From empathy to value: user-generated content inferred emotional intelligence in the context of second-hand clothing purchases online

Abstract The paper investigates how emotional intelligence relates to perceived consumer value in the context of purchasing second-hand clothing online. The study uses a dataset (477 randomly selected from 125,145 web scraped with Playwright) of user-generated online reviews about second-hand clothing transactions. The study utilises the Trait Activation Theory to propose novel explanations by examining the nuanced relationship between emotional intelligence and perceived consumer value when purchasing second-hand clothing online. The study’s findings indicate that emotional intelligence-embedded online reviews have more pronounced second-hand clothing emotional, green, social, functional, and economic value perceptions. By examining empathy-driven interactions and situational cues, our research highlights the impact of emotional intelligence on the perceived value of second-hand clothing transactions online, contributing to consumer psychology literature and the growth of ethical fashion in the e-commerce context.