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Making Online Products More Tangible: The Effect of Product Presentation Formats on Product Evaluations
Abstract
Although several studies have looked at the effects of online product presentations on consumer decision making, no study thus far has considered a potential key factor in online product evaluations: tangibility. The present study aims at filling this gap by developing and testing a model that relates different online product presentation formats to the three-dimensional concept of product tangibility. We test how the three tangibility dimensions influence perceived diagnosticity and, eventually, online purchase intentions. A between-subjects lab experiment (n = 366) was used to test the hypothesized effects of three common online product presentation formats (pictures vs. 360 spin rotation vs. virtual mirror). The results showed that out of these formats, virtual mirrors were superior in providing a sense of product tangibility, followed by the 360-spin rotation format and static pictures. Furthermore, in terms of predictive validity, two of the three tangibility dimensions significantly increased perceived diagnosticity, which, in turn, positively and strongly affected purchase intentions. Overall, our results add to previous works studying the relationships between online product presentation formats and consumer decision making. Also, they hold value for online practitioners by highlighting the potential benefits of applying technologically advanced product presentation formats such as the virtual mirror.
... In order to conduct this analysis, it is important to define the usage properties that are of interest. This can be achieved by reviewing conceptual models and previous research [21][22][23][24]. When considering the various usage properties of display technologies, the focus should not only be on functionality and usability, but also on emotional or pleasurable aspects [25], as well as characteristics related to media [23], because the importance that users attach to usage properties may be influenced by the type of property. ...
... Verhagen et al. [24] highlighted Tangibility as another potential key factor in online product evaluations. They proposed and tested a model by relating product tangibility to three product presentation formats: static pictures, 360 spin rotation, and a virtual mirror. ...
... Furthermore, three media characteristics of interactive technologies were adapted from the review by Javornik [23]: Interactivity, Immersivity, and Availability (from the original Virtuality and Mobility, respectively). Tangibility was also added as a factor in product evaluation [24]. The complete list of usage properties and their description in the study are shown in Table 1. ...
Display technologies influence user experience, not only through the perception of product features but also due to their own usage properties. In this work, 12 functional, usable, pleasuring, and media usage properties were analysed for five display technologies: image rendering, 360° rotation, and augmented, immersive, and non-immersive virtual reality. The perception of their importance and their assessment for the chosen technologies were studied by taking two different household products. Two variables for studying decision and expectations were also considered. The results showed that 360° rotation was well-valued in various properties, mainly related to functionality and usability, while the immersive virtual technology stood out in media properties and also in the most important feature: realism. It was also seen that the results could depend on the displayed product. These results provide a deeper insight for user experience optimisation because they complement the information to choose the most appropriate display technology based on the properties to be prioritised.
... In fact, when the diagnosticity of the presented attribute information is low, consumers may form judgements with a low degree of confidence (Maheswaran et al., 1992). Otherwise, if the viewer assesses a well-built UGC video on TikTok, which represents a stimulus (S), to help their perceived diagnosticity (Organism) rise, consumers are more inclined to purchase the products consequently as a behavioral response (R) (Verhagen et al., 2016). This reasoning is in line with prior research (Berger et al., 1994;Kempf, 1999), which shows that when consumers feel well-informed about a product, the decision-making process will be accelerated. ...
... Regarding the S-O-R framework, several researchers (Zhang et al., 2021;Wang & Chang, 2013) have shown that the relationship between a stimulus and purchase intention (R) is mediated by perceived diagnosticity (O) (see more in Appendix 1). Perceived diagnosticity has been explored to mediate the effect of online product presentation videos on consumers' purchase intentions over the years (Jiang & Benbasat, 2007;Verhagen et al., 2016;Cheng et al., 2022). Considering all of this evidence, the more helpful UGC videos (S) have likely been for evaluating a product, the greater influence the perceived diagnosticity (O) will have on the relationship between UGC videos and online purchase intention (R). ...
... This finding is supported by Cheng et al. (2022), who claimed that perceived diagnosticity mediates the effect of product presentation video types (appearance videos and usage videos) on consumers' purchase intention. This statement was also verified by Verhagen et al. (2016), which showed that online product presentation formats increase perceived diagnosticity, making consumers feel well-informed about a product and thereby increasing their purchase intention. Similarly, the study of Geng and Chen (2021) reveals that UGC interaction quality is positively related to purchase intention, and this relationship is mediated by perceived usefulness, which is close to perceived diagnosticity. ...
Background: UGC videos have received considerable attention in recent years thanks to their great potential for buyers and sellers. However, the effect of this content on consumer behavior remains unclear, especially in the context of developing countries (e.g., Vietnam). By applying the Stimulus-Organism-Response model, this paper examines the effect of UGC videos on online purchase intention. Moreover, the mediating role of cognitive responses, consisting of perceived credibility, perceived diagnosticity, and mental imagery, is also examined to offer valuable insights to businesses, enabling them to leverage and effectively promote the trends of UGC videos.
... Tangibility is defined as what can be seen, tasted, felt, heard or smelled (Nepomuceno et al., 2012). Tangibility of a product is important to customers as it helps them examine the material, texture, fit, workmanship, and quality of the product (McCorkle, 1990;Verhagen, Vonkeman, & van Dolen, 2016). Such features of tangibility are considered important by customers in order to make a purchase decision (Verhagen et al., 2016). ...
... Tangibility of a product is important to customers as it helps them examine the material, texture, fit, workmanship, and quality of the product (McCorkle, 1990;Verhagen, Vonkeman, & van Dolen, 2016). Such features of tangibility are considered important by customers in order to make a purchase decision (Verhagen et al., 2016). Although a lack of tangibility is associated with services, physical products also become intangible when offered via online platforms (Nepomuceno, Laroche, & Richard, 2014;Verhagen et al., 2016). ...
... Such features of tangibility are considered important by customers in order to make a purchase decision (Verhagen et al., 2016). Although a lack of tangibility is associated with services, physical products also become intangible when offered via online platforms (Nepomuceno, Laroche, & Richard, 2014;Verhagen et al., 2016). As such, online shopping platforms limit the availability of such tangible features thereby causing several negative outcomes, such as greater difficult of evaluation (McDougall & Snetsinger, 1990;Laroche, Yang, McDougall, & Bergeron, 2005;Laroche, Nepomuceno, & Richard, 2010), greater perceived processing efforts (McDougall, 1987), higher risk perceptions (Nepomuceno et al., 2014), and lower level of customer engagement (Jiang & Benbasat, 2004). ...
... However, e-commerce causes major changes to both business sectors and individual customers because consumers cannot touch, try, or experience the physical product which is normally available in-store [3,4]. As a result, product information and product presentation formats provided in the e-commerce website have become a necessary communication tool for helping consumers experience the product. ...
... The research which studied some similar product presentation formats with the current research found that in the moderate task complexity, video provided higher actual product knowledge than static-picture format [15]. [3] found that 360-spin rotation technique made product perceived as more tangible than pictures. [6] reported that 3D information was one of the significant determinant for trust and satisfaction. ...
... In addition, the website with multiples images with zoom was significantly higher in the mean rating scores than the website with multiple images. These results supported the previous research [3,6,15] which found the interactive media (video, 360spin rotation) provided the higher actual product knowledge than static-picture format. The 3D product presentation had effect on trust and satisfaction [6]. ...
This experiment investigated the effect of product presentation formats on objective and subjective measures. The experiment was within participants' repeated-measures design. There were three formats of product presentation: multiple images, multiple images with zoom function, and 360-spin rotation. Each participant undertook three tasks, one for each product presentation format. The tasks were to visit the website and view the product until the participant was satisfied, then clicked the stop button. The objective measure collected time spent on websites with each product presentation format. The subjective measures collected the participants' opinions using 5-point Likert scale questionnaires on six aspects, and one fill-in-the-blank question on the participants' predicted product prices. The product presentation formats had a significant effect on the objective measure, time spent on website. The product presentation formats also had significant effects on the subjective measures of opinions on the product presentation format, usability and user experience; perceived amount of information; trust; attitude toward the product, brand, and website; overall satisfaction; and purchase intention. In addition, the product presentation formats had a significant effect on the predicted product price.
... Vividness (Chen et al., 2022) and visual quality (Yoo, 2020), along with interactivity with the product and environment (Chen et al., 2022), also enhance PD, contributing to enjoyment (Pantano et al., 2017). PD reduces perceived information asymmetry (Choe et al., 2008), increases perceived usefulness (Peukert et al., 2019), and strengthens the link between virtual brand experiences and purchase intentions (Gabisch and Gwebu, 2011), positively influencing behavioral intentions such as purchase and transaction intentions (Gabisch and Gwebu, 2011;Verhagen et al., 2016;Fang, 2012) and contributing to positive brand attitudes (Lee, 2012). In AR, PD is particularly important as it helps overcome the limited product interaction typical of online experiences (Yoo, 2020), and is driven by higher levels of tangibility (Verhagen et al., 2016). ...
