ABSTRACT Circular business models (CBMs) integrate ecological sustainability and resource efficiency into core business strategies, but their success depends on consumers' intention to use. Grounded in expectancy–value theory, this study investigates how product‐related factors ( perceived usefulness, convenience, value for money, and performance risk ) and individual consumer characteristics ( environmental concern, familiarity with circular economy, and willingness to purchase used products ) shape consumers' intention to use. Using survey data from 2049 participants across six countries and applying fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA), we identify six equifinal configurations that lead to high intention to use. The configurations form two groups: (1) function first , prioritizing perceived usefulness, and (2) holistic value , emphasizing perceived convenience and value for money, especially among environmentally concerned consumers. Conversely, low intention to use is met through three circular disconnect configurations due to low perceived usefulness, convenience, and value for money. NCA reveals that high intention to use requires minimum thresholds of willingness to buy used products and environmental concern. These findings highlight the causal complexity and diversity of consumer decision‐making, offering actionable insights for designing circular offerings that align with varied consumer motivations.
Falkenberg et al. (Wed,) studied this question.