Harnessing Emotional Intelligence from User-Generated Content: Insights into Perceived Value in Online Second-Hand Clothing Transactions
(A2025-130284)

AUTHORS

Beata Šeinauskienė, Kaunas University of Technology; Laura Salciuviene, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham; Mantas Lukauskas, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Kaunas University of Technology/School of Economics and Business, Kaunas University of Technology; Aiste Dovaliene, Kaunas University of Technology; Agne Gadeikiene, Kaunas University of Technology; Jurate Banyte, Kaunas University of Technology

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study is to examine emotional intelligence and its links with perceived consumer value in the context of purchasing second-hand clothing online. A dataset of 477 randomly selected (from 125,145, web scraped with Playwright) user-generated online reviews about second hand clothing provides the data for this study. The Trait Activation Theory was used to explain the original findings derived from analysing the link between emotional intelligence and perceived consumer value of second-hand clothing in the online context. Results of the study suggest that emotional intelligence-embedded online reviews have more pronounced second-hand clothing green, emotional, functional, social, and economic value perceptions. This study contributes to sustainable consumption and the growth of ethical fashion in the e-commerce context as it investigates empathy-drivel interactions.