IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v64y2022ics096969892100388x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Virtual reality as a promotion tool for small independent stores

Author

Listed:
  • Kim, Gwia
  • Jin, Byoungho
  • Shin, Daeun Chloe

Abstract

Based on flow theory, we examined whether, compared to conventional online stores, 360-degree based virtual reality (VR) videos of a small independent store can enhance customers' store experience and their responses to the store through heightened flow state. Two types of stimuli creating different experiences were used for the experiments. The first stimulus type was a 360-degree VR video experience where respondents experienced the store of a small fashion retailer. The second was a website experience exploring the website of the same store. Results indicate that customers' VR experience (i.e., exploring the physical store in a VR setting), compared to website experience (i.e., exploring the same store's online store), enhanced their flow state, which, in turn, increased interest and visit intention toward the store. The findings suggest that 360-degree VR videos can be an effective customer acquisition tool for small retailers with limited resources because the software and hardware required to operate 360-degree VR videos are inexpensive and less complicated for small companies.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim, Gwia & Jin, Byoungho & Shin, Daeun Chloe, 2022. "Virtual reality as a promotion tool for small independent stores," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:64:y:2022:i:c:s096969892100388x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102822
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096969892100388X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102822?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Deng, Xiaoyan & Unnava, H. Rao & Lee, Hyojin, 2019. "“Too true to be good?” when virtual reality decreases interest in actual reality," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 561-570.
    2. Gao, Lingling & Bai, Xuesong, 2014. "Online consumer behaviour and its relationship to website atmospheric induced flow: Insights into online travel agencies in China," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 653-665.
    3. Lahuerta Otero, Eva & Muñoz Gallego, Pablo A. & Pratt, Renée M.E., 2014. "Click-and-Mortar SMEs: Attracting customers to your website," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 57(6), pages 729-736.
    4. Saridakis, George & Lai, Yanqing & Mohammed, Anne-Marie & Hansen, Jared M., 2018. "Industry characteristics, stages of E-commerce communications, and entrepreneurs and SMEs revenue growth," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 56-66.
    5. Lombart, Cindy & Millan, Elena & Normand, Jean-Marie & Verhulst, Adrien & Labbé-Pinlon, Blandine & Moreau, Guillaume, 2019. "Consumer perceptions and purchase behavior toward imperfect fruits and vegetables in an immersive virtual reality grocery store," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 28-40.
    6. Demoulin, Nathalie T.M., 2011. "Music congruency in a service setting: The mediating role of emotional and cognitive responses," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 10-18.
    7. Hausman, Angela V. & Siekpe, Jeffrey Sam, 2009. "The effect of web interface features on consumer online purchase intentions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 5-13, January.
    8. Cowan, Kirsten & Ketron, Seth, 2019. "A dual model of product involvement for effective virtual reality: The roles of imagination, co-creation, telepresence, and interactivity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 483-492.
    9. Steenkamp, Jan-Benedict E M & Baumgartner, Hans, 1992. "The Role of Optimum Stimulation Level in Exploratory Consumer Behavior," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 19(3), pages 434-448, December.
    10. Guttentag, Daniel A., 2010. "Virtual reality: Applications and implications for tourism," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 637-651.
    11. Faison, Edmund W J, 1977. "The Neglected Variety Drive: A Useful Concept for Consumer Behavior," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 4(3), pages 172-175, December.
    12. Di Fatta, Davide & Patton, Dean & Viglia, Giampaolo, 2018. "The determinants of conversion rates in SME e-commerce websites," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 161-168.
    13. Chen, Yi-Mu & Hsu, Tsuen-Ho & Lu, Yu-Jou, 2018. "Impact of flow on mobile shopping intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 281-287.
    14. van Noort, Guda & Voorveld, Hilde A.M. & van Reijmersdal, Eva A., 2012. "Interactivity in Brand Web Sites: Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Responses Explained by Consumers' Online Flow Experience," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 223-234.
    15. Domina, Tanya & Lee, Seung-Eun & MacGillivray, Maureen, 2012. "Understanding factors affecting consumer intention to shop in a virtual world," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 613-620.
    16. Yim, Mark Yi-Cheon & Chu, Shu-Chuan & Sauer, Paul L., 2017. "Is Augmented Reality Technology an Effective Tool for E-commerce? An Interactivity and Vividness Perspective," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 89-103.
    17. Chia‐Lin Hsu & Kuo‐Chien Chang & Mu‐Chen Chen, 2012. "Flow Experience and Internet Shopping Behavior: Investigating the Moderating Effect of Consumer Characteristics," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 317-332, May.
