JR Let me imagine that for you 2019-03-21.pdf (997.25 kB)
Let me imagine that for you: transforming the retail frontline through augmenting customer mental imagery ability
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 17:21 authored by Jonas Heller, Mathew Chylinski, Ko de Ruyter, Dominik Mahr, Debbie KeelingDebbie KeelingThe rapid development of augmented reality (AR) is reshaping retail frontline operations by enhancing the offline and online customer experience. Drawing on mental imagery theory, this paper develops a conceptual framework to reflect how AR emulates customer’s cognitive processes offloading those to the technology. Consequently, the AR-enabled frontline improves decision comfort, motivates positive WOM and facilitates choice of higher value products. The underlying mechanism is a sequential mediation via improved processing fluency and decision comfort. The findings also demonstrate boundary conditions of customers’ visual processing styles and product contextuality. Object-visualisers benefit more from AR induced imagery processes, and the effect of processing fluency on customer decision comfort is moderated by product contextuality. The results are verified with repeat studies to control for novelty of AR, and a field study that highlights the impact of AR on customers’ choice and spending. We discuss implications for theory and practice of AR-enabled frontline retailing.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Journal of RetailingISSN
0022-4359Publisher
ElsevierExternal DOI
Issue
2Volume
95Page range
94-114Department affiliated with
- Strategy and Marketing Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2019-03-28First Open Access (FOA) Date
2021-04-16First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2019-03-21Usage metrics
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