When AI Meets AR, Online Shopping Becomes Even More Irresistible

Abstract

Online shopping generally presents the pain point of not being able to try on products. Therefore, various industries are gradually developing and applying augmented reality (AR) to improve the online product experience. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of AR in assisting the online presentation of cosmetics on consumers and, based on the S-O-R model, to examine how AR features affect consumers’ perceived value. In this study, AR features are categorized into interactivity, vividness, system quality, and product informativeness. Consumers’ perceived value after using AR makeup tools is divided into three dimensions: perceived emotional value, perceived cognitive value, and perceived social value. The study also examines how these perceived values influence consumers’ attitudes toward AR technology, which, in turn, affect their willingness to use AR makeup tools. Perceived social benefits and intention to use determine whether they will patronize brand websites. A research model was tested through an empirical survey of 81 valid participants. The PLS analysis results show that consumers’ perceived cognitive value is significantly affected by the interactivity, vividness, system quality, and product informativeness provided by AR. Perceived social value is significantly influenced by AR’s presence effect, while perceived emotional value is influenced by AR’s interactivity and vividness. The study also suggests that consumers’ perceived value affects their attitude toward AR technology, which, in turn, significantly influences their willingness to use AR makeup tools and patronize brand websites. The findings of this study provide the cosmetics industry with optimization suggestions for the application of AR makeup tools and contribute to research on AR technology.