... PD reduces perceived information asymmetry (Choe et al., 2008), increases perceived usefulness (Peukert et al., 2019), and strengthens the link between virtual brand experiences and purchase intentions (Gabisch and Gwebu, 2011), positively influencing behavioral intentions such as purchase and transaction intentions (Gabisch and Gwebu, 2011;Verhagen et al., 2016;Fang, 2012) and contributing to positive brand attitudes (Lee, 2012). In AR, PD is particularly important as it helps overcome the limited product interaction typical of online experiences (Yoo, 2020), and is driven by higher levels of tangibility (Verhagen et al., 2016). Based on these findings, we hypothesize that PD is an outcome of both PI and PEOU, with PE potentially serving as a mediator. ...
Virtual Try-On cosmetics apps based on Augmented Reality (AR) technology can improve both consumer product evaluation and purchase decisions, while also supporting companies’ marketing strategies. This study explores the factors influencing the use of AR-based cosmetics apps by administering the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and additional scales on a sample of 634 Italian consumers. Perceived Informativeness (PI) and Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) were hypothesized as predictors of TRUST, DOUBT, Makeup Involvement (MI), Perceived Diagnosticity (PD), and Behavioral Intention (BI), with Perceived Enjoyment (PE) acting as a mediating variable. The structural equation model (SEM) confirmed PI as a strong predictor, with PE serving as a key mediator. The findings suggest that a moderate level of PE and PEOU is ideal - excessive simplicity or playfulness increases DOUBT and decreases TRUST. Both PD and BI are positively affected by the AR experience, with their coexistence being crucial for effective app usage. Additionally, PI, mediated by PE, significantly influences BI, emphasizing the role of information in consumer decision-making. These results provide valuable insights for the cosmetics industry, offering guidance to refine user experiences and enhance consumer engagement and satisfaction.
... If consumers feel that they know better about a product, they are more likely to buy it (Berger et al., 1994;Kempf, 1999). In addition, Verhagen et al. (2016) found the positive influence of perceived diagnosticity on consumers' purchase intention in the context of online product presentation. ...
... product appearance video) meets the consumers' need, which can help them understand products, thus improving consumers' perceived diagnosticity. With the perceived diagnosticity increasing, consumers are more likely to buy the products (Verhagen et al., 2016). Thus, the following hypothesis is made: ...
The product presentation videos on E-commerce platforms have a significant influence on consumers' purchase decisions, and enterprises have focused on choosing the type of product presentation videos. Based on the resource matching theory, mental imagery theory and cue utilization theory, this study investigated the influence of product presentation videos type (product appearance video vs. product usage video) on consumers' purchase intention and the moderating effect of product rating (low vs. high). Through three pre-experiments and two formal experiments, the results showed that the product usage video has a stronger effect on consumers' purchase intention more than the product appearance video, which is mediated by perceived diagnosticity and mental imagery. In addition, product rating moderated the influence of product presentation videos type on consumers' purchase intention. The product usage video would improve consumers' purchase intention more than the product appearance video when the product rating is high; however, there is no significant difference in the impact of two types of videos on consumers' purchase intention when the product rating is low. This study supplements the research on product presentation videos and provides a reference for online retailers to select effective product presentation videos.
... Food products displayed with implied motion were rated as fresher than static products (Gvili et al. 2015(Gvili et al. , 2017. Also, compared to stills, rotating product displays positively affect purchase intention (Park et al. 2008;Verhagen et al. 2016) and the observer's mood and attitude towards the product (Park et al. 2008). However, none of these studies explicitly investigated the effects of image dynamics on the affective appraisal of food. ...
... Preference for hedonic options Compared to stills, dynamic displays enhanced preference for hedonic options and willingness to pay. Willingness to pay Verhagen et al. (2016) Rotating and still images of sunglasses ...
Viewing images of food triggers the desire to eat and this effect increases when images represent food in a more vivid way. Cinemagraphs are a new medium that is intermediate between photographs and videos: most of the frame is static, while some details are animated in a seamless loop, resulting in a vivid viewing experience. On social media cinemagraphs are increasingly used for food-related communication. Given their vivid appearance we hypothesized that food cinemagraphs may evoke stronger appetitive responses than their static counterparts (stills). This would make them a promising medium for food advertisements on the Internet or on digital menu boards. In this study we measured the ‘wanting’ (appetitive) and ‘liking’ (affective) responses to both cinemagraph and stills representing a wide range of different food products. Our results show that food cinemagraphs slightly increase ‘wanting’ scores while not affecting ‘liking’ scores, compared to similar stills. Although we found no overall main effect of image dynamics on ‘liking’, we did observe a significant effect for some individual food items. The effects of image dynamics on ‘wanting’ and ‘liking’ appear to be product specific: while dynamic images were scored higher on ‘wanting’ or ‘liking’ for some products, static images were scored higher on these factors for other products. Observer responses to a free association task indicate that image dynamics can affect the appeal of a food product in two ways: by emphasizing its hedonic qualities (lusciousness, freshness) and by enhancing the observers’ awareness of their own core affect (‘liking’) for the product. We conclude that the effective use of cinemagraphs in food advertisements therefore requires a careful consideration of the characteristics (hedonic aspects) of the food product that are to be highlighted through image motion and the inherent preferences (core liking) of the target group.
... The study on customer acceptance and resistance to smart technologies in the retail sector indicates that the retail stores should focus on smart technologies that are simple, yet offer enhanced customer value through improved shopping efficiency (Roy et al., 2018). Verhagen et al. (2016) emphasize that a possible way to overcome the intangibility constraint of the online shopping channel lies in the product presentation. Intelligent customization or smart shopping agents learn users' personal preferences, assist the consumers in shopping and autonomously shop on the customer's behalf whereas protecting privacy concerns (Maes, 1999). ...
... Quach and Thaichon's (2017) study examines the processes of value co-creation and co-destruction between luxury brands and consumers in light of conversations and sophisticated interactions. Convenient browsing makes product evaluation and consumer experience positive (Kim et al., 2009;Verhagen et al., 2016) and website design quality constructs exert different impact on intention of initial and continued purchase conversion rate (Kuan et al., 2008;McDowell et al., 2016). Broniarczyk et al.'s (1998) research findings suggest that consuming assortment perception has cognitive dimension and affective dimension in terms of availability of the favorites and ease of shopping. ...
Abstract
Purpose – The primary aim of this paper is to bridge together seemingly disparate yet interconnected paradigmatic antecedents of e-tailing and servicescape i.e., product assortment, order fulfillment, shopping assistance and its consequences for shopping efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach – The proposed conceptual model is well grounded in the extensive literature from e-tailing as well as retailing domain and to assess the plausibility of the model. Total 246 female online apparel shoppers were surveyed from an Indian university and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) through SmartPLS.
Findings – The outcomes of the study indicate that the e-customer may derive a substantial share of shopping assistance and service interface through product assortment offered by e-tailing sites. Customer-perceived performance of this e-shopping process – a crucial element of e-tail servicescape – directly affects the shopping assistance, but also through order fulfillment capability of retail scope.
Research limitations/implications – The study used a sample of graduate students at a north-west university in India, which limits the generalizability of the research to other consumer groups. The paper links a significant body of literature within a conceptually developed framework and identifies key research areas in the e-tailing realm.
Practical implications – By better understanding the role of product assortment as a value added feature in online value co-creation process, the e-tail managers can leverage the proposed integrated capability to improve e-tailing performance and customer outcomes in form of business.
Social implications – With rapid advancements in Internet led communication, we are witnessing the dawn of a new era of e-tail innovations around us which is expected to change the way people experience shopping.
Originality/value – This research is an attempt to enrich the level of understanding about online shopping environment in light of relationships among virtual and physical facets of e-tail i.e., product assortment, order fulfillment, shopping assistance and shopping efficiency. We investigate customer perceived product assortment performance in e-tailing and its significances on shopping outcomes.
... Touching a product can enhance feelings of ownership (Peck and Shu 2009). In our current digitalized economy where consumers increasingly purchase online, touch is one aspect of the consumer experience that is not accounted for (Citrin et al. 2003;Grohmann et al. 2007;Verhagen et al. 2016;Van Kerrebroeck et al. 2017). Investigating the impact of the medium (touch vs. non-touch) on perceived ownership, Brasel and Gips (2014) found that digital interaction on a touch screen with a product has a similar effect to actually touching it. ...
... Applications of AR in a retailing context include, for instance, the augmentation of printed and digital product information with interactive content and the provision of information at the point of sale or in weekly promotional leaflets via the overlay of online information onto the product (Mauroner et al. 2016;Spreer and Kallweit 2014), virtual in-home furniture placements (Rese et al. 2014), as well as virtual try-ons for clothing or sunglasses (Pantano and Naccarato 2010;Verhagen et al. 2014), and make-up (Javornik et al. 2016). As such, the technology enhances the tangibility of the products (i.e. the mental representation of the product and its features as well as the perception of a physical presence) (Verhagen et al. 2016) and can enhance the digital shopping process. ...
