Internet Users' Perceptions of Environmentally Friendly Websites: A Dual-Approach Exploratory Study - Structured Abstract

In a context of growing environmental concerns, it is essential to understand consumer perceptions and expectations regarding the environmental impact of websites, a topic that remains underexplored in marketing literature. While qualitative interviews constitute an appropriate tool for studying this phenomenon, this approach presents potential biases in the selection of themes and questions to address. To conduct semi-structured interviews, we propose to employ two complementary approaches: the first examines the phenomenon from the perspective of websites themselves (object-based approach), while the second addresses it through environmental issues (context-based approach). The methodology relies on two waves of semi-structured interviews conducted with 34 internet users with varied profiles: 18 following the website-centered approach and 16 following the environment-centered approach. Comparative analysis of the data reveals convergent expectations regarding stakeholder responsibility (government websites, large corporations) and the need for consistency between environmental values and web presence. The results suggest that the environment-centered approach generates more abstract reflections, while the website-centered approach facilitates discussions on technical aspects of eco-design and promotes more concrete considerations. These findings echo research on levels of representation in human thought (Trope & Liberman, 2010).