Mystery shopping experiences for energy and water efficient products : Expériences mystères d'achat de produits éconergétiques et économes en eau

Consumers assert they have trouble finding sustainable products because of confusion at the point of purchase. In addition to offering more sustainable products in stores, retailers can use marketing mix strategies to make consumers aware of these products and influence the buying decision. For instance, when a customer walks into a store to purchase an appliance such as a refrigerator, how does the store's sales associate influence the model the customer decides to buy? Moreover, how does that store promote (or not) the sale of energy efficient appliances? Few studies have evaluated the current marketing mix strategies being used at the store level or whether these strategies address the barriers to purchasing sustainable products that have been identified by consumers. This research study seeks to bridge the knowledge gap concerning the in-store contextual factors that influence the buying decisions towards sustainable products. This study will examine the retailer influence on the uptake of energy and water efficient products.