The rise of augmented reality (AR) technology presents e-retailers with new opportunities. According to previous research, it is a technology that can positively affect engagement, brand recall and purchase confidence. Mobile-enabled augmented reality differs from regular mobile phone use as the technology virtually overlays images or information to the real environment. As the use of a touch screen device (i.e. smartphone vs. laptop) has previously been found to positively affect feelings of perceived ownership, the current study examines whether the possibility to virtually manipulate a product on a mobile AR application would have an even stronger effect. This is examined for products with either material properties (i.e. products that require the examination of sensory information) or geometric properties (i.e. products that can be examined via written and/or visual information). The findings reveal that AR does indeed result in higher levels of perceived ownership, particularly in case of material products.
... The e-commerce application provides a clear product presentation, making the product easy to comprehend. [37] T2 ...
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has forced most industries to embrace an online platform utilizing technological breakthroughs, it has significantly impacted our daily lives. Businesses that use marketplaces to sell and trade products to customers while increasing their participation through online shopping or e-commerce are among the sectors that take advantage of these situations. The current study set out to evaluate the level of customer satisfaction, trust, and service quality of the e-commerce application to enhance the system and provide a better shopping experience. Facebook, Shopee, Lazada, Shein, and TikTok were the five e-commerce platforms evaluated. The Philippines was the location of this study, and at least 200 people answered the survey, which was conducted in-person and online and consisted of 72 questionnaires. The researchers assessed twelve latent variables: perceived security, customer satisfaction, application interface, brand equity, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and information credibility. Structural equation modeling and multi-criteria decision analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings demonstrated that assurance, application interface, information credibility, and brand equity directly impacted service quality. Moreover, a direct and significant correlation exists between customer satisfaction and service quality. Customers’ trust is significantly impacted by their level of satisfaction and perception of security. The e-commerce apps were ranked using a multi-criteria decision analysis technique, which is the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) based on tangibility, responsiveness, assurance, reliability, and empathy. Facebook received a low rating, whereas Shopee was ranked highest. To further enhance the services offered, the lowest rated application may use the results from the combination of the TOPSIS and SEM results. Additionally, application providers, managers, and researchers examining the user–software interaction of relevant e-commerce applications might utilize the study’s results to enhance their services regarding the purchasing experience and provide a sustainable service. Finally, this study is among the first to use the structural modeling approach to evaluate customer trust and satisfaction while integrating service quality and TOPSIS.
... This experience is the primary sensory experience of shopping in the live room, and it increases the consumer's perception of product quality and tangibility. For example, the static pictures, 360 spin rotation, and virtual mirror help consumers to form a clear mental representation of the product (Verhagen et al., 2016), get a sense of its physical characteristics, and even get an idea of how to use it (Schlosser, 2003;Jiang and Benbasat, 2007b). That is to say, the product presentation could help consumers to get cues about product functionality and its features (Coyle and Thorson, 2002). ...
Live streaming is conducive to consumers obtaining rich and accurate product information, by displaying products through real-time video technology. Live streaming provides a new type of product presentation method, such as showing products from different perspectives, interacting with consumers by trying the products out, and answering consumers’ questions in real time. Other than the current research focus on anchors (or influencers) and consumers in live-streaming marketing, this article tried to explore the way of the product presentation and its effect and mechanism on consumers’ purchase intention. Three studies were conducted. Study 1 (N = 198, 38.4% male) used a survey to explore the main effect of product presentation on consumers’ purchase intention and the mediating effect of the perceived product value. Study 2 (N = 60, 48.3% male) was a survey-based behavioral experiment, and it tested the above effects in the scenario of food consumption. Study 3 (N = 118, 44.1% men) tried to deeply discuss the above relationship in the appeal consumption scenario by priming different levels of the product presentation and time pressure. The results found that the product presentation positively affected consumers’ purchase intention. The perceived product value played a mediating role in the relationship between product presentation and purchase intention. In addition, different levels of time pressure in the living room moderated the above mediation effect. When time pressure is high, the positive impact of product presentation on purchase intention is strengthened. This article enriched the theoretical research on product presentation by exploring product presentation in the context of live-streaming marketing. It explained how product presentation could improve consumers’ perceived product value and the boundary effect of time pressure on consumers’ purchase intention. In practice, this research guided brands and anchors on designing product displays to improve consumers’ purchase decisions.
... The intangibility of products presented online leads to difficulties in assessing product characteristics. This fact leads to the existence of a perceived risk of buying online 30 . In the case of the cosmetics sector, AR, through virtual testing, can help reduce this risk, allowing them to see how the product looks on their face in a pretty real way. ...
Augmented reality (AR) overcomes one of the main limitations of e-commerce, such as the pre-purchase trial. The consumer can virtually see how a product is integrated into the real world through this technology. Therefore, AR may reduce the perceived risk of buying a product online. Despite existing research, the impact
of AR on the consumer decision process needs to be further explored. Consequently, this research aims to understand the impact of AR on the perception of risk and the purchase decision process, considering decision comfort and decision confidence. Through a between-subjects experiment, the results show that AR reduces the risk of online shopping. However, it has no direct effect on the decision process. Reducing risk and the comfort it brings generates decision confidence and satisfaction with the shopping experience. This satisfaction will generate engagement towards the online shop platform. The research highlights the process through which AR impacts the decision-making process. The implications for AR marketing theory and managerial implications in the age of the metaverse are discussed.
... However, certain product features are not easy to evaluate. Consumers cannot feel or touch the products, which can be an obstacle for products that require physical interaction (Verhagen et al., 2016) and may lead to perceptual differences. ...
Recent advances in visualization technologies have changed how products are presented to consumers. Sophisticated digital media modalities are gradually replacing traditional formats, but certain product features are difficult to evaluate, which may result in significant perceptual differences. In this paper, we report the results of a within-subjects study in which a group of 40 volunteers evaluated three different designs of a common household product (i.e. a coffee maker) presented in three different visual media: photographs, a non-immersive virtual environment, and an augmented reality experience. Our results show that the presentation medium has a significant effect on product evaluation, and that the semantic scales in Jordan’s socio-logical pleasure category are the most affected by the change of medium.
... For instance, Visinescu et al. (2015) compared a 2D online bookstore to a brick-and-mortar bookstore recreated as an LSE VR world in a non-immersive browser setup. Even though previous work identified the benefits of using 3D representations for products (Jiang & Benbasat, 2003;Park et al., 2008;Verhagen et al., 2016), in this scenario, the use of a complete virtual store representation to search for products was generally not positively received. The complexity of the 3D shop was regarded as high, which negatively impacted the perceived ease of use and purchase intention. ...
Online shops have become increasingly interactive, using different technologies to create virtual experiences that attempt to simulate a realistic product experience. We explore the impact of high sensory enabling (HSE) virtual product presentation modes using state-of-the-art virtual reality (VR) technology that allows consumers to imitate natural movement and interactions via head-mounted displays (HMD) and dual hand VR controllers. This will compare the HSE virtual product presentation mode with a typical low sensory enabling (LSE) virtual product presentation mode that utilises conventional computer screens, along with mouse and keyboard inputs, on a desktop computer. For the HSE virtual product presentation mode, the results show significantly higher values for the studied variables, including presence, perceived diagnosticity, attitude towards product, and purchase intention. Shopping frequency has a moderating effect on the significant differences of presence between presentation modes. Our research contributes to theory by building on attitude theory, cue summation theory, as well as repetitive learning and memory to explore and explain the effects of HSE virtual product presentation modes on the constructs considered. For managers and industry leaders, this study identifies the importance of using state-of-the-art technology when creating HSE virtual experiences for their products.
... 2020). Verhagen et al. (2016) highlighted that the importance of understanding the conceivable way to shun the intangibility restraint of the e-tail, which primarily lies in the effective product presentation to assist customers in online shopping behavior (Mallapragada et al., 2016). Intelligent mass customization or smart technological systems learn users' individual choice-sets and assist the consumers to shop while safeguarding their privacy concerns as well (Maes, 1999;Zhang et al., 2020). ...
The study focuses on comparative effectiveness of two e-tail servicescape dimensions, e.g., product assortment and order fulfillment on consumers’ online purchase intentions for fashion apparel shopping. The mediating effect of shopping assistance and efficiency between e-tail servicescape dimensions and purchase intentions is examined. Additionally, the moderating influence of fulfillment reliability between e-tail servicescape dimensions and shopping assistance is also examined. The survey instrument was used to execute the study and data were gathered from 442 participants from the national capital of India. The hypothesized relationships were verified using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM), hierarchical regression analytics (HRA), and bootstrap procedure. The findings reveal that there are certain e-tail value disposition oriented benefits in investing order fulfillment landscape over product assortment. The mediating role of shopping assistance and shopping efficiency is empirically verified and the moderating influence of fulfillment reliability is also confirmed.
