Creating virtual product experiences: The role of telepresence

Abstract

Given that direct product experience is generally the optimal method for consumers to learn about products, marketers should strive for verisimilitude in marketing communications. This research explores how computer-mediated environments can engender virtual product experiences. The construct of telepresence, a sense of presence in a remote environment, is used to examine the process by which media characteristics influence consumer responses. Through two experimental studies, we evaluate the effect of two media characteristics—user control and media richness—on the creation of telepresence and assess the impact of telepresence on consumer beliefs about and attitudes toward the advertised product. Results show that user control and media richness both contribute to creating a sense of telepresence. Moreover, through telepresence, these media characteristics influence consumers’ cognitive responses.

Perceptions of Presence as Antecedents to E-tail Shopping - An Extended Technology Acceptance Model -

“…There are generally six distinct conceptualizations of presence: presence as (1) social richness, (2) realism, (3) transportation, (4) immersion, (5) social actor within medium, and (6) medium as social actor, (Lombard & Ditton, 1997). Among the six conceptualizations, two dimensions-presence as social richness, generally known as social presence, and presence as transportation, known as telepresence -have been mostly adopted by researchers in consumer research in the context of e-commercial environments (Animesh et al, 2011;Coyle & Thorson, 2001;Gefen & Straub, 2003;Hassanein & Head, 2006;Hoffman & Novak, 1996;Hopkins, Raymond, & Mitra, 2004;Klein, 2003;Wang, Baker, Wagner, & Wakefield, 2007). Following the literature, this paper employs these two dimensions of presence (i.e., telepresence and social presence), proposing that these two psychological states generated when online consumers are browsing an e-tail website play a significant role in their acceptance of the e-tail website.…”

“…Similarly, Klein (2003) reports that increased telepresence leads to individuals' strong sense of beliefs about products presented on the computer. This is because the higher the level of telepresence, the more real the virtual experience.…”

“…One of the well-known approaches to understanding consumers is to examine why they accept or reject an object, using an attitudinal model that posits the causal relationships of beliefs, attitude, behavioral , 2011;Coyle & Thorson, 2001;Gefen & Straub, 2003;Hassanein & Head, 2006;Hoffman & Novak, 1996;Hopkins, Raymond, & Mitra, 2004;Hyun & O'Keefe, 2012;Klein, 2003;Wang, Baker, Wagner, & Wakefield, 2007).…”

“…The literature argues that media users' perceived presence is an important construct to understand their interactions with the media, because this psychological feeling influences users' beliefs, enjoyment, and behaviors (Biocca, 1997;Lombard & Ditton, 1997). Since e-commercial websites are a form of CMEs, the concept of presence has been attracted by researchers investigating consumer behavior in the context of e-commercial websites (Animesh et al, 2011;Coyle & Thorson, 2001;Gefen & Straub, 2003;Hassanein & Head, 2006;Hoffman & Novak, 1996;Hopkins, Raymond, & Mitra, 2004;Hyun & O'Keefe, 2012;Klein, 2003;Wang, Baker, Wagner, & Wakefield, 2007).…”

Posicionamiento en buscadores de las webs oficiales de capitales de provincia españolas

“…A éstas les permiten proporcionar gran cantidad de información de forma ordenada, recuperable, personalizada y adaptada culturalmente (Tsikriktsis, 2002). Además crean experiencias virtuales de producto (Klein, 2003), construyen imagen de marca (Hollis, 2005) y pueden plantearse como un medio adecuado para la promoción de ventas, el marketing directo, la publicidad y las relaciones públicas (Cho;Cheon, 2005).…”