Design affordance in VR and customization intention: Is customer inspiration a missing link?

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) has become one of the most popular technologies in the context of customization. However, little is known about whether, how and why the use of VR affects consumers' willingness to purchase customized products. Applying the “affordances–psychological outcomes–behavioural outcomes” framework and organismic integration theory (OIT) in this study, we propose and test a model of the motivations of customer inspiration and customization intention. Our model was empirically tested through a survey of 421 customers with experience using IKEA's VR customization in three cities along the southeast coast of China. The results suggest that design affordance in VR during a customization process involves three dimensions: aesthetics, functionality, and symbolism affordance. Specifically, we find that customer inspiration mediates the relationship between design affordance in VR and customers' customization intention. Moreover, consumers' technology readiness positively moderates the relationship between design affordance in VR and customer inspiration. This study therefore highlights the important role of customer inspiration in customizing products or services and expands the research on design affordance in the context of VR.