... Jiang and Benbasat (2007a) showed that video and virtual-reality presentation in comparison to static-picture presentation lead to better actual product understanding and better website diagnosticity i.e., the degree to which a website can be evaluated. This finding was also supported in later research, which showed that virtualpresentation and 360 degree spin rotation increased product diagnosticity (Verhagen et al. 2016). In contrast, product presentation videos helped increase positive attitude towards the product and its purchase intentions by enhancing the ease of imagining the product (Flavián et al. 2017). ...
With the growing popularity of online videos, understanding the role of information presentation format in online decision-making becomes crucial. Existing research in information systems and marketing have looked at information presentation formats and online reviews but very little research has considered the fit between online review presentation format and decision-making stage. In this research we are primarily interested in developing he novel concept of format-stage fit, based on the notion that reviews’ presentation formats have a varying impact on users’ perceptions when users are in different decision-making stages. Accordingly, we propose that a review in pallid format (e.g., text) may be a better fit in choice-reduction stage whereas a review in vivid format (e.g., video) may be a better fit in choice-selection stage. We conduct a lab study to test the research model. The findings are expected to enhance our understanding of information presentation and decision making in online commerce.
... Visual aspects related to the sense and the stimulus of touch still deserve attention, especially in e-commerce, where to feel, touch and try products is an obstacle (Verhagen, Vonkeman, & Van Dolen, 2016). Di, Bhardwaj, Jagadeesh, Piramuthu and Churchill (2014) investigated three common types of product presentation in e-commerce: with a person using the product (Person), with the product being presented on a mannequin (Mannequin) and only the product picture without other elements (Flat). ...
This research intends to verify the influence of self-image on purchase intention and product choice in an online retail setting, by varying the product presentation (with or without a human model using the product). Two experimental studies showed that pictures with a human model using the product yielded greater product choice and purchase intention than pictures without a human model. It was also shown that self-image acts as a mechanism which promotes greater purchase intention. The results of this research highlight the importance of the pictures selected by the company when presenting a product in the e-commerce environment.
... Research conducted by Kerrebroeck et al. has shown that VR has a positive impact on brand perception and purchase intentions. Virtual presentations can give consumers the opportunity to better explore products such as clothing using technology (Verhagen and Vonkeman and van Dolen, 2016). In the age of modern technology, research focused on the perception of marketing communication materials gives insights into how such activities are conducted. ...
A contemporary consumer is a challenge for marketing specialists. The analysis of the conducted research shows that only a well-constructed marketing message, using new technologies will be a key element of effective marketing communication. There is a growing interest in the use of virtual and augmented reality on the market.
The aim of the work is to analyze the possibilities of using innovative tools, based on virtual and augmented reality in marketing communication. The source basis of the study is available literature on the subject, secondary sources, own analyzes and research and studies carried out by foreign research institutes.
The paper presents the results of authorial research carried out in 2018 using the CAPI method, as well as self-audit of marketing activities using VR and AR based on the SERVQUAL model. The results of the study indicate limited use of VR and AR. It should also be emphasized that these results are not representative, but point to a relationship that is worth exploring on a larger research group.
... Although visual control increases effectiveness of diagnosing appearance-related factors, functional control increases functionality-related and even appearance-related diagnosticity in the absence of visual control (Jiang and Benbasat, 2005). When testing a virtual mirror (vs 360 simulation and photo image), consumers experienced an increase in mental tangibility, physical tangibility, diagnosticity, and purchase intentions (Verhagen et al., 2016). Still, this was not the result of platform interactivity but was based on liking of the photo, such that the experience was interactive because it was co-created. ...
Purpose
Virtual reality (VR) is of increasing interest to marketers because it can be used to explore and proactively shape long-term futures, co-create value with consumers, and foster consumer-brand engagement. Yet, to date, the field lacks a cohesive framework for approaching VR research; thus, the objective of this systematic literature review is to provide such a framework and highlight research opportunities.
Design/methodology/approach
First, after conducting a systematic literature review, we highlight VR themes instrumental to flow and propose a typology for VR research using realism-fantasy and immersion as dimensions. Next, we review the current state of empirical research for each quadrant. Finally, we synthesize research within each quadrant, specifying criteria and considerations for conducting research. In doing so, we propose an agenda for marketing research, centered on methodological, future studies, and consumer-related contributions.
Findings
VR themes instrumental to flow include the avatar, application quality, and interactivity. We find, contrary to some conceptualizations of VR, that all applications are capable of producing flow. Conflicting research and gaps are highlighted in the findings section and summarized in Table III. Additionally, while prior research seems to draw from findings of other VR applications in advancing knowledge in general, the results of the literature review suggest that VR applications should be treated uniquely. Finally, we propose highly immersive VR applications as more conducive to future studies research.
Research limitations/implications
Scholars can utilize the findings to prioritize future research studies in marketing. By following the typology and research opportunities, scholars can advance marketing theory and enhance the external validity of research studies through VR applications.
Practical implications
Managers can utilize the findings to ascertain consumers and societies‘ responses to various marketing stimuli, with implications for product development, branding, retail/service experiences, adoption of new technologies, tourism, and many other domains. VR applications offer managers more ways of testing concepts and processes in realistic fashion without the costs and risks associated with more traditional methods.
Originality/value
The objective of this paper is to examine varying opportunities for VR research given flow and fantasy potential and to prioritize VR research.
... The results of an investigation conducted by Verhagen, Vonkeman, and van Dolen (2016), revealed that, compared to a 2D presentation of a product, the product presentation in a virtual mirror evoked the strongest perceived tangibility. The technology supported the feeling of making a real product experience and helped consumers to gather additional information about the product (Yim, Cicchirillo, and Drumwright 2012). ...
This research explores the role of sense of presence induced by a virtual reality versus 2D display for online shopping. The paper provides a conceptual framework by using flow and risk theory. Results of two analyses of variance and mediation analyses affirm the importance of virtual reality for marketing.
... Virtual Reality has been examined previously and found to have a positive impact on brand perceptions and purchase intentions thanks to an immersive brand experience (Van Kerrebroeck et al., 2017a). Virtual representations can give consumers an opportunity to better examine product items such as clothing through the applied technology (Verhagen, Vonkeman, & van Dolen, 2016). The research, focused on the perception of marketing communication materials, brings some insights into how to conduct such activities in the era of modern technologies. ...
VR technology is an emerging IT innovation that greatly affects consumer behaviour and consumer perception of products. The aim of this study is to examine how the virtual reality phenomenon can be used as a marketing communication tool and how its usage affects the reception of individual components of a marketing message.
The research conducted examined the possible impact of virtual reality on message perception and attitude towards particular offers. Additionally the authors wanted to find out whether there was a relationship between the use of virtual reality and the acceptance of new technologies in marketing communication. To verify the stated hypotheses empirical research was conducted involving an experiment with 150 observations of respondents taking advantage of three different marketing communication tools including: VR presentation with Oculus Rift hardware, video and printed advertisements. The results obtained reveal that VR technology positively and significantly impacts the reception of the offer, the technology involved and the presentation itself.
... Virtual Reality has been examined previously and found to have a positive impact on brand perceptions and purchase intentions thanks to an immersive brand experience (Van Kerrebroeck et al., 2017a). Virtual representations can give consumers an opportunity to better examine product items such as clothing through the applied technology (Verhagen, Vonkeman, & van Dolen, 2016). The research, focused on the perception of marketing communication materials, brings some insights into how to conduct such activities in the era of modern technologies. ...
VR technology is an emerging IT innovation that greatly affects consumer behaviour and consumer perception of products. The aim of this study is to examine how the virtual reality phenomenon can be used as a marketing communication tool and how its usage affects the reception of individual components of a marketing message.
The research conducted examined the possible impact of virtual reality on message
perception and attitude towards particular offers. Additionally the authors wanted
to find out whether there was a relationship between the use of virtual reality and the
acceptance of new technologies in marketing communication. To verify the stated hypotheses empirical research was conducted involving an experiment with 150 observations of respondents taking advantage of three different marketing communication tools including: VR presentation with Oculus Rift hardware, video and printed advertisements. The results obtained reveal that VR technology positively and significantly impacts the reception of the offer, the technology involved and the presentation itself.
... 3 Virtual Reality has previously been examined and found to positively impact brand perceptions and purchase intentions via an immersive brand experience (Van Kerrebroeck, and virtual representations can allow consumers to better examine product items such as clothing via the technology (Verhagen & van Dolen, 2016). ...
Crowding is largely associated with negative consumer outcomes such as shopping irritation and lower levels of shopping pleasure, less positive attitudes and less satisfaction toward the crowded store or mall. While previous research demonstrated the alleviating effect of slow music and greenery on this negative impact of high perceived crowding, this study examines the potential of a relaxing Virtual Reality (VR) experience in a shopping mall. As Virtual Reality immerses users in a computer-generated environment, and as such allows them to escape the hectic mall environment, its use is expected to result in a more positive consumer experience. In a quasi-experimental 2x2 between-subjects design, the levels of attitude toward the mall, approach behaviour, mall satisfaction, and loyalty intentions were measured as well as perceived crowding. Participants in the experimental condition were exposed to a relaxing Virtual Reality experience in the mall, whereas participants in the control condition did not get such a treatment. Overall, consumers reported more positive responses on all measured outcome variables after being exposed to the Virtual Reality experience. In addition, the effect on mall attitudes, satisfaction and loyalty is more pronounced when crowding is perceived to be high.
