Exploring the relationship between collaborative consumption and well-being: the case of UBER

Purpose Well-being reflects an individual's pursuit of both objective and subjective fulfillment across a product or service's life cycle. This study examines how collaborative consumption influences consumer well-being, focusing on key determinants. Through an examination of Uber, this research offers a deeper understanding of the mechanisms through which collaborative consumption shapes well-being, contributing to and expanding the existing body of knowledge on this relationship. Design/methodology/approach The study applies a quantitative approach, using the partial least squares structural equation modelling method. The research model, with well-being as a dependent variable, is tested on a sample of 438 collaborative consumers in Europe. Findings All factors – cost savings, environmental impact, Internet capability, trend affinity and trust – received empirical support as antecedents for consumer well-being. Service quality did not have a direct impact on well-being, but enhanced the significance of trust. Research limitations/implications The interest in research toward collaborative consumption is growing as people become more engaged in social and environmental behavior. This paper investigates how such engagement can improve consumer well-being and, to the best of our knowledge, it is one of the few papers providing empirical evidence of the relationship between collaborative consumption dimensions and well-being. Practical implications Given the importance of trust within collaborative consumption and Uber services in our case, several proposals could be suggested to managers to enhance trust and therefore improve users' well-being. Today one of the important issues for Uber users is safety. A user who feels safe will express trust. It is advised to set up additional features and services that enable users to move safely, such as the possibility of sharing its geolocalization with family or friends when taking an Uber taxi or giving the possibility of choosing the gender of the driver, which may be an important selection criterion for a woman who wishes to take a taxi at a late hour, for example. Such findings provide guidance to marketers in collaborative consumption by enhancing their strategies and effective communication approaches to reach this specific consumer target. Social implications As companies seek to deal with the uncertainties and complexities of markets in response to environmental and societal changes, the key question is to what extent a firm makes a positive impact through adopting disruptive strategies, such as collaborative consumption, on the consumer's well-being. Our study brings two key elements to the discussion of how marketing can play its role in addressing this salient issue that affects the well-being of our societies in the era of collaborative consumption. Originality/value The increasing academic interest in collaborative consumption reflects the rising engagement of individuals in social and environmentally responsible behaviors. This paper explores the extent to which such engagement enhances consumer well-being and, to the best of our knowledge, is among the few studies to empirically examine the relationship between the dimensions of collaborative consumption and well-being.