Consumer Preferences for Hydrogen Vehicles: An Empirical Analysis Based on the Choice Experiment Method

PurposeAround the world, people are turning to sustainable solutions to stop environmental destruction. Among its many solutions to environmental degradation and sustainability are hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs). However, this area remains not much explored in the Indian context. Therefore, this study aims to explore the factors influencing the intention to adopt HFCVs, particularly within the Indian context.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a questionnaire employing a five-point Likert scale. A total of 310 responses were received, but only 273 were included in the final analysis. Furthermore, the analysis was conducted using “partial least squares structural equation modeling” with SmartPLS 4 software.FindingsThe results revealed that among six attitudinal variables, four of them, i.e. high initial cost (IC), limited driving range (LDR), reliability and environmental awareness, have a significant impact on shaping the attitude of consumers. However, technological innovation (TI) and perceived long-term cost savings do not significantly impact attitude. Additionally, the result also revealed that subjective norm, attitude and perceived behavior control have a significant positive effect on adoption intention towards HFCVs, theorizing on the theory of planned behavior (TPB).Research limitations/implicationsJust like other studies, this study is not free from limitations. The first limitation pertains to the generalizability issue since this study has been conducted in the Indian context. Therefore, future researchers should replicate the same proposed model in other countries and contexts in order to understand the adoption of e-vehicles. Secondly, the study majorly focuses on attitudinal factors without having included the external factors that can significantly impact the adoption intention. Future studies are recommended to take into account external factors such as government schemes and policies that have the capability of enhancing the adoption rates. This would facilitate having a comprehensive understanding. Third, pertaining to the constraints of research methodology, the data have been collected at a single point of time; hence, longitudinal research design should be adopted in the future in order to understand the trends and movements.Practical implicationsThe study provides valuable insights for businesses and governments aiming to cater towards sustainability. Businesses engaged in developing HFCVs can use this model in order to understand the factors influencing the adoption intention and work towards addressing the concerns of high IC, LDR and promoting long-term cost savings and environmental benefits. Such insights can become a base for developing the marketing campaigns that aim at positively influencing the consumer attitudes, thereby increasing the adoption rates. Furthermore, government and policymakers can use this model to further advance the policies, introduce incentives, provide subsidies, invest in infrastructure to support HFCV adoption and build an efficient HFCV ecosystem.Social implicationsThere are several theoretical implications of this study that will enrich the existing knowledge on HFCV adoption intention. Firstly, the study used TPB, which has been built as a psychological framework to predict and understand human behavior. Hence, using TPB in this study would facilitate to predict and understand the intention of consumers towards adoption of HFCVs. Secondly, six attitudinal variables have been incorporated in this study, namely TI, high IC, LDR, reliability, environmental awareness and perceived long-term cost savings, along with 2 more independent variables, i.e. subjective norms and perceived control behavior. All these factors have been tested empirically as well as reported, which will further help in enhancing the insights about HFCV adoption. Therefore, a holistic and comprehensive view has been presented by the analyzing the factors in this study and growing the literature pertaining to HFCV adoption.Originality/valueThe novelty of this research lies in understanding the role of attitudinal factors by extending the TPB. Additionally, the study aims to investigate future intentions regarding the intention to adopt HFCVs in the Indian context.

Sustainability Label (SL) have emerged as an important product attribute in recent decades, and have evolved into various types as products with social, environmental, and economic benefits have become more prevalent in the marketplace. With the information of SL in products, consumers are encouraged to embrace environmental sustainability principles and to make environmentally sustainable choices and actions. SL helps alignment between consumers and the industry by enhancing consumers’ nderstanding of company’s act, and serve as an effective marketing message. However, there is limited research on consumer preferences for different types of sustainable labels or benefits. This study addresses this knowledge gap by applying choice experiment method to assess consumers’ choice behavior for products associated with various SL. Choice experiment designs are separately developed for two most relevant sustainable products (i.e. soymilk and EV) in China. A stated preference method (SPM) consumer survey was conducted in 2022 across six major cities in China, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Xi’an, and a total of 840 valid responses were collected for assessing multinomial logit (MNL) model. Findings show that Chinese consumers prefer SL with environmental benefits, foreign COO/Brand in consuming soymilk, and prefer SL with employee friendliness, domestic COO/Brand for Electric Vehicle (EV). These findings provide insights for marketers and researchers Chinese consumers’ preference for specific SL and brand for two selected product categories.

