Careless product use in access-based services: A rebound effect and how to address it

Abstract

The sharing economy promises to alleviate environmental pressures by optimizing the distribution and use of resources, for example, shifting from ownership to access-based services. Services that grant users access for a long period only improve sustainability if they extend product lifetimes. However, careless use of accessed products reduces product lifetimes. We investigate the problem–solution space of product care in access-based services. A user survey reveals significantly lower product care for accessed than owned washing machines. We then systematically develop solutions to stimulate product care in access-based services, resulting in ten strategies and 23 design solutions. Levers and barriers to promoting product care are uncovered through interviews with access-based service providers; the range of products impacts providers’ ability to implement product-specific care strategies, the service can be designed to deter or attract user groups, and providers’ control over the supply chain determines which product care strategies they can implement.