The Spillover Effect of Product Place-of-Origin Image on Willingness to Pay a Premium for Agricultural Products in E-Commerce: An Inverse Halo Effect

This study aims to examine how the specific product place-of-origin image influences consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for the general product in the context of e-commerce. The study focuses on a specific product: Korla fragrant pears from Xinjiang, China. This brand successfully obtained China’s first certification of origin trademark as early as 1996 and is an agricultural product that enjoys high levels of both brand recognition and consumption among Chinese consumers. This study employs a research framework based on the halo effect and equity theory. The results indicate that, while the specific product place-of-origin image does not directly and significantly influence willingness to pay a premium for general agricultural products, it can exert an indirect influence through the following channels: (1) general product place-of-origin image; (2) brand awareness of the specific product and general product place-of-origin image; (3) brand reputation of the specific product and general product place-of-origin image; (4) brand personality of the specific product and general product place-of-origin image. Furthermore, fsQCA results indicate that this image can also act in concert with other factors to influence the willingness to pay a premium for general agricultural products. These findings contribute to the empirical literature on the relationship between the image of the product place of origin and willingness to pay a premium in the context of e-commerce, providing a theoretical basis for businesses seeking to achieve differentiated pricing.