The chapter intends to discuss the growing significance of IoE in the realm of sustainable marketing. Nevertheless, the realm of information technology solutions within the domain of sustainable or eco-friendly marketing remains relatively underexplored within the existing literature. Therefore, this study sincerely attempts to fill this void by concerning IoE in the realm of sustainable marketing, specifically in the post-COVID-19 context. This study discusses the increasing significance of post-COVID-19 IoE in sustainable marketing practices, closely examines various constraints and prospects in the Indian context, and provides detailed implications of IoE in sustainable marketing practices. The novelty of the present study lies in the fact that IoE in the realm of sustainable marketing is a less investigated topic, and there is a dearth of literature on the subject.
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Environmental awareness is growing and is spreading over the world (Yu et al., 2021; Han, 2020). As a result, companies have started employing green and sustainable marketing techniques to address various environmental issues as sustainable development strategies. Since the 1980s, there have been issues closely linked to industrial output like global warming, greenhouse effects, climate change, and pollution (Hamid & Jameel, 2019). Thus, it is only reasonable to expect that virtually every sector has now started incorporating sustainable practices into their business operations. Sustainable marketing involves producing and promoting products that consumers can easily access due to low cost, maximum satisfaction, and great benefits but have few negative impacts on both the environment and the social economy. High-end tech tools are used to advertise the offer and support sustainable operations and lifestyles in companies (Nosratabadi et al., 2019). Technology in the modern age helps to create value for the customer (Seretny & Gaur, 2020). One of the most important components in enhancing the environment for marketing is data, and technology has produced a variety of methods for gathering data (Mohanraj & Karthikeyan, 2016). Utilising this data helps customers meet their needs and get the finest products and services, which benefits company activity growth. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a major contributor to large data and therefore forms a valuable tool for fulfilling marketing goals. As IoT emerges, it may also greatly impact the very business models of certain firms, significantly changing their relationships both with their clients and other constituents (Fredette et al., 2012). IoT is an arrangement of connected components (internet-connected components) that can be identified separately like an internet-based infrastructure giving way for remote identification, sensing, and operation of these components with real-time flow of data or information between the components (Ng & Wakenshaw, 2017). The IoT concept is expanded by the Internet of Everything (IoE) by including connections to people, data, and processes. It also involves other connectivity-oriented frameworks like the Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of People (IoP), Industrial Internet (II), etc. (Yang et al., 2017). Therefore, IoE refers to a network of connections among smart things, people, enterprises, and data that enables the near instantaneous exchange of data and information. So far as it is known, this technology integrates all sorts of technologies to make ever-improving marketing communication.
Creating and promoting goods and services that are socially and environmentally responsible is the emphasis of sustainable marketing. It seeks to maximize positive environmental effects while minimizing resource consumption, generating social benefits, and maintaining profitability. The IoE and sustainable marketing strategies have gained popularity because of the COVID-19 pandemic. People are looking for sustainable goods and services as they spend more time at home and are more conscious of their impact on the environment. IoE can assist businesses in meeting this expanding need by enabling them to create and provide more sustainable goods and services as well as more effectively engage consumers in their sustainability initiatives.