Review of researches on important components of hydrogen supply systems and rapid hydrogen refueling processes

PurposeThe study estimates the willingness to pay for organic oranges and identifies its influencing factors among consumers in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.Design/methodology/approachThe study used survey data from 413 households in the Mekong Delta from March 2022 to July 2022. The choice experiment (CE) and contingent valuation method (CVM) were employed to analyze consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP). STATA 17 software was used to analyze research data in the logit model and mixed logit model.FindingsThe research results from the CVM approach show that a number of demographic characteristics have a direct impact on WTP, such as education, educational attainment, family size, the presence of children and the elderly in the household, food safety and environmental awareness. The CE model shows product attributes that influence consumers’ WTP, such as country of origin, traceability, quality grade, organic certification, ecolabel and organic content. Both approaches show that price is the main barrier to organic orange consumption.Research limitations/implicationsThe study surveyed four large cities in four provinces representing the Mekong Delta region.Practical implicationsOur study helps administrators have a deeper insight into consumer preferences and behavior, specifically the factors that affect consumers' WTP, an important indicator of demand for the success of manufacturers and marketers in developing as well as improving marketing strategies. Knowledge of a product’s WTP on behalf of (potential) customers plays an important role in many areas of marketing management, such as pricing decisions or new product development.Social implicationsFurthermore, this understanding will inform policymakers about the future of agricultural markets in Vietnam and help them better prepare for the making of sustainable agricultural policies. Develop organic agriculture to both protect human health, protect the living environment and protect the soil from degradation, ensuring sustainable agricultural production. This is also one of the measures to help people stay away from diseases to limit the social burden.Originality/valueThe study confirms that both CVM and CE models can be used to estimate WTP. However, CVM fits the overall WTP estimate, while CE is more appropriate when estimating WTP for individual scenarios through combining attributes with different levels.

Understanding urban consumers’ preferences for rice attributes is crucial for rice breeders, producers, and retailers to meet diverse and evolving market demands. Based on the sample data of 629 rice consumers in Shanghai, China, obtained through the choice experiment (CE) approach, this study uses the mixed logit (ML) model to analyze consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for food safety labels, brands, nutritional quality, and taste quality. Furthermore, the latent class (LC) model examines the heterogeneity in consumer group preferences. The research findings highlight that consumers prioritize taste quality as the most crucial attribute, followed by nutritional quality, food safety labels, and brand attributes. The premium rates for superior taste quality, organic certification labels, and green certification labels exceeded 100%. Interestingly, while combining organic certification with well-known international or domestic brands does not uniformly boost consumer preferences, incorporating green certification alongside well-known international or domestic brands significantly elevates those preference levels. Factors such as the external environment, consumption habits, and personal characteristics significantly influence individuals’ preferences for rice attributes. Based on these insights, the study puts forth policy recommendations for rice breeders, producers, and retailers.

Introduction Internationally, teledermoscopy has been found to have clinical and economic efficacy. This study aims to identify the attributes of a mobile teledermoscopy service that consumers prefer. This preliminary study was set within a broader randomised control trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of direct to consumer mobile teledermoscopy. Methods We undertook a discrete choice experiment (DCE). The DCE comprised 24 choice sets, divided into in two blocks of 12. For each choice set, respondents were asked to make discrete choices between two opt-out choices and two skin cancer screening service options described by seven attributes. A mixed logit model was used to estimate preferences for skin cancer screening services. Consumer preferences weights were used to calculate marginal willingness-to-pay (WTP) for skin cancer screening services. Results The DCE was completed by 113 consumer respondents. Consumers’ preference for dermatologist involvement in their diagnosis, increased accuracy, and reduced excisions were all statistically significant in driving choice between service models. Consumers preferred having a professional involved in their skin cancer screening, rather than performing a self-examination. Consumers were only WTP $1.18 to change from a GP visit to mobile teledermoscopy (diagnosis using a phone camera). However, they were WTP $43 to have their results reviewed by a dermatologist rather than a GP, and $117 to increase the chance of detecting a melanoma if it was present from 65-75% to 95%. Conclusion Skin cancer screening services which are delivered by health professionals, rather than skin self-examination, are preferred by consumers. Consumers were willing to pay for their preferred skin cancer screening method, especially if a dermatologist was involved.

