Remanufactured auto parts market in Japan: Historical review and factors affecting green purchasing behavior

This study investigates consumers' perception and their green purchasing behavior relating to remanufactured auto parts (RAPs) in Japan, where RAPs market remains relatively undeveloped. It also reports factors affecting green purchasing behavior in the US, where RAPs enjoy a long history and continuing success. This study uses an internet survey of 500 Japanese and 473 US respondents to examine how underlying factors, such as consumer knowledge of RAPs, perceptions of benefits and risk, and price consciousness, influence the behavioral intentions of consumers. The results indicate that purchase intention is strongly influenced by these underlying factors in two different markets. This study also provides a brief historical review of the growth of the Japanese RAPs market. In the review, stakeholders' influences on consumers' perception of RAPs are highlighted. The implications of the results and review on effective measures to promote RAPs in Japan and in an economy where markets for remanufactured products are in their early stage of development are discussed. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.