Structured Abstract: Understanding Users of Peer-to-Peer Carsharing (A Means-End Analysis to Uncover Participation Motives)

Abstract

Carsharing user numbers and the set of related service offerings are growing globally. Offerings can be categorized into business-to-consumer (B2C) and peer-to-peer (P2P) services. The latter allows consumers to rent and lend privately owned vehicles via online marketplaces. Consumer behavior research on carsharing is predominantly focused on users’ consumption in B2C contexts. However, such research may not be directly applicable to P2P carsharing. Transactions are made with strangers, involving asymmetric information and economic risks, raising the relevance of psychological factors such as trust. In P2P accommodation, trust is a barrier and central differentiator toward B2C services, from a participant’s perspective (Ert et al. 2016; Tussyadiah and Pesonen 2016). In B2C carsharing, renters benefit from a repeated interaction with a single service provider, which follows a predefined set of processes, and the rented cars are largely of the same quality and overall condition. In P2P carsharing, renters need to develop trust toward the vehicle owner (e.g., regarding the car maintenance, cleanliness, availability) and have to do so for every single transaction to a different owner. Research on P2P carsharing, mainly psychological and motivational drivers to use P2P carsharing, remain scarce but can provide valuable insights for managers confronted with P2P carsharing-related issues. Especially since studies indicate that globally 21 % vs. 30 % of potential consumers in Germany would consider renting a privately owned vehicle, but actual numbers remain significantly behind these projections (Nielsen 2014; ING DiBa 2015).