Cognitive, affective, and behavioral consumer responses to augmented reality in e-commerce: A comparative study

This study explores the relative advantage of augmented reality (AR) over web-based product presentations. We develop a consumer response model and compare consumers’ reactions to the IKEA Place app and IKEA mobile website on smartphones. The results reveal that AR outperforms web-based product presentations by generating greater immersion and enjoyment, whereas the opposite is true for media usefulness. The findings further show that behavioral responses (reuse and purchase intention) are formed by affective (immersion, enjoyment, product liking) and cognitive (media usefulness, choice confidence) responses to the AR characteristics (interactivity, system quality, product informativeness, reality congruence). Since the reuse intentions of AR apps result from enjoyment and usefulness, retailers should improve system quality, product informativeness, and reality congruence to enhance media usefulness and interactivity to increase enjoyment. To achieve high purchase intentions, they should also increase interactivity, as it boosts product liking and in turn ensures confidence about the chosen products.