... In their Integrated Information Response Model, Smith and Swinyard (1982) argue that direct hands-on experiences are more powerful in conveying a message and strengthening product attribute beliefs, than indirect, highly mediated product experiences (e.g., via advertising). In addition, (perceived) tangibility has a strong positive impact on perceived diagnosticity and in turn on purchase intentions (Verhagen et al., 2016). This finding particularly holds true for the communication of experience attributes (e.g., fit, texture, taste) of a product, and only to a lesser extent for search attributes (e.g., price) (Wright and Lynch, 1995;Overmars and Poels, 2015a). ...
Purpose
A major factor hampering the continuing and explosive rise of e-commerce, particularly for experience goods, is the lack of tactile information that could help to reduce uncertainty in consumer purchase decision making online. The purpose of this paper is to identify the specific touch-related properties worthwhile to enable in online retailing and the type of customer value that can be provided, as well as the drivers and barriers for consumer acceptance toward touch-enabling technologies for online shopping.
Design/methodology/approach
By means of consumer focus groups, the authors address the research questions regarding touch-related properties, their value to consumers, and the drivers and barriers for consumer acceptance by taking into consideration two specific touch-enabling technologies.
Findings
The study reveals that touch-enabling technologies can provide utilitarian and hedonic value to consumers, mainly at the pre-purchase stages in the path-to-purchase. Valuable applications conceived by consumers primarily pertain to offering information on material and geometric product properties. A hurdle for consumer adoption seems to be the necessity of a dedicated output device, such as a glove.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the early development stage of the new technologies under investigation, this study is exploratory in nature. The findings should be validated in the future, once these technologies actually get introduced for online marketing purposes.
Practical implications
This study aims to raise awareness among online retailers about marketing opportunities comprised of touch-enabling technology.
Originality/value
The authors provide a first outlook with regard to future consumer acceptance of touch-enabling technologies in online shopping and how and when such technologies can provide consumer value.
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to have an understanding about the impact of augmented reality (AR) on user experience in case of a makeup app. This article tries to explore how personalisation, an AR process, impacts the various aspects of user experience (pragmatic quality, hedonic quality by stimulation, hedonic quality by identification and attractiveness). This study also evaluates the moderating role of privacy concern on the relationship of personalisation and user experience.
Methodology
This research empirically analyses data from an experiment conducted in a controlled lab setting with 200 valid responses from users of a makeup app, which incorporates AR technology. SPSS and SmartPLS4 were used for the analysis.
Findings
The results show that personalisation significantly impacts the user experience, particularly in terms of enhancing pragmatic quality. However, the results did not show a moderating effect of privacy concerns on the relationship of personalisation and user experience.
Implications
This research offers marketers a foundation on leveraging AR technology in enhancing the app experience. It also contributes to the AR literature by understanding the interplay of personalisation, privacy concern and user experience.
Originality/Value
This study examines how personalisation in AR distinctly shapes the user experience. It also addresses the contemporary dilemma of privacy concerns, investigating whether marketers should prioritise enhancing personalisation or exercise caution to uphold user privacy. While previous studies related to AR and user experience have been conducted in Western contexts, this study is unique in its kind in India.
Online customer reviews play a vital role in evaluating product or service performance and serve as an important reference for other customers' purchase decisions. This study explores the influence of online customer reviews on sustainable clothing purchase intention through text mining and survey‐based methodologies. The results showed that online customer reviews focused on four dimensions: material ecology, clothing fashion, clothing functionality, and price reasonableness. Online customer reviews have a positive impact on consumers' sustainable purchase intentions, and perceived diagnosticity mediates the relationship between online customer reviews and purchase intentions. In addition, customers' prior sustainability knowledge moderates the relationship between material ecology, price reasonableness, and perceived diagnosticity. This study further enriches theoretical research on sustainable consumption within the context of online apparel retailing and helps sustainable apparel brands more accurately grasp the influencing variables of customers' sustainable consumption behaviours and formulate precise electronic word‐of‐mouth marketing strategies.
Purpose
Product presentation plays a critical role in influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions in online shopping. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of text-image information on online product presentation pages on sales. This study also specifically explores the moderating role of celebrity endorsements in the relationship between text-image presentation information and sales.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on regression analysis using data sets from the largest online book retailer in China, Dangdang.com.
Findings
The results of this study show that there is an inverse U-shaped relationship between word count and book sales. Conversely, image quantity has a positive linear effect on book sales. Furthermore, celebrity endorsements moderate the relationship between word count and sales in two distinct ways. First, the positive effect of increasing word count from low to medium is enlarged by increasing the number of celebrity endorsers. Second, the turning point of the inverse-U relationship between word count and sales rank moves to the right as the number of endorsers increases.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to examine the effects of text-image quantity on sales across the full continuum. This study adds understanding on how information load might have distinct consequences on the processing performance of text and images. Furthermore, this study investigates how sales are impacted by the quantity of celebrity endorsers in relation to textual and pictorial information in online shopping contexts, extending our knowledge of the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements.
Product development stages are typically characterized by different forms of representations and degrees of specification, which potentially affect user's perception and evaluation. These effects are worth investigating more closely also because of the growing relevance of new technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) in the design field. The objective of this paper is to elucidate the mutual relations between forms of representation, visual behaviour, and people's evaluations. The focus is on differences between virtual and physical prototypes. In the illustrated experiment, participants visited a tiny house in an immersive VR (360° images acquisition). The results were compared with a past experiment where the physical prototype of the same product was similarly evaluated. The dwell times on Areas of Interest (AOIs) pertaining to the tiny house were compared and correlated to variables concerning subjective evaluations. The results show just a few similarities of visual exploration in terms of gazed AOIs. Substantial differences in terms of how the duration of gazing affects evaluations have been found too. The larger number of significant correlations between observations and evaluations in the virtual exploration emerged.
Despite the crucial role a crowdfunding campaign webpage can play in attracting potential backers, there has been a lack of theory-driven studies to investigate how to design effective campaign webpages for successful campaigns. Based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, HCI theories, and literature on information diagnosticity, this study investigates how the effects of progress presentation designs can improve intention to back a crowdfunding campaign project. A total of 463 subjects participated in two controlled experiments. MANCOVA and subsequent ANCOVA tests were conducted. We find significant effects of progress cue designs on backers' perceptions, in turn inducing their intention to back projects.
This study aims to examine the factors affecting the behavioural intentions toward online hotel booking. The study integrates visual presentations and online reviews with the technology acceptance model (TAM). Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses in this research. The results report that booking intentions are mainly determined by visual presentations and perceived usefulness. The statistical analysis supports the notion that visual presentations and online reviews have a positive impact on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. However, online reviews do not have any significant influence on booking intention directly. The study concludes that online consumers are more likely to book a hotel online if visual presentations and online reviews appear to be useful and easy to use. The findings contribute several implications for researchers and practitioners in the hospitality field.
Driven by the rapid technological development and adoption of augmented reality (AR) in retail, academic research has grown rapidly. Our purpose is to understand the reasons why consumers use augmented reality in retail and what outcomes retailers can expect. This study presents a systematic literature review and summarizes the current empirical knowledge on consumer behavior with AR in retail. This topic remains scattered between various literature streams showing that the potential of AR to create value for consumers lays in its ability to generate utilitarian and hedonic value, to improve decision-making, and to enhance personalization of the virtual self. Then, this study warns about negative effects of AR usage. The contribution is a systematic literature review and a conceptual framework covering the most important consumer behaviors with AR and their brand-related, transactional, and technology-related outcomes. In addition, this paper adopts a holistic view to propose future research directions and emphasize the need for more research on social augmented reality.
Mobile augmented reality (AR) has emerged as an effective interactive technology for providing visual information on products. As the importance of contextual information grows, mobile AR makes it easier for consumers to visually examine products virtually placed in their existing physical spaces. Despite the popularity and potential of mobile AR in commerce, there is a lack of research confirming that, in terms of providing consumers with shopping experiences, mobile AR is a more influential tool than the traditional method of product presentation. Based on the experience economy and task-media fit theories, this study examines the effect of AR information in mobile shopping on consumer learning, including enjoyment, compared to that of two-dimensional and three-dimensional information. Moreover, we examine the moderating effect of product type on this relationship. We conducted experiments with 212 participants to confirm these relationships. Our results revealed that AR information helps improve consumer learning and purchase intention in mobile environments, and the effect of AR is stronger for experience products than for search products.
