Use of Immersive Virtual Technology in Consumer Retailing and Its Effects to Consumer

Purpose : Today’s retailers are integrating new VR technology into their new marketing strategies. Thus, this research aims to understand the role of virtual experiences in the circumstance of sales channels. Research design, data and methodology : Our model hypothesizes that five key factors determine the consumer experience of VR in the virtual retailing context: smartness, vividness, interactivity, playfulness, escape. Information access and flow are mediating variables that connect key drivers and VR satisfaction. Information access and flow then give influence to satisfaction towards VR. Satisfaction serves as a mediator that determines changes in consumer’s dual intention: intention to revisit VR and intention to visit the real site. Results : According to the test results, every path except the relationship between information access and satisfaction of VR is accepted as expected at the significance level of 0.05. Conclusions : This research emphasizes the potential importance of VR and continue VR marketing research as an advent research area. Through the dual-path model, this study found that the primary function of VR is information access and flow experience. This result shows that most VR users value emotional benefits rather than rational benefits provided by VR. Finally, the satisfaction of VR can stimulate both the intention to use the VR and the intention to visit real mall.