Benefit Information’s Impact on Ornamental Plant Value

Abstract

Ornamental plants provide many benefits to humans, including those that affect emotional/mental health, physiological health, social interactions, and economic/financial conditions. However, research related to consumers’ perceived value of ornamental plants has focused primarily on production methods that were used to produce plants, while consumers’ perceived intrinsic value of postpurchase benefits has not been addressed. There is potential for benefit information to generate value for consumers. Knowing consumers’ value for different plant benefits serves to inform green industry stakeholders as they consider their marketing strategies and whether to include benefit information as a part of their plant promotions. An online survey was conducted to elicit U.S. consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for lavender plants while displaying different plant benefit information. Participants randomly viewed one of eight plant benefit messages and indicated the maximum they were willing to pay for a lavender plant displaying that benefit. The benefits messages were categorized as cognitive, social, physical, emotional, environmental, aesthetic, educational, and economic based on prior literature. Tobit models were used to analyze the data. Compared to economic benefit information, the social benefit generated the largest premium (USD 6.75). Plant spending in 2020 and household income increased participants’ WTP for the lavender plants. Age had a negative impact on WTP.