While remanufactured products represent an increasingly researched phenomenon in the literature, not much is known about consumers’ understanding and acceptance of such products. This study explores this issue in the context of the theory of perceived risk (TPR), investigating return policy leniency and distribution channel choice as potential factors to foster remanufactured products’ sales. This research explore how return policy leniency might mitigate consumers’ perceived risk and how their related purchase intention differs across two types of retail distribution channels (i.e. brick-and-mortar vs. online). The investigation illustrates with empirical evidence that providing a lenient return policy is effective in increasing consumer purchase intention for remanufactured products. Notably, that return policy preference holds true in both channels (i.e. brick-and-mortar vs. online) and that consumers perceive remanufactured products sold via both channels as equally risky, thus highlighting that both are appropriate distribution channels. Finally, the study provides empirical evidence into the difference of perceived risk with regard to new versus remanufactured products.
