SEER: Sustainable E-commerce with Environmental-impact Rating
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With online shopping gaining massive popularity over the past few years, e-commerce platforms can play a significant role in tackling climate change and other environmental problems. In this study, we report that the "attitude-behavior" gap identified by prior sustainable consumption literature also exists in an online setting. We propose SEER, a concept design for online shopping websites to help consumers make more sustainable choices. We introduce explainable environmental impact ratings to increase knowledge, trust, and convenience for consumers willing to purchase eco-friendly products. In our quasi-randomized case-control experiment with 98 subjects across the United States, we found that the case group using SEER demonstrates significantly more eco-friendly consumption behavior than the control group using a traditional e-commerce setting. While there are challenges in generating reliable explanations and environmental ratings for products, if implemented, in the United States alone, SEER has the potential to reduce approximately 2.88 million tonnes of carbon emission every year.
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