How to induce sustainable customer picking behavior: The effects of a sustainability message and pricing

Last registered on November 01, 2021
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
How to induce sustainable customer picking behavior: The effects of a sustainability message and pricing
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0008303
Initial registration date
October 04, 2021

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
October 05, 2021, 2:46 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Last updated
November 01, 2021, 9:53 AM EDT

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Thomas Vogt
Affiliation
University of Cologne
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Ulrich W. Thonemann
PI Affiliation
University of Cologne
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2021-10-05
End date
2022-12-31
Keywords
Behavior, Lab
Additional Keywords
Sustainability
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We study customer picking behavior when purchasing perishable products. We investigate the effects of a sustainability message and pricing, as well as the interaction between these two aspects. In online experiments, subjects can choose between items that differ in expiration date and/or price. In the treatment group, subjects receive a sustainability message.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Thonemann, Ulrich W. and Thomas Vogt. 2021. "How to induce sustainable customer picking behavior: The effects of a sustainability message and pricing." AEA RCT Registry. November 01. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.8303
Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2021-10-05
Intervention End Date
2022-12-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
The number of individuals who choose the item with the shorter expiration date in each decision round.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We investigate the effects of a sustainability message and pricing, as well as the interaction between these two aspects in online experiments. Subjects can choose between items that differ in expiration date and/or price. In the treatment group, subjects receive a sustainability message.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization of individuals into treatments by computer.
Randomization Unit
individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
we cluster on the individual level and plan to have 190 individuals per treatment group
Sample size: planned number of observations
190 individuals/clusters per treatment group
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
190 individuals/clusters per treatment group
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
On average over all discounts, the share of subjects choosing the item with the shorter expiration date is 11% (=MDES) higher in the treatment group than in the control group, amounting to a relative difference of 22%.
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
IRB Approval Date
IRB Approval Number
Analysis Plan