The Influence of Messaging and Priming on Willingness to Pay in Monetizing Sustainable Technology Products

This study investigates how educational messaging and the timing of attitudinal questions influence stated consumer preferences for sustainable product components. A choice-based conjoint (CBC) survey was deployed to 720 U.S. adults, randomized into four groups with varying exposure to sustainability messaging and priming. Compared to the control group, respondents who were exposed to messaging and priming showed an additional 7–17 percentage point increase in preference share for products with recycled components. The attribute importance of sustainability-related features rose by approximately 4–7 percentage points, and marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) increased by $11–$71 relative to the control group. These results demonstrate how survey design can measurably impact research outcomes and the importance of educational messaging in improving willingness to pay.