1. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Natalia Sowik, Sven Henkel
EBS University for Business and Law (EBS)
Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 3, Wiesbaden, Germany

2. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Market mediated transactions, where no transfer of ownership takes place
Consumers pay for their time in use
Represents a real alternative to ownership
Here are some examples from different branches
Wework = coworking office space
Fiverr = marketplace for digital services
Renttherunway = online service that provides designer dress and accessory rentals
Bellhops = provides efficient and affordable moving help
Zopa = borrowing money from others

3. Car ownership decreases
The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Car ownership decreases
2013
9 times more customers in 7 years
Most popular example of abc is carsharing
In 2013, 23,5% of the carsharing users already reduced car ownership in their households due to the use of carsharing; in 2016, already one third reduced car ownership because of the carsharing usage
2016
Registered carsharing users in Germany , Bundesverband Carsharing
EBS University for Business and Law

4. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Ownership is not essential to develop feelings of ownership by referring to the theory of psychological ownership.
Since 1890 research on consumer behavior is based on the idea that possessions, esp. material items, define the consumer’s personality and identity
Nowadays, value creation is based on experience rather than on material possessions
Concomitant with these changes in consumer behavior and ownership reduction we assume …
PO describes the psychologically experienced link between the self and objects, expressed by calling objects as “mine” or “ours”
Ownership is no essential condition for the emergence of PO

5. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
H1: Consumers with a high usage frequency have stronger feelings of ownership than consumers with a low usage frequency.
Familiarity
Exercised control
H2: Consumers, who additionally own a similar object, perceive ownership in access-based consumption less than consumers, who do not own a similar object.
There are three different causes that lead to the emergence of PO
Owned objects are judged more favorably compared to similar non-owned objects
Exercised control is limited in ABC as not all property rights are transferred
Car owners show high investments of the self while consumers, who access cars in ABC, do not have comparable investments of the self
Investment of the self
Jussila et al. (2015)

6. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
H1: Consumers with a high usage frequency have stronger feelings of ownership than consumers with a low usage frequency. 
Familiarity
F = 4.180, p < .05
Exercised control
Online survey among 1,523 carsharing users in Germany
ANOVA comparing both groups: H1 = high usage frequency vs. low usage frequency in terms of PO
H2 = car owner vs. non car owner in terms of PO
Implications:
The often I use carsharing, the more I perceive ownership
Marketers do not have to pay attention to the fact whether their customers own a similar object or not
H2: Consumers, who additionally own a similar object, perceive ownership in access-based consumption less than consumers, who do not own a similar object. 
F = 2.962, p= .085, n.s.
Investment of the self

7. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Carsharing providers report increasing amounts of registered customers
But: registration ≠ actual consumption
High fixed costs, low variable costs  call for high transaction rates
Brook (2004)
Loyalty represents a key element to improve transactions of existing customers
Helgesen (2006)

8. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Loyalty is dominantly affected by satisfaction and trust in consumer behavior
Former studies on PO in the context of organizational behavior have shown that PO significantly affects (job) satisfaction; therefore, we assumed PO to positively affect satisfaction in abc as well
Moreover, trust is highly valued in abc; Familiarity strongly affects trust, and, familiarization is also causal for PO; therefore we assumed PO to positively affect trust
Finally, trust is formed before a transaction takes place  trust has a direct impact on post-consumption satisfaction

9. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.

10. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.

11. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Loyalty is dominantly affected by satisfaction and trust in consumer behavior
Former studies on PO in the context of organizational behavior have shown that PO significantly affects (job) satisfaction; therefore, we assumed PO to positively affect satisfaction in abc as well
Moreover, trust is highly valued in abc; Familiarity strongly affects trust, and, familiarization is also causal for PO; therefore we assumed PO to positively affect trust
Finally, trust is formed before a transaction takes place  trust has a direct impact on post-consumption satisfaction
Mediation tests showed perfect mediation results
Structural equation modeling
Our results strongly support our assumptions; all relationships are significant
PO enhances satisfaction and trust, leading to higher loyalty

12. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Implications
We were the first, who examined psychological ownership in a setting involving legal ownership
As customers of access-based consumption modes were found to be distrustful in terms of service reliability and integrity , we provided evidence for psychological ownership significantly promoting trust
Extension of existing research on the interactions among satisfaction, trust, and loyalty in the context of access-based consumption
These are the main ones…
Limitations
Considering different contexts for investigations on psychological ownership (e.g., room rentals, fashion rentals)
further investigations on psychological ownership towards owned objects

13. The Mediated Effect of Psychological Ownership on Loyalty in Access-Based Consumption. The Case of Carsharing.
Conclusion
Purchasing an object is not necessary to experience feelings similar to ownership.
Besides, companies offering access-based consumption modes may attract new target groups. For instance, consumers, who cannot afford to purchase a car, may experience car ownership through access.
Finally, an intense usage of carsharing may increase future car investment decisions as customers perceive them as “theirs.”
These are the main ones…

14. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR ATTENTION!