Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Wearables’ Sustainability-Related Challenges Through Examining Smartwatch Users’ Post-Purchase Online Reviews

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore consumers’ awareness of wearables’ sustainability-related challenges by examining their post-purchase online reviews of the two most famous smartwatches, iWatch 5 and Active 2, in 2020. This study highlighted users’ criteria and challenges of using wearables through analyzing 1,532 review comments. Among the four major emerged themes (durability, functionality, trackability, and aesthetics), durability was the only theme directly related to its sustainability attributes. Battery durability was considered as one of the main sustainability-related challenges by smartwatch users at the post-purchase phase. Functionality, trackability, and aesthetics did not directly reflect its sustainability aspect but can influence consumers’ long-term satisfaction and intention of its use. The findings demonstrate that consumers have limited sustainability awareness of wearables at the post-purchasing stage, which leads to a new discussion question on how to enhance potential users’ sustainability awareness of wearables prior to or during their purchasing stage.

Keywords: Sustainability, wearables, post-purchase experiences, sustainability challenges

How to Cite:

Bakhshian, S. & Lee, Y., (2022) “Wearables’ Sustainability-Related Challenges Through Examining Smartwatch Users’ Post-Purchase Online Reviews”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 78(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.13574