Does presence matter? Impact of telepresence and social presence on purchase intention from VR shopping sites: empirical examination

This research examines the impact of telepresence and social presence on the intention to purchase from virtual reality (VR) shopping platforms, presenting empirical evidence derived from descriptive and cross-sectional methodologies. Data was gathered through a survey utilising adapted scales from previous investigations, consisting of 43 scale items that evaluate ten variables associated with social presence, telepresence and purchase intention. A purposive sampling strategy was employed to collect responses from 525 participants. The results indicate that involvement and spatial presence significantly and positively influence social presence. Moreover, spatial presence, physical immersion, and experiential realism have a substantial and affirmative effect on telepresence. In addition, social presence exhibits a positive and significant relationship with purchase intention. Conversely, telepresence reflects a positive yet statistically insignificant relationship with purchase intention. These findings enhance the comprehension of consumer behaviour dynamics within VR shopping settings, providing valuable implications for VR commercial platforms.