How awe shapes sustainable “buy less, buy premium” consumer preference

Dayeon Choi, Divya Tewari, Yuri Seo and Eunju Ko

Journal of Business Research, 2025, vol. 200, issue C

Abstract: Fast fashion’s rapid buy-and-discard cycle is a major driver of environmental harm. One promising remedy is to nudge consumers toward a “buy less, buy premium” (BLBP) preference—that is, purchasing a small number of high-end items instead of many mid-range alternatives. Across four experiments, we show that making consumers feel the self-transcendent emotion of awe strengthens BLBP preference. Study 1 establishes the main effect, then Studies 2 and 3 unpack the mechanism: awe broadens consumers’ future-oriented time perspective, heightening sustainability concerns, which in turn promote BLBP preference. Study 3 also demonstrates managerial relevance by using awe-evoking advertising imagery to shift preferences. Finally, Study 4 identifies a boundary condition consistent with the proposed mechanism: when mid-range options are framed as sustainable, awe no longer boosts BLBP preference. Together, these findings position awe as a distinctive emotional lever that can reduce waste by redirecting consumption toward premium, longer-lasting goods.

Keywords: Awe; Future-oriented time perspective; Sustainable luxury; Buying less but buying premium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:200:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325004771

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115654

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