Determinants of augmented customer experience in retail sector with special reference to virtual buying experience

Abstract

In the present-day marketing scenario, it has become significant to consider purchasing newlinethrough different online platforms. Individuals are often preferring to purchase online in contrast to purchasing in physical stores. This radical transformation in purchasing behaviour is due to the remarkable emergence of technology and the Internet. newlineAccordingly, an examination of business and academic literature related to the retail newlineindustry revealed that the industry is responding to these trends with greater adoption of cutting-edge technology, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to enhance customers experience and improve their intention to make purchases online. However, it was also found that although research on AR technology has flourished over past few years, it is still evolving. Moreover, studies on AR/VR adoption from India have shown that majority of entrepreneurs/business owners from small scale industries were not aware about AR/VR technology and are mostly restricted in using newlinesuch emerging technologies in marketing their products. Also, studies related to assessing AR attributes along with technology attributes to impact on the augmented newlinecustomer experience have been limited. Almost no study has tried to encompass all the newlinefacets of AR technology, such as technical attributes, AR attributes, customer newlineperception and retailers attributes simultaneously. The present study was thus newlineundertaken to study the relationship, if any, between the impact of Indian customers newlinevirtual buying experience and experience with augmented reality, and their intention to newlinepurchase goods. The primary objective of the present study was hence to ascertain the determinants of augmented customer experience in the retail sector in India and takes account of consumers virtual buying experience. In addition, this study focused on the outcome of these experiences, that is, the purchase intention of consumers after their experience with augmented reality, virtual buying, and retailers.