Augmenting the eye of the beholder: exploring the strategic potential of augmented reality to enhance online service experiences

Tim Hilken*, Ko de Ruyter, Mathew Chylinski, Dominik Mahr, Debbie I. Keeling

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Driven by the proliferation of augmented reality (AR) technologies, many firms are pursuing a strategy of service augmentation to enhance customers' online service experiences. Drawing on situated cognition theory, the authors show that AR-based service augmentation enhances customer value perceptions by simultaneously providing simulated physical control and environmental embedding. The resulting authentic situated experience, manifested in a feeling of spatial presence, functions as a mediator and also predicts customer decision comfort. Furthermore, the effect of spatial presence on utilitarian value perceptions is greater for customers who are disposed toward verbal rather than visual information processing, and the positive effect on decision comfort is attenuated by customers' privacy concerns.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)884-905
Number of pages22
JournalJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science
Volume45
Issue number6
Early online date18 May 2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2017

Keywords

  • Augmented reality
  • Online service experience
  • Service marketing strategy
  • Situated cognition
  • Spatial presence
  • SPATIAL PRESENCE
  • SELF-SERVICE
  • ORGANIZATIONAL FRONTLINES
  • MENTAL SIMULATION
  • RESEARCH AGENDA
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • PRODUCT
  • MODEL
  • INFORMATION
  • COGNITION

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