Augmented reality has emerged as a new interactive technology and its unprecedented way of complementing the physical environment with virtual annotations offers innovative modes for accessing commercially-relevant content. However, little is known about how consumers respond to its features. This paper approaches augmented reality (AR) by studying media characteristics of interactive technologies and shows to which extent they are indicative of current AR commercial apps. Based on a literature review about consumer responses to these characteristics, potential media effects of AR on consumer behaviour are discussed. Finally, the article proposes a research agenda for further study of this new phenomenon in marketing.
The paper investigates two augmented reality (AR) applications and corresponding consumer responses to their media characteristics. Firstly, it discusses the role of interactivity with AR technology. Secondly, it introduces augmentation as a salient media characteristic of AR applications and tests measurement items of perceived augmentation. Two experimental studies replicate the research design of Van Noort et al. [Van Noort, G., Voorveld, H. A. M., & van Reijmersdal, E. A. (2012). Interactivity in brand web sites: cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses explained by consumers' online flow experience. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 26, 223-234], applying it in the context of AR. The results show that perceived augmentation represents a fitting concept for understanding consumer responses to AR features and, furthermore, that flow mediates effects of perceived augmentation on consumers' affective responses and behavioural intentions. AR features on the other hand do not increase perception of interactivity. Finally, implications of the study and further research directions are discussed.
ARTICLE HISTORY
When dissatisfied customers voice their complaints on companies’ social media pages, many other consumers can observe such interactions. Yet, only limited research has investigated how complaint handling is perceived by this online audience. Since the final outcome of the complaint is rarely visible publicly, the message characteristics (e.g., length and style) of company replies can represent signaling cues for observers of how the complaint is handled. The results of two experimental studies show that the use of conversational human voice (CHV) leads to more positive observer perceptions of complaint handling as opposed to when a corporate voice is employed. We found that interactional justice fully mediates this process and that satisfaction with complaint handling positively impacts corporate image and indirectly observers’ WOM intentions. Surprisingly, high CHV can negatively affect procedural justice, but these effects are mainly offset through interactional justice, as the observers focus on the fairness in the communication exchange. Interestingly, our findings show that, in the case of low CHV, other cues such as the length of the company's reply significantly change perceived justice dimensions; however, the length of reply does not lead to such changes when high CHV is employed. Our studies bring novel findings that contribute to justice and signaling theories in the context of complaints management in social media. Managerial implications are discussed.
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