Abstract
The fashion industry is undergoing a digital transformation due to the emergence of new shopping channels and external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the relationship between virtual fitting (VF) experience satisfaction, brand advocacy, mobile purchase intention, and offline purchase intention from an omnichannel perspective to understand how VF based on augmented reality (AR) impacts the customer purchase journey. The study also investigated the moderating effect of a customer’s product involvement, which is a personal characteristic. The results reveal that high satisfaction with the VF experience had a positive effect only on mobile purchase intentions. Brand advocacy formed after the VF experience had a positive effect on both mobile and offline purchase intentions and showed a mediating effect in the relationship between VF experience satisfaction and purchase intention. The moderating effect of product involvement was also confirmed. Moreover, a significantly negative influence of VF experience satisfaction on offline purchase intention was detected for customers who were more involved in sneakers products. These results indicate that VF, which is used as a tool in shopping apps, can achieve customer satisfaction and drive mobile purchases, thus leading to offline purchases based on brand advocacy.
Highlights
The retail environment, which has been radically transformed over the past decade, has witnessed changes in retail business models and customer behaviors amid the popularization of smartphones and the emergence of new shopping channels such as online channels, mobile channels, and social media shopping (e.g., Facebook and Instagram shops) [1]
Discriminant validity was confirmed by the Fornell–Larcker criterion and the heterotrait–monotrait ratio (HTMT)
It is necessary to measure the impact and effectiveness of ARbased virtual fitting (VF), which is being actively adopted by fashion retailers
Summary
The retail environment, which has been radically transformed over the past decade, has witnessed changes in retail business models and customer behaviors amid the popularization of smartphones and the emergence of new shopping channels such as online channels, mobile channels, and social media shopping (e.g., Facebook and Instagram shops) [1]. Sales volumes generated from digital channels have been higher than those generated from offline channels [2], and, as people’s dependence on mobile devices increases, m-commerce is expected to account for 44% of all e-commerce transactions in 2024 [3]. Since mobile shopping is connected to customers in all contexts of their daily lives, mobile marketing strategies have the potential to increase customer engagement [5]. In the fashion industry, where offline retail stores are facing a crisis due to COVID-19, the introduction of new technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and mobile devices provides customers with a shopping experience that transcends boundaries between channels and organically connects various distribution channels
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
