Valuing Second-Hand Furniture Through Means-End Theory and Stimulus-Organism-Response Theory

This study investigates consumer willingness to pay a premium (WTP) for second-hand furniture by integrating Means-End Theory and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework in a two-stage analysis of single dataset ( n = 273, U.S. consumers). Exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical value mapping revealed layered cognitive linkages connecting functional, aesthetic, and social attributes to higher-order values. PLS-SEM demonstrated that WTP emerges through emotional and social pathways rather than utilitarian evaluation: uniqueness increased price acceptance through nostalgic pleasure and localism, while brand credibility and hygiene operated through risk perception and social value. Quality and sustainability did not translate into premium pricing. Theoretically, the study proposes a sequential organism mechanism grounded in appraisal theory, in which emotional states precede and activate cognitive-social evaluations, extending S-O-R beyond single-level mediation. Focusing on furniture which is durable, spatially embedded, and domestically visible, broadens second-hand research beyond apparel and shifts focus from purchase intention toward willingness to pay.