The diffusion of image interactivity technology in online advertising has changed how people interact with mediated information. This study explores how interactive images and touch screen interfaces influence consumer responses toward products in online shopping. Findings from two experiments showed that interactive images, compared to static images, increased consumers’ attitudes toward online retail stores (Study 1), perceived informativeness, and willingness to pay (Study 2). The effect of image interactivity was mediated by consumers’ perceived control, but not haptic sensation as implied in prior research. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of augmented reality (AR) on retailing by conducting thematic analysis on variables studied in the existing literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The data set includes 232 variables studied in 35 research papers, collected using well-defined search and inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis is used to identify patterns in the data set.
Findings
The eight themes emerging from the analysis are arranged in the form of a conceptual framework to model the decision-making process of users. The position of themes in the model is determined by the most dominant variable type in the theme and by employing the technology acceptance model as the reference paradigm.
Research limitations/implications
The current review contributes to the advancement of literature by setting a research agenda for scholars working in the field of consumer behavior and human–computer interaction. Future research should improve the generalizability of the research by replicating the method and testing the conceptual framework on other immersive technologies.
Practical implications
Marketers should incorporate AR technology into their experiential marketing strategies. Since integrating and managing AR technology requires expertise, organizations are advised to make use of existing toolkits or collaborate with technology companies to develop their offerings.
Originality/value
To maintain the uniqueness of the current study from other papers focusing on existing research done in this area, this review considers only studies using statistical techniques to study consumer behavior pertaining to AR in retail. The study uses an unconventional method for identifying patterns in the existing literature by employing theories and frameworks as the basis of classification.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how motion pictures are currently used for the product presentation of fashion articles. An explorative approach was chosen for the literature section. This study shows that the use of moving images for the presentation of fashion articles in online shops is possible in numerous different ways. In order to be able to use product presentation videos meaningfully, one should consider exactly what is the purpose of these videos. Different goals require different means. However, retailers should obtain enough information in advance to assess whether they can afford the production and post-processing of these videos.
In het Store Innovation Lab werken retailers, brancheorganisaties en aanbieders van (in-)store technologie, samen met onderzoekers, studenten en docenten van de Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA). Door het uitvoeren van praktijkgericht wetenschappelijk onderzoek wordt nieuwe kennis gegenereerd die bijdraagt aan de optimalisering van de fysieke en virtuele winkelbeleving. Het boek "Technologie Redt de Winkel? Hoe Consumenten Reageren op Nieuwe Technologie in de Winkel" is een bundeling van 15 blogs die de auteurs vanuit het Store Innovation Lab hebben geschreven. Het Store Innovation Lab maakt onderdeel uit van het Programma Ondernemerschap van de HvA.
This study takes a longitudinal approach to examine the evolution of e-retail sites in reference to service delivery performance. Using a content analysis approach, product-related e-service attributes currently available on women’s apparel websites were identified and quantified in order to compare them to data collected in an earlier time frame by Kim et al. (2011). A Chi-square Goodness-of-Fit test was conducted to compare availability of e-service attributes in 2011 and 2016. The current retailers provided more product description/presentation attributes on their websites than in the 2011 research. However, they are still at an unsatisfactory level that need further improvement. This study offers practical insights for fashion websites in terms of the areas of strengths and weakness in e-service performance by exploring how e-service performance of apparel e-retailers has changed over the past five years.
Consumer behaviour in 2016 shows that (r)etailers need online/offline integration to better serve their clients. An important distinguishing feature of the physical shop is how it can offer consumers a shopping experience. This study uses two experiments to research the extent a fashion store’s shopping experience can be presented to consumers via visual material (a regular photo, a 360-degree photo and a virtual reality photo of the shop) without the consumers being in the shop itself. The effects of these visual materials will also be measured in (among others) terms of purchase intention, visiting intention to the physical shop and online visit satisfaction. A theoretical framework is used to substantiate how the three types of pictures can be classified in terms of medium richness. The completed experiments show, among other outcomes, that consumers who saw the virtual reality photo of the shop have a more positive shopping experience, a higher purchase intention, a higher intention to visit the physical shop and more online visit satisfaction than people who have only seen the regular photo or the 360-degree photo of the shop. Enjoyment and novelty seem to partly explain these found effects.
This experiment examines interactivity and vividness in commercial web sites. We expected increased levels of interactivity and vividness would lead to more positive attitudes toward web sites, stronger feelings of telepresence, and greater attitude—behavior consistency. In addition, we expected increased levels of vividness to lead to the development of more enduring attitudes toward the site. Participants explored four web sites. Increases in interactivity and vividness were associated with increased feelings of telepresence. In addition, increases in vividness were associated with more positive and more enduring attitudes toward the web site. Implications for new media researchers and practitioners are discussed.
The advantages of the bricks-and-clicks retail format in the battle for the online customer has been widely discussed but empirical research on it has been limited. We applied a multi-channel store image perspective to assess its influence on online purchase intentions. Drawing on a sample of 630 customers of a large music retail store in the Netherlands, the results demonstrated that offline and online store perceptions directly influenced online purchase intention. In addition, our findings confirmed that offline store impressions were used as references for their online store counterparts. Synergy and reference effects are discussed. Keywords: Bricks-and-clicks; Online store image; Offline store image; Online purchase intention; Multi-channel synergy
Drawing from costly signaling theory, we predicted that luxury consumption enhances status and produces benefits in social interactions. Across seven experiments, displays of luxury — manipulated through brand labels on clothes — elicited different kinds of preferential treatment, which even resulted in financial benefits to people who engaged in conspicuous consumption. Furthermore, we tested preconditions in which the beneficial consequences of conspicuous consumption may arise and determined the proximate mechanisms underlying them. The present data suggest that luxury consumption can be a profitable social strategy because conspicuous displays of luxury qualify as a costly signaling trait that elicits status-dependent favorable treatment in human social interactions.
Rotation, one type of visual simulation used to create three-dimensional (3-D) experiences, and currently being used for product presentation on some e-tail websites, may create consumer responses. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of rotation in product presentation on the cognitive, affective, and conative responses of consumers. This study employed a single-factor between-subjects design: product presentation (rotating vs. non-rotating). Causal model analysis showed the influence of rotation in product presentation on perceived information quantity, mood, attitude, and purchase intention. Theoretical and managerial implications, as well as future research directions, are discussed.
Copyright
Online product presentation constitutes a key challenge for marketers and designers who want to satisfy consumers’ needs. Visual and textual product information affect recognition and knowledge about the product. This research examines whether the presence (vs absence) of a product image and textual information in a schematic mode (vs paragraph mode) affect users’ recall and perceptions of the quality of the electronic products’ information. The moderating role of user's familiarity with the website and product also may play a role; the evolution of these variables likely will determine trends in e-commerce research. The results show that a schematic display of textual information improves perceptions of information quality. When a picture of the product appears together with textual information, users remember more information and consider it easier to remember if that information appears schematically. However, without a product picture, users allocate more resources to process paragraph information and therefore recall more information and perceive it as easier to recall. The degrees of familiarity also have important directional effects on these relationships.
Este Documento es producto del trabajo de Académicos del Departamento de Administración Research on risk is built on a complex array of diverse and sometimes inconsistent definitions, constructs, models, and outcomes. This study examines various literatures to formulate an integrated framework for the conceptualization of perceived-risk processing. The framework specifies three phases (framing, assessment, and evaluation) and their accompanying outcomes of risk attention, perceived risk, and risk-taking propensity. Explicit linkages are specified between situational and individual characteristics. Perceived-risk evaluation is identified as conceptually distinct from assessment of perceived risk, and the construct of risk-taking propensity is separated from those of risk affinity and perceived risk. The framework further presents points of intersection between the literatures on perceived risk and the literatures on consumer decision-making, information search, and satisfaction. Finally, it serves as an anchor for framing future research to promote conceptual and methodological consistency, and to guide progress in directions that are consistent with some leading edge paradigms outside of marketing.
The research agenda for this article is to examine how individuals process information presented through virtual interaction with a product (object interactivity) and the impact that this has on their purchase intentions if they are looking for an aesthetic experience (browsers) or to find specific information (searchers). It is proposed that the congruency between users' goals and the delivery of product information will influence discursive processing and thus attitudes. However, what is most effective for creating favorable product attitudes is not necessarily most effective in raising purchase intentions. This is because imagery processing should play a more prominent role in affecting purchase intentions because, when estimating their own behavior, people likely run a mental simulation of themselves performing that behavior. It is predicted that object interactivity will evoke vivid mental images of product use regardless of the users' goals and thus increase intentions. The results of four experiments support these hypotheses. Copyright 2003 by the University of Chicago.
The development of electronic commerce has been constrained by the inability of online consumers to feel, touch, and sample products through Web interfaces, as they are able to do in conventional in-store shopping. Previous academic studies have argued that this limitation could be partly alleviated by providing consumers with virtual product experience (VPE), to enable potential customers to experience products virtually. This paper discusses virtual control, a specific type of VPE implementation, and identifies its two dimensions: visual control and functional control. Visual control enables consumers to manipulate Web product images, to view products from various angles and distances; functional control enables consumers to explore and experience different features and functions of products. The individual and joint effects of visual and functional control were investigated in a laboratory experiment, the results of which indicated that visual and functional control increased the perceived diagnosticity (i.e., the extent to which a consumer believes the shopping experience is helpful to evaluate a product) of their corresponding attribute factors, and that both visual and functional control increased consumer overall perceived diagnosticity and flow.
