۱- Introduction

۲- Theoretical background and research hypotheses

۳- Methodology

۴- Results

۵- Conclusion

References

Abstract

The extant literature on augmented-reality interactive technology (ARIT) has not addressed the capability of this new technology on enhancing brand love, an important driver for consumers’ long-term dedication to an e-retailer or online brand. In particular, no studies have directly compared ARIT and non-ARIT (such as traditional webpage browsing) e-shopping environments in terms of their effects on brand love formation. The present study conducts an experiment to provide the evidences of the difference in brand love fostering effects between the two shopping environments. Moreover, this study elucidates the psychological mechanism of brand love formation, indicating that the characteristics of ARIT—ownership control and rehearsability—may engender self-referencing, which further fosters information technological identity, then results in brand love. The research results may help e-retailers and online brand managers to select proper ARIT technology to shape brand love and create an effective online simulation experience.

Introduction

Unlike short-term purchase intention or any single consumption behavior, brand love effectively stimulates consumers’ willingness to purchase products in the long run while also reducing the likelihood of switching to other brands (Magids et al., 2015). An empirical study (Magids et al., 2015) indicated that the consumers it examined who had high levels of brand love purchased clothes twice as frequently as those who were merely satisfied. On average, consumers with high levels of brand love spent $468 on purchasing clothes annually, nearly twice as much as consumers who are satisfied, who spent only $235. Further consumers with high levels of brand love recommended the given clothing store to their friends and relatives 1.4 times as often as consumers who were satisfied. According to Magids et al. (2015), to create long-term consumption in large amounts and ensure a low turnover rate, e-retailers and online brands should focus on shaping online consumers’ brand love instead of stimulating single-purchase intentions. Nevertheless, brand love literature is generally restricted to scenarios in physical stores (e.g., Batra et al., 2012; Carroll and Ahuvia, 2006; Rauschnabel and Ahuvia, 2014; Rauschnabel et al., 2016). This leaves e-retailers and online brands without guidance in how to use digital simulation technology (such as augmented-reality interactive technology, ARIT) to shape brand love. More importantly, many e-retailers and online brands already use ARIT to empower online consumers to actively and spontaneously create their own consumption experiences (Rafaeli et al., 2017). Unfortunately, recent studies of ARIT have largely been limited to explorations of the effects of ARIT on strengthening purchase intention (Beck and Crié, ۲۰۱۸; Hilken et al., 2017; Mulcahy and Riedel, in press; Poushneh and Vasquez-Parraga, 2017), ignoring the aforementioned benefits of brand love. Thus, it is worth exploring whether the empowerment of participation in digital simulation scenarios through ARIT can successfully create brand love, what features of ARIT are responsible for this, and what psychological mechanisms are involved. This study explores and demonstrates the entire process and psychological mechanisms by which ARIT simulation experience shapes brand love, offering future e-retailers and online brands the opportunity to use ARIT to shape marketing guidelines to achieve the benefits associated with such emotion.