Investigating the roles of virtual experience in consumer's online purchasing decisions

摘要

Prior research in the field of electronic commerce argued that virtual experience (VE)could facilitate consumer's product learning by mitigating the constraints that resultedfrom the lack of direct experience in an online environment. However, little is known withrespect to the effect of VE on consumer's purchasing behaviour. This paper investigatestwo roles that VE plays in consumer's purchasing decision. First, VE elicits consumer'spositive attitude toward a product. Second, VE boosts consumer's purchasing intentiononly when consumers' attitude toward the product is favourable. An empirical study wasconducted and the data demonstrated support to the proposed model. This studycontributes to academia by providing a parsimonious model explaining consumers'irrational purchasing behaviours in the online context. Also this study contributes topractice by emphasizing that VE is a double sided sword that must be utilizedappropriately in product demonstrations.