In this article, we provide guidance for substantive researchers on the use of structural equation modeling in practice for theory testing and development. We present a comprehensive, two-step modeling approach that employs a series of nested models and sequential chi-square difference tests. We discuss the comparative advantages of this approach over a one-step approach. Considerations in specification, assessment of fit, and respecification of measurement models using confirmatory factor analysis are reviewed. As background to the two-step approach, the distinction between exploratory and confirmatory analysis, the distinction between complementary approaches for theory testing versus predictive application, and some developments in estimation methods also are discussed.
A major goal of this study is to develop and test a structural model of trial processing to help marketers and researchers better understand the dynamics of this important stage in the purchase process. No such model exists, even though prior research has demonstrated that product trial can be an important determinant of brand beliefs and attitudes. Accordingly, the authors develop a general model of how consumers process and respond to trial experiences. This trial model then is integrated with a well-known advertising model to trace how (1) consumers react when both types of information are available and (2) advertising achieves its influence on trial perceptions. The authors estimate these models for two products that vary significantly in the diagnosticity of the trial experience and discuss implications for marketing research and practice.
The importance of collaborative buyer-seller relationships has increased with the transition from product sales to solution provision. However, the extant literature provides only limited evidence on how this transition affects the crucial phase of buyer-seller relationship initiation. This study explores how offer intangibility and the buyer's trust in the seller interact to affect this initiation. Based on a comparative case study of four software solution providers, the findings indicate that the riskiness of an offer, induced by its intangibility, sets a threshold level of trust that needs to be exceeded to cause the buyer to start a relationship with the seller. The data also reveals mitigation strategies that sellers can use to influence the buyer's behavior either by directly reducing the intangibility of the offer or by indirectly enhancing the buyer's trust in the seller.
Intangibility has long been studied as a unidimensional construct with the focus being placed upon the physical element. This paper explores the effects of three unique intangibility dimensions on a consumer’s ability to evaluate goods and services, and the perceived risk (PR) associated with the transaction. The authors examine these relationships in purchase environments that include both traditional bricks-and-mortar retailers and the Internet. Their investigation further incorporates prior knowledge as a moderating factor into the proposed
framework. This allows for a thorough comparison of the effects and relationships that exist between intangibility and its consequences in general, evaluation difficulty (ED) and perceived risk (PR) in particular. The authors develop hypotheses pertaining to the proposed model and test them with two experiments. The empirical results are broadly supportive of the hypotheses. Theoretical and managerial implications
to the services marketing literature are discussed.
This study investigates how e-consumers perceive online pictures of women's handbags, whether they are motivated to observe specific parts of the picture, and the sequence of their fixations on each handbag areas. The author conducted a task-free eye-tracking experiment in which 33 female participants look at 74 randomly displayed pictures of handbags. Seven types of attention-based regions of interests (ROIs) were coded for data analyses. Based on statistical analysis, the data yielded the following findings: (1) the main body ROI first attracts the attention of the participants; (2) the handle ROI receives the most attention; (3) the featured area ROI has the greatest capacity to hold attention; and (4) the handle and strap ROIs have a stronger visual attraction than any other ROI. This study provides eye-tracking evidence that may be applied to future empirical research and the theory construction of visual behavior in consumers.
This paper studies how product intangibility and its moderators affect perceived risk in an online shopping setting. The moderators studied were brand familiarity, product knowledge, privacy concerns and security concerns. Student samples performed online experimental tests, wherein product intangibility was manipulated. The findings indicate that both mental intangibility and physical intangibility increased perceived risk. Mental tangibility had more impact over perceived risk than physical tangibility. This study is the first to show how intangibility, product knowledge, brand familiarity, privacy and security concerns interact and affect perceived risk. Previous studies did not have the opportunity to observe the interactions of these relevant dimensions, thus not identifying which one would have a stronger effect over the perceived risk of buying online. In short, we found that when interacting with intangibility security and privacy concerns increase perceived risk to the same degree. On the other hand, product knowledge reduces the perceived risk more than brand familiarity.
This paper examines how emotions and website atmospheric cues influence service tangibility and consumer attitudes. The proposed model was compared across three cultures: North America (Canada and U.S.), China, and the Middle East. The findings support the overall model and demonstrate several non-invariant paths across the groups. Particularly, the results suggest how the influences of two emotional dimensions (pleasure and dominance) on consumer perceptions of site atmospherics vary across cultures. Moreover, the effects of service tangibility dimensions (physical tangibility, specificity, and mental tangibility) on consumers' attitudes toward the website and service vary significantly across the three cultures. Mental tangibility has the greatest influence on North American customers' attitudes, while physical tangibility and specificity have the greatest impact on Chinese and Middle Eastern customers' attitudes, respectively.
Based on the marketing theory of hedonic consumption, this study examines the effects of six types of imaginal and emotional experiences on using pleasure-oriented IT. Associated hypotheses are tested using questionnaire responses from 443 online game players. The results provide strong support for the major hypotheses and indicate that the determinants of behavior may differ in using pleasure-oriented versus productivity-oriented IT. This paper contributes not only to the application of a marketing theory to IS research, but also to improved understanding of using pleasure-oriented IT and of why people use technologies that are not particularly useful from a productivity standpoint.
Internet retailers have been making significant investments in web technologies, such as zoom, alternative photos, and color swatch, that are capable of providing detailed product-oriented information and, thereby, mitigating the lack of “touch-and-feel,” which, in turn, is expected to lower product returns. However, a clear understanding of the relationship between these technologies and product returns is still lacking. This study attempts to fill this gap by using several econometric models to explore this relationship. Our unique and rich dataset from a women’s clothing company allows us to measure technology usage at the product level for each consumer. The results show that, in this context, zoom usage has a negative coefficient, suggesting that a higher use of the zoom technology is associated with fewer returns. Interestingly, we find that a higher usage of alternative photos is associated with more returns and perhaps more importantly, with lower net sales. Color swatch, on the other hand, does not seem to have any effect on returns. Thus, our findings show that different technologies have different effects on product returns. We provide explanations for these findings based on the extant literature. We also conduct a number of tests to ensure the robustness of the results.
As new information technologies are being developed, so have new generations of information products. Because these new products appear highly intangible, this renews the debate about intangibility as defined in the marketing literature, which has traditionally considered it as a unidimensional or two-dimensional construct and has associated it almost exclusively with services. The objective of this study is to show that intangibility is a three-dimensional construct. A survey was conducted, and structural equation modeling analyses were used to test the proposed scale. Results showed that intangibility is indeed composed of three dimensions: mental intangibility, physical intangibility, and generality. The scale was then applied to some goods and services, and it was found that some goods appear to be less tangible than many services. These results suggest the need for some changes in how service marketing research is carried out and how managers deal with the “intangibility” of their services.
Electronic commerce has been growing rapidly. Although business-to-consumer electronic commerce has created new opportunities for businesses, questions about consumer shopping motivations toward Internet shopping versus conventional shopping continue to persist. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Internet shopping motivations from both utilitarian and hedonic perspectives. The differential effects of these dual motivations on both search intention and purchase intention are examined. An integrated model of shopping motivations on the Internet is proposed. A structural equation model is developed to test the casual effects between variables.The study finds that utilitarian motivation is a determinant of consumer intention to search and intention to purchase. Hedonic motivation has a direct impact on intention to search and indirect impact on intention to purchase. While these dual motivations have significant effects, utilitarian motivation is the strongest predictor of intention to search and intention to purchase. Utilitarian motivation is influenced by convenience, cost saving, information availability, and selection; hedonic motivation is influenced by adventure, and authority and status. The study serves as a basis for the future growth of Internet marketing.
Purpose
Intangibility has long been studied in marketing, especially its physical aspect. This paper seeks to verify whether a branding strategy is efficient in reducing the risk perceived by customers.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of university students answered the measurements considering both perspectives (brands and product categories). The paper uses a three‐dimensional approach of intangibility and explores its relationships with evaluation difficulty (ED) and perceived risk (PR). These relationships were tested in two different perspectives: brands and product categories.
Findings
Two analyses were made to test the hypotheses which were generally supported. Several relationships between the variables were found, but three should be highlighted. First, it was shown that brands are more mentally intangible than product categories, which may lead to a difficulty to evaluate. Second, it was found that evaluation difficulty increases the perceived risk in the product category perspective. Third, it was found that higher involvement generates a stronger relationship between evaluation difficulty and perceived risk for the product category perspective.
Practical implications
Theoretical and managerial implications to the literature are discussed along with examples of how managers could use the findings.
Originality/value
The research incorporates prior knowledge and involvement as moderating variables of the proposed framework and reinforces their relevance to the field. The results not only show the importance of branding, but also support the argument of considering evaluation difficulty in future research.
