BACKGROUND
Currently, one of the most widely discussed topics in the floriculture industry, which is promulgated by consumers exhibiting greater degrees of environmental awareness, is the issue of environmental sustainability. This has lead to a desire for products that not only solve the needs of consumers but are also produced and marketed using sustainable production and business practices. Consumers increasingly place a greater emphasis on product packaging and this has carried over to the greenhouse/floral sector in the form of biodegradable pots.
While various forms of these eco-friendly pots have been available for several years, their marketing appeal was limited due to their less-thansatisfying appearance. With the recent availability of more attractive biodegradable plant containers, a renewed interest in their suitability in the floriculture sector and their consumer acceptance has emerged. The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of biodegradable pots that consumers deem most desirable and to solicit their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for this type of product.
METHODOLOGY
This study utilized a conjoint analysis internet survey and experimental auctions to elicit floral consumers’ WTP for biodegradable containers. This report focuses specifically on the conjoint analysis survey. The benefit of these types of surveys is they allow researchers to simultaneously investigate a number of product attributes and to determine the relative importance of each attribute in the consumer’s preference.
To read the rest of this story please go to: The American Floral Endowment