heaters," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 559-570.
    35. Francesco Testa & Roberta Iovino & Fabio Iraldo, 2020. "The circular economy and consumer behaviour: The mediating role of information seeking in buying circular packaging," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3435-3448, December.
    36. Treichel, Calene & Cruickshank, Cynthia A., 2021. "Energy analysis of heat pump water heaters coupled with air-based solar thermal collectors in Canada and the United States," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    37. Li Hua & Shanyong Wang, 2019. "Antecedents of Consumers’ Intention to Purchase Energy-Efficient Appliances: An Empirical Study Based on the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, May.
    38. Palm, Alvar & Lantz, Björn, 2020. "Information dissemination and residential solar PV adoption rates: The effect of an information campaign in Sweden," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Păunescu Carmen & Dincă Violeta-Mihaela & Bogdan Anca & Goia Agoston Simona I. & Stamule Stere & Stamule Tănase & Tanțău Adrian, 2023. "Managing energy performance through heat pumps. Success drivers and barriers in residential sector," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 18(3), pages 214-233, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Biao Luo & Mengzhen Nie & Hongmei Ji, 2023. "The Influence of Internet Celebrities’ Expertise and Attraction on Residents’ Intention to Purchase Household Energy-Saving Products in the Context of an Online Community," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-13, April.
    2. Zou, Baoling & Mishra, Ashok K., 2020. "Appliance usage and choice of energy-efficient appliances: Evidence from rural Chinese households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    3. WeiYu Ji & Edwin H. W. Chan, 2019. "Critical Factors Influencing the Adoption of Smart Home Energy Technology in China: A Guangdong Province Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-24, November.
    4. Muhammad Rizwan Ali & Muhammad Shafiq & Murad Andejany, 2021. "Determinants of Consumers’ Intentions towards the Purchase of Energy Efficient Appliances in Pakistan: An Extended Model of the Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, January.
    5. Xin, Yongrong & Long, Dengjie, 2023. "Linking eco-label knowledge and sustainable consumption of renewable energy: A roadmap towards green revolution," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 531-538.
    6. Muhammad Yaseen Bhutto & Xiaohui Liu & Yasir Ali Soomro & Myriam Ertz & Yasser Baeshen, 2020. "Adoption of Energy-Efficient Home Appliances: Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-25, December.
    7. Quoc Nghi Nguyen & Thi Hong Loc Hoang & Van Nam Mai, 2022. "Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to Analyze Household Energy-Saving Behavior," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(5), pages 287-293, September.
    8. Ranran Yang & Chunxiao Yue & Jingjing Li & Junhong Zhu & Hongshu Chen & Jia Wei, 2020. "The Influence of Information Intervention Cognition on College Students’ Energy-Saving Behavior Intentions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-17, March.
    9. Imran Hossain & Maria Fekete-Farkas & Md. Nekmahmud, 2022. "Purchase Behavior of Energy-Efficient Appliances Contribute to Sustainable Energy Consumption in Developing Country: Moral Norms Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    10. Tan, Chin-Seang & Ooi, Hooi-Yin & Goh, Yen-Nee, 2017. "A moral extension of the theory of planned behavior to predict consumers’ purchase intention for energy-efficient household appliances in Malaysia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 459-471.
    11. Fiorillo, Damiano & Sapio, Alessandro, 2019. "Energy saving in Italy in the late 1990s: Which role for non-monetary motivations?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 1-1.
    12. Nieves García-de-Frutos & José Manuel Ortega-Egea & Javier Martínez-del-Río, 2018. "Anti-consumption for Environmental Sustainability: Conceptualization, Review, and Multilevel Research Directions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 411-435, March.
    13. Waris, Idrees & Hameed, Irfan, 2019. "Using Extended Model of Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict Purchase Intention of Energy Efficient Home Appliances in Pakistan," MPRA Paper 109612, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Quaglione, Davide & Cassetta, Ernesto & Crociata, Alessandro & Sarra, Alessandro, 2017. "Exploring additional determinants of energy-saving behaviour: The influence of individuals' participation in cultural activities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 503-511.
    15. Düştegör, Dilek & Sultana, Nahid & Felemban, Noor & Al Qahtani, Deemah, 2018. "A smarter electricity grid for the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: Perceptions and policy implications," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 26-39.
    16. Wang, Zhaohua & Wang, Xiaomeng & Guo, Dongxue, 2017. "Policy implications of the purchasing intentions towards energy-efficient appliances among China’s urban residents: Do subsidies work?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 430-439.
    17. Véronique Vasseur & Anne-Francoise Marique & Vladimir Udalov, 2019. "A Conceptual Framework to Understand Households’ Energy Consumption," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-22, November.
    18. Henningsen, Geraldine & Wiese, Catharina, 2019. "Do Household Characteristics Really Matter? A Meta-Analysis on the Determinants of Households’ Energy-Efficiency Investments," MPRA Paper 101701, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Muhammad Yaseen Bhutto & Yasir Ali Soomro & Hailan Yang, 2022. "Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior: Predicting Young Consumer Purchase Behavior of Energy-Efficient Appliances (Evidence From Developing Economy)," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, February.
    20. Yue, Ting & Long, Ruyin & Chen, Hong, 2013. "Factors influencing energy-saving behavior of urban households in Jiangsu Province," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 665-675.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:7:p:2464-:d:780810. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.