    18. Kang, Hyo Jeong & Shin, Jung-hye & Ponto, Kevin, 2020. "How 3D Virtual Reality Stores Can Shape Consumer Purchase Decisions: The Roles of Informativeness and Playfulness," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 70-85.
    19. Farah, Maya F. & Ramadan, Zahy B. & Harb, Dana H., 2019. "The examination of virtual reality at the intersection of consumer experience, shopping journey and physical retailing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 136-143.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Serravalle, Francesca & Vanheems, Régine & Viassone, Milena, 2023. "Does product involvement drive consumer flow state in the AR environment? A study on behavioural responses," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xi, Nannan & Hamari, Juho, 2021. "Shopping in virtual reality: A literature review and future agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 37-58.
    2. Wedel, Michel & Bigné, Enrique & Zhang, Jie, 2020. "Virtual and augmented reality: Advancing research in consumer marketing," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 443-465.
    3. Jamie Carlson & Natalie Jane Vries & Mohammad M. Rahman & Alex Taylor, 2017. "Go with the flow: engineering flow experiences for customer engagement value creation in branded social media environments," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 24(4), pages 334-348, August.
    4. Qin, Hong & Peak, Daniel Alan & Prybutok, Victor, 2021. "A virtual market in your pocket: How does mobile augmented reality (MAR) influence consumer decision making?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    5. Ozkara, Behcet Yalin & Ozmen, Mujdat & Kim, Jong Woo, 2017. "Examining the effect of flow experience on online purchase: A novel approach to the flow theory based on hedonic and utilitarian value," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 119-131.
    6. Barta, Sergio & Flavián, Carlos & Gurrea, Raquel, 2021. "Managing consumer experience and online flow: Differences in handheld devices vs PCs," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    7. Aboubaker Ettis, Saïd, 2017. "Examining the relationships between online store atmospheric color, flow experience and consumer behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 43-55.
    8. Rayburn, Steven W. & Anderson, Sidney T. & Zank, Gail M. & McDonald, Imani, 2022. "M-atmospherics: From the physical to the digital," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    9. Gao, Lingling & Bai, Xuesong, 2014. "Online consumer behaviour and its relationship to website atmospheric induced flow: Insights into online travel agencies in China," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 653-665.
    10. Meißner, Martin & Pfeiffer, Jella & Peukert, Christian & Dietrich, Holger & Pfeiffer, Thies, 2020. "How virtual reality affects consumer choice," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 219-231.
    11. Jafar, Rana Muhammad Sohail & Ahmad, Wasim & Sun, Yanming, 2023. "Unfolding the impacts of metaverse aspects on telepresence, product knowledge, and purchase intentions in the metaverse stores," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    12. de Regt, Anouk & Plangger, Kirk & Barnes, Stuart J., 2021. "Virtual reality marketing and customer advocacy: Transforming experiences from story-telling to story-doing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 513-522.
    13. Zhang, Wenyao & Zhang, Wei & Daim, Tugrul U., 2023. "Investigating consumer purchase intention in online social media marketing: A case study of Tiktok," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    14. Anderson, Kelley Cours & Laverie, Debra A., 2022. "In the consumers’ eye: A mixed-method approach to understanding how VR-Content influences unbranded product quality perceptions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    15. Kowalczuk, Pascal & Siepmann (née Scheiben), Carolin & Adler, Jost, 2021. "Cognitive, affective, and behavioral consumer responses to augmented reality in e-commerce: A comparative study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 357-373.
    16. C. Goukens & S. Dewitte & I. Anthoons, 2003. "When New Feels Good. Enhancing Variety Seeking by Using Subtle Priming," Review of Business and Economic Literature, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Review of Business and Economic Literature, vol. 0(3), pages 469-488.
    17. Stefan Hoffmann & Tom Joerß & Robert Mai & Payam Akbar, 2022. "Augmented reality-delivered product information at the point of sale: when information controllability backfires," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 743-776, July.
    18. Wu, Ing-Long & Chen, Kuei-Wan & Chiu, Mai-Lun, 2016. "Defining key drivers of online impulse purchasing: A perspective of both impulse shoppers and system users," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 284-296.
    19. Huang, Yu-Chih & Backman, Sheila J. & Backman, Kenneth F. & Moore, DeWayne, 2013. "Exploring user acceptance of 3D virtual worlds in travel and tourism marketing," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 490-501.
    20. Prakash Singh & Lokesh Arora & Abdulaziz Choudhry, 2022. "Consumer Behavior in the Service Industry: An Integrative Literature Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-30, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:64:y:2022:i:c:s096969892100388x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing-and-consumer-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.