Drivers and Barriers to User Participation in the Sharing Economy on the Example of Rental and Clothing Exchange Services

This master's thesis is devoted to the study of drivers and barriers to the participation of Russian users in the Sharing economy on the example of rental and exchange of clothing services. Today, the Sharing economy is developing rapidly, involving an increasing number of business areas. In recent years, rental and exchange of wardrobe items services have appeared on the stage. These services respond to users ' requests for a more environmentally conscious attitude and reasonable consumption. Within the framework of this work, scientific works were studied, in which the authors consider both the drivers and barriers of the Sharing economy in general, and the factors that are relevant specifically for the rental and exchange of clothing market. The result of the analysis of scientific papers was the classification of factors of user participation in the Sharing economy. Further, the rental and clothing exchange market was studied, and an empirical study was conducted, which took place in 2 stages: a qualitative stage – conducting in-depth interviews, and a quantitative stage – conducting an online survey with further statistical data processing. As a result, a list of factors for the participation of Russian users in the rental and exchange of clothing was formed, differences in the assessment of these factors by different clusters of users were identified, and a number of practical recommendations for the marketing of these services in Russia were given. The practical significance of the study lies in the formation and description of the list of factors for the use of clothing rental and exchange services in Russia, as well as in the identification of different clusters of users with different attitudes to rent and exchange, socio-cultural and behavioral characteristics. This description will allow companies that are already operating, or just planning to enter this market in Russia, to develop marketing strategies more precisely, taking into account the characteristic of both the Russian audience as a whole and its individual segments. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the possibility of further in-depth study of the factors of user participation in the Sharing economy in the Russian market.