The role of perceived value, trust and engagement in the C2C online secondary marketplace

In light of a growing interest in alternative consumption channels, this study proposes a conceptual framework that examines the relationship between repeat online consumers’ perceived value of used products and their re-purchasing intention from a secondary marketplace platform. Two studies were conducted. Study 1 aims to test the conceptual model, and Study 2 validates the model with two product types (hedonic vs. utilitarian). With fundamental societal marketing theory at heart, trust and engagement toward the seller and the consumer-to-consumer online secondary market platforms are hypothesized to mediate consumers’ perceived econ-centric functional value and their re-use intentions of the platform. The results show that all serial mediations (trust and engagement) are significant when the trust is directed toward the company that facilitates the platform, but not all serial mediations were significant when the trust is toward the seller. This study highlights the implications of trust and engagement and how these factors impact consumers’ intention to re-use a C2C online secondary marketplace platform.