Consumers have realized the importance of a healthy diet, hoping to reduce the occurrence of obesity and chronic diseases. Therefore, healthy boxed meals with low calories and high protein are gaining attention. This study divided the attributes of healthy boxed meals into five categories, namely, taste, nutrition facts, traceability certification, carbon footprint label, and price, and investigated the relationship between consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) using a choice experiment. A purposive sampling procedure was used to collect 495 valid questionnaires. The results indicate the following: (1) when purchasing healthy boxed meals, the respondents were most concerned with traceability certification and nutrition facts; (2) the respondents were willing to pay a premium for meals with traceability certification (NTD 4.6) and nutrition facts (NTD 4.4); (3) respondents > 40 years with an average monthly salary of > NTD 30,000 who worked out regularly and were in the process of muscle building, fat loss, or weight control had higher WTP for meals with nutrition labels; and (4) female respondents who were 30–39 years old with a college or university education or above had higher WTP for meals with traceable ingredients. The results may help healthy boxed meal companies understand and pay attention to consumer needs, which will, in turn, provide a reference for future product development and marketing strategies.

Hydrogen vehicles are emerging as a promising solution for sustainable transportation due to their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. This research paper provides an overview of hydrogen vehicle technologies, including fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles (HICEVs), and discusses their current status, challenges, and future prospects. The properties of hydrogen as a fuel, production methods, and environmental benefits are described, along with the advantages and disadvantages of hydrogen vehicle technologies. It also presents case studies and examples of successful hydrogen vehicle projects and initiatives, and highlights the technological advancements, lessons learned, and best practices. The challenges of hydrogen production costs, infrastructure development, and public acceptance are discussed, along with the current policies, regulations, and initiatives related to hydrogen vehicles. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research and policy considerations. Overall, hydrogen vehicles have the potential to play a crucial role in the transition to sustainable transportation, but further research, development, and supportive policies are needed to overcome the current challenges and realize their full potential.

The interaction between country of origin and genetically modified orange juice in urban China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the actual consumer demand for traceable pork by investigating consumer preferences for pork with combined levels of traceability information based on differences in individual consumer preferences, in order to support the government in decision making regarding the gradual construction of safe food markets. Design/methodology/approach – Combinations of four types of traceability information, including farming, slaughter and processing, distribution and sales, and government certification, with price were randomly designed. To identify consumer preferences for these attribute combinations of traceable pork, 215 consumers in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province were investigated using a real choice experiment and the mixed logit model. Findings – Significant heterogeneity was observed in consumer preferences for traceable pork. The information of farming, slaughter and processing, distribution and marketing, and government certification could significantly improve consumer utility. Moreover, consumers had the highest preference for government certification information. Originality/value – Although numerous studies have been performed on consumer preferences for food safety attributes using a real choice experiment, almost none of them focus on Chinese consumers. Therefore, this study is an attempt to fill this gap. The conclusions of this study can serve as a reference for the Chinese government in developing safe food consumption policies. Although Chinese consumers have cried out for improvement of pork safety, they have different preferences for traceability information; thus, the government must promote traceable food step-by-step, using consumer preferences as a starting point.

Consumers often have needs that change in a dynamic fashion over time due to physiological, mental, or environmental variations. We develop a model to address a product strategy question on how to satisfy dynamic consumer preferences: Should a firm offer multiple standard products, each designed for a specific purpose (e.g., several specialized golf clubs), or a flexible product that can be reconfigured by consumers as their preferences change (e.g., one adjustable golf club)? Often the latter approach is fuelled by new technology, like the dial‐a‐dose system that Novo Nordisk invented and perfected over the years for its insulin pens. We find that products that deliver a high utility to consumers are ideal candidates for flexible designs, as higher utility encourages reconfiguration and justifies a flexibility premium. We also discover a non‐obvious relationship between optimal product strategy and dynamic consumer preferences. Intuition suggests that product flexibility would be more valuable when consumer preferences are less predictable. Instead, we find that a flexible product does not always lead to higher profits when consumer preferences are more uncertain; flexibility is most profitable when preference uncertainty is in an intermediate range. Additionally, we derive insights regarding the role of consumer patience, unit production costs, utility and durability differences between flexible and standard products, and heterogeneity in consumers’ product valuations. We find that imperfect durability can be an advantage for flexible products, and that heterogeneity can lead to a hybrid optimal product strategy, where offering a mix of flexible and standard products enables price discrimination between high‐ and low‐valuation consumers.

