Making omnichannel an augmented reality: the current and future state of the art

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to explore the current and future roles of augmented reality (AR) as an enabler of omnichannel experiences across the customer journey. To advance the conceptual understanding and managerial exploitation of AR, the paper aims to synthesise current research, illustrating how a variety of current applications merge online and offline experiences, and provides a future research agenda to help advance the state of the art in AR. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on situated cognition theorising as a guiding framework, the paper reviews previously published research and currently deployed applications to provide a roadmap for future research efforts on AR-enabled omnichannel experiences across the customer journey. Findings AR offers myriad opportunities to provide customers with a seamless omnichannel journey, smoothing current obstacles, through a unique combination of embedded, embodied and extended customer experiences. These three principles constitute the overarching value drivers of AR and offer coherent, theory-driven organising principles for managers and researchers alike. Originality/value Current research has yet to provide a relevant, conceptually robust understanding of AR-enabled customer experiences. In light of the rapid development and widespread deployment of the technology, this paper provides an urgently needed framework for guiding the development of AR in an omnichannel context.

Seeing eye to eye: social augmented reality and shared decision making in the marketplace

“…Third, by investigating recommenders' distinct motivations for providing a recommendation, we address a current paucity of knowledge regarding customer-related boundary conditions to social AR use (Hilken et al 2018). Specifically, we help explain why AR-enabled social empowerment (1) is less comforting for some recommenders than others and (2) influences decision makers' choices more in some customer dyads than in others.…”

“…First, firms can use emerging social AR to strengthen the benefits of online shopping for the customer as a means of improving conversion rates and countering webrooming behavior (i.e., where customers use the online channel to obtain product and price information but ultimately purchase offline). Current AR apps for online shopping have limited customerto-customer interactions to exchanging screenshots of AR content through third-party social media, which does not satisfy customers' expectations of a seamless omnichannel experience (Brynjolfsson et al 2013;Hilken et al 2018). When customers perceive channel limitations (e.g., a lack of sociability in online shopping) and feel the need to switch channels (e.g., to examine products in store with friends and family), this may result in churn.…”

“…Current AR apps (e.g., Converse's Shoe Sampler) only allow customers to share and invite comments on screenshots of AR content posted on third-party social media, which makes getting advice from peers cumbersome and far from seamless. However, recent innovations (e.g., Snapchat's Shoppable AR) are facilitating within-app sharing and product purchasing, thus ushering in new AR applications that support engagement and shared decision making amongst customers (Hilken et al 2018;Scholz and Smith 2016). We identify this new class of AR as social AR, which we define as a technology that enables two or more users to communicate by sharing and virtually enhancing a common view of the physical environment.…”

“…As customers start to engage in shared decision making with social AR, a fundamental premise is that both recommenders and decision makers feel comfortable with providing and accepting advice through the technology. This premise has not been systematically addressed in extant research and more insights are needed into the process and outcomes of using social AR (Hilken et al 2018;de Ruyter et al 2018). Relatedly, research offers little guidance on optimal AR configurations of sharing formats (photo or video) and communication modes (text and/or images) for firms wishing to support shared decision making (Javornik 2016;de Ruyter et al 2018).…”

Manufacturer product quality information disclosure with channel encroachment in the E‐commerce age

“…The manufacturer could be better or worse off with supplier encroachment, depending on market conditions (see, e.g., Arya et al, ; Li et al, , ; Ha et al, ). Nonetheless, when manufacturers conduct their own online businesses, they can avoid issues such as product return and webrooming (Hilken et al, ), by transmitting quality information to consumers in many ways, like advertisement in their online websites, famous bloggers' product experience reports published in online platforms, and investments in augmented reality technology (Smink et al, ). These complicated effects of manufacturer encroachment suggest that it is necessary for manufacturers to carefully develop their encroachment strategies, especially when costly quality disclosure activities could also be initiated.…”