Intelligent IoT-enabled marketing systems: Enhancing consumer sustainability engagement through perceived usefulness

This study examines how IoT-based marketing influences consumer engagement in sustainability. Using surveys from 847 people and 32 interviews, we found that these strategies significantly boost engagement (β = 0.724, p < 0.001). Perceived usefulness partially mediated this relationship, accounting for 53.9 % of the total effect (β_total = 0.677; indirect β = 0.365, 95 % CI [0.298, 0.437]; p < 0.001). The research reveals the existence of three consumers: Tech-Sustainability Enthusiasts (34.2 %), Cautious Adopters (41.7 %%), and Traditional Consumers (24.1 %). Each group has its own responsiveness pattern to the marketing of IoT-enabled sustainability. According to the research, they extend a well-established theoretical framework to the emerging IoT-sustainability domain. Similarly, and they also provide the first empirical evidence for perceived usefulness. It is critical mediating mechanism in the IoT-sustainability domain. The research gives useful hints to those who want to make use of IoT in sustainability. Importantly, the technology must demonstrate the usefulness to obtain maximum engagement.