This bibliometric analysis examines the evolving landscape of customization research from 2013 to 2023, concentrating on the consumer perspective and its effect on company performance. The research adopted a comprehensive approach, gathering primary data from the Google Scholar database, resulting in a final sample of 43 research articles. The methodology employed was a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach, which facilitates a thorough search and a transparent breakdown of objectives, methods, and conclusions. The analysis included trends by publication year, co-occurrence and co-author analyses, and the most cited articles, highlighting key themes and leading authors in the field. The results indicate a significant increase in research output by 2023, suggesting a renewed or heightened interest in customization topics. The most cited articles encompass a broad spectrum of subjects related to customization, including its impact on performance, customer attitudes toward customized products, and cross-country differences in the effectiveness of mass customization. Additionally, co-occurrence analysis identified 20 clusters and keywords linked to consumer behavior, customization, innovation strategy, and e-commerce, yielding insights into themes such as consumer satisfaction, service innovation, and consumer preferences. In conclusion, this study enhances the understanding of how customization strategies can influence consumer behavior and preferences across various market segments. It underscores the need for further exploration of the impact of customization on consumers' perceived value and satisfaction across different industries and cultural contexts. The findings also emphasize the significance of examining the effectiveness of customization in addressing choice overload, customer satisfaction, and service innovation. This research provides valuable insights for academics, practitioners, and policymakers aiming to strengthen relationships with consumers through customization strategies.

Valuation of environmental improvements in a specially protected marine area: A choice experiment approach in Göcek Bay, Turkey

Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are rapidly growing owing to the increased public awareness of energy and environmental issues. Infrastructure for hydrogen production, transportation, and allocation is essential for FCEV promotion. For consumers, availability of few hydrogen refuelling stations is the primary concern. Currently, public charging infrastructure for battery electric vehicles, for example, fast charging station, has a more widespread coverage compared to infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling. With an electrolyser, the existing power grid can be used as an alternative to hydrogen supply and transportation infrastructure, which is still being developed. The authors propose a new conceptual combo station acting as both a hydrogen refuelling station and a fast charging station. This station can satisfy the requirement of FCEVs and battery electric vehicles, and even operate under a blackout situation. To quantify the value of coordinated operation, an optimal operation formulation of a combo station is developed. It is found that such a combo station is capable of saving land rents, reducing power network reinforcement cost, and boosting energy self‐balance capability under blackout condition.

The absence of original information in traceability system is the major risk to pork safety in China. An increasing number of recent media reports on pork safety problems at source have attracted great attention and thought to be a growing threat to risk perception amplification on pork safety, even leading to public panic. Understanding how people react to media report is essential to enhance pork quality management, and the design of effective information dissemination policy. This paper was among the first to explore the impact of media report about potential benefits and risk of traceability on consumer utility valuation and preference heterogeneities for select pork traits. By capturing key issues from online media reports in last three years both on benefit (positive group) and risk (negative gourp) of traceability as information shock showed to interviewees, we investigate willingness to pay from 788 consumers across sixteen traceability pilot cities, China. A orthogonal factorial design was employed, which resulted in twelve choice sets based on four two-level traits including information source (farmer or slaughter info.), production (free or captive range), brand (have or not), certificate (have or not), and three-level price. The mixed logit and latent class models are employed to examine preferences heterogeneity by using 28368 choice samples. The findings indicate that consumers value certification more than other pork traits, while only preference on farmerinfo labeling significantly imcreases in negative information group. Highly valued farmerinfo and free range labeling in same class from positive information shock, while consumer preference for free range in one class from negative group. The results suggests existence of preference heterogeneity based on two aspects of media report. Considering heterogeneity within population segments provides a framework for adapting information dissemination to react in food crisis for firm managers, and to improve pork product labeling policy interventions for food supervisors by integrating preferred pork traits in a traceability system.