Abstract Impulse purchasing is a pervasive yet relatively little-discussed phenomenon. This study investigates the effect of impulse purchases on trust, as well as the mediating effect of stickiness and the mental budgeting account in the group buying context. Questionnaires were sent to group buying participants. The results show that impulse purchases have a positive effect on trust and that both stickiness and the mental budgeting account present a mediating effect.
This paper defines hedonic consumption as those facets of consumer behavior that relate to the multisensory, fantasy and emotive aspects of product usage experience. After delineating these concepts, their theoretical antecedents are traced, followed by a discussion of differences between the traditional and hedonic views, methodological implications of the latter approach, and behavioral propositions in four substantive areas relevant to hedonic consumption-mental constructs, product classes, product usage and individual differences. Conclusions concern the usefulness of the hedonic perspective in supplementing and extending marketing research on consumer behavior.
The marketing literature suggests that product intangibility is positively associated with perceived risk and the intangibility construct encompasses three dimensions: physical intangibility, mental intangibility, and generality. The purpose of this research is to test which dimension of the intangibility construct is the most correlated with perceived risk. A survey was conducted and structural equation modeling analyses were used to test the proposed model. Results show that the mental dimension of intangibility accounts for more variance in the perceived risk construct than the other two dimensions, even when knowledge and involvement are included as moderators. Hence, the challenge for marketers might not be so much to reduce risk by physically tangibilizing goods and services, as has been advised for the past two decades, as rather to mentally tangibilize their offerings.
Tangibility, the degree to which a product or service can provide a clear concrete image, is an important construct in the marketing of services. By using the scale to measure tangibility at various levels-product class, brand, segment-a firm can identify its position relative to competition. Based on this position, specific strategies can be pursued to improve and strengthen the firm's product offerings. This article provides a scale to measure tangibility and illustrates how the results can offer strategic insights. The scale is based on three empirical studies, suggesting that it has good reliability and reasonable validity.
Structural Equation Modelling is a widely used multivariate multiple dependence technique in many social science disciplines. However, it has been found that in the social science literature very few studies report the correct set of model Fit Indices (FIs), with little justification. This trend is largely symptomatic of the lack of clarity on the acceptable criteria on the choice, and their threshold values for the a priori model's FIs. The objective of this article is to reduce some of the confusion surrounding the appropriate use of SEM model fit indices, and present the arguments for their use. I also discuss the merits and demerits of some of the "popular" model fit indexes, and towards the end also provide some practical thumb rules for appropriate use of FIs, to support the a priori model's claim to represent the real world phenomenon.
In the seivice marketing literature, a cental proposition is that the intangible nature of services leads to major differences in consumer decision making for services versus products (e.g. ‐ seivice decisions more difficult to evaluate). Two empirical studies examined the effect of tangibility and three other factors on the ease of evaluation for products and services. Both products and sewices were considered easier to evaluate when the produce/ service was of lesser importance, when little difference in quality was perceived and when experience with the product/service was higher. The tangibility of the product/service was a significant but minor explanatory variable. Consequently, the importance of tangibility may be overstated but further empirical work should be conducted before definitive conclusions are drawn.
Résumé
Il ressort des publications traitant du marketing des services une hypothese centrale voulant que la nature íntangible des services mène à des differences majeures dans le processus de prise de décision pour les services par opposition aux produits (c.‐à‐d. que les décisions relatives aux services sont plus difficiles à évaluer). Deux etudes empiriques out examiné l'effet de la tangibilité et de trois autres facteurs sur la facilité d'évaluation des produits et services. Les produits et services sont semble‐t‐il plus faciles à évaluer lorsque le produit ou le service est de moins grande importance, lorsqu'une différence minime de qualité est perçue et lorsque l'expérience du produit par rapport au service est plus grande. Le caiactère tangible du produil par rapport au service constituait une variable révélatrice mais peu importante.
Affective and cognitive responses to a product trial are examined in an experiment containing two cells representing two product types: hedonic and functional. The stimulus products were a computer game and grammar-checking software. Forty-two college students comprised the sample for the experiment. The specific affective responses studied are pleasure and arousal, and brand cognitions are represented as the expectancy value from brand attributes (the product of brand beliefs, belief confidence, and attribute evaluations, summed across the attributes (σ biciei)). The relative level and influence of affective and cognitive responses to a product trial were shown to differ significantly, depending on whether the product was hedonic or functional in nature. Specifically, for the hedonic product, felt arousal during the trial was higher than for the functional product, and emotional responses were significant antecedents of subjects' evaluations of the trial experience. Brand cognitions, however, were not significantly related to trial evaluations for the hedonic product. In contrast, for the functional product, brand cognitions and pleasure were significant antecedents of trial evaluations, but arousal was not. The findings of this study demonstrate the importance of considering both the cognitive structure created by a product trial and the consumer's emotional reactions to the trial. For hedonic products, especially, emotional responses to the trial were shown to be powerful antecedents to consumers' evaluations of a trial experience, and subsequently, brand attitude. Marketers and marketing researchers can use these results to predict which category of responses to product trial (affective or cognitive) will be most important for brand evaluation for the particular product in question. This knowledge may also enable marketers to manipulate aspects of a product trial that are most influential on the set of trial responses that this study has shown to significantly affect brand evaluation for that product type. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The purpose of this article is to review the marketing literature concerning perceived risk and to offer a conceptual application of this literature to the mail order catalog shopping purchase situation. Five specific types of perceived risk are presented and discussed in relation in relation to risk reduction techniques applicable to each.
The author's conceptualizations concerning perceived risk are an attempt to promote academic empirical research, as well as to enhance practitioners' understanding of their own current and future efforts toward expanding the database of receptive mail order catalog shoppers.
The influence of subjective product knowledge on the relationship between attitudes and purchase intentions for a durable good is examined. The study reports that this indicator of attitude strength is an important direct influencer of behavioral intentions and an important moderator of the relationship between attitudes and behavioral intentions. The results suggest that attitudes that are strong because they are perceived to be based on more knowledge share a different relationship with subsequent choice behavior than attitudes that are weak.
The development of electronic commerce has been constrained by the inability of online consumers to feel, touch, and sample products through Web inter- faces, as they are able to do in conventional in-store shopping. Previous academic studies have argued that this limitation could be partly alleviated by providing con- sumers with virtual product experience (VPE), to enable potential customers to expe- rience products virtually. This paper discusses virtual control, a specific type of VPE implementation, and identifies its two dimensions: visual control and functional con- trol. Visual control enables consumers to manipulate Web product images, to view products from various angles and distances; functional control enables consumers to explore and experience different features and functions of products. The individual and joint effects of visual and functional control were investigated in a laboratory experiment, the results of which indicated that visual and functional control increased the perceived diagnosticity (i.e., the extent to which a consumer believes the shop- ping experience is helpful to evaluate a product) of their corresponding attribute fac- tors, and that both visual and functional control increased consumer overall perceived diagnosticity and flow.
This study attempts to demonstrate empirically how the importance of website content in online purchasing varies across 2 product categorizations: goods versus services and hedonic versus utilitarian products. We conducted an experiment that showed that when purchasing services, customers value evaluative elements and risk-reducing content, while consumers buying goods may be satisfied with fewer features. In addition, selling hedonic products could be more effective when focusing on large and unique assortment. Websites selling utilitarian products, on the other hand, may profit from investing in instrumental website content. The study validates the guiding role of product type in website design, and suggests that incorporating product tactics into design likely contributes to the development of websites tailored to specific consumer groups.
Abstract This study assesses and compares,four product presentation formats currently used online: static pictures, videos without narration, videos with narration, and virtual product experi- ence (VPE), where consumers are able to virtually feel, touch, and try products. The effects of the four presentation formats on consumers’ product understanding as well as the moder- ating role of the complexity of product understanding,tasks were examined,in a laboratory experiment. Elena Karahanna was the accepting senior editor for this paper. Choon Ling
Mass customization is a strategy that has been adopted by companies to tailor their products in order to match customer needs more precisely. Therefore, to fully capture the value of mass customization, it is crucial to explore how customers react to mass customization. In previous studies, an implied premise has been that consumers are keen to embrace customized products, and this assumption has also been treated by firms as a prerequisite for successful mass customization strategies. However, an undesirable complexity may result from difficult configuration processes that may intimidate and confuse some customers. Hence, this study explores strategies that marketers can employ to facilitate the customization process. Specifically, this study investigates how to enhance customer satisfaction and purchase decision toward customized products by providing cues compatible with the product category. It is hypothesized that for search products, customers rely more on intrinsic cues when making configuration decisions. On the other hand, for experience products, customers perceive extrinsic cues to be more valuable in assisting them to make configuration decisions. The results suggest that consumers tend to respond more favorably toward customized search products when intrinsic cues are provided than when extrinsic or irrelevant ones are provided. In contrast, when customizing experience products, customers tend to depend more on extrinsic cues than on intrinsic or irrelevant ones.