Is 1+1 Greater Than 2? the Synergistic Effect of Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence on Consumer Perceptual and Experiential Needs

Abstract

This study investigates whether combining blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) enhances consumer value and creates synergies in reverse logistics operations in a retail setting. Using a behavioral experiment with 250 participants on a simulated ecommerce platform featuring blockchain only, AI only, or their combination while searching for returned productlogistics information. Two dimensions of consumer outputs were assessed: perceptual outcomes - attitude toward the firm and repurchase intention - and experiential outcomes - task completion time and accuracy. Results indicate a clear perceptual complementarity. Integrating blockchain's verifiable transparency with AIdriven personalization significantly strengthened consumer sustainability perceptions and willingness to repurchase relative to singletechnology conditions. Differently, experiential effects diverged. Combining both technologies increased task completion time, and did not significantly improve accuracy, revealing performance substitutability rather than synergy. These findings refine complementarity theory by demonstrating that a technology bundle can simultaneously yield positive perceptual spillovers and negative experiential tradeoffs. Retailers are therefore advised to adopt the blockchain-AI pairing when strategic objectives center on trust and brand perceptions but to simplify the interface when operational speed is important. Robustness checks were completed to further establish rigor in the results. Our study also provides actionable insights for managers, emphasizing the prioritization of technology adoption, the importance of bundling blockchain with AI, and the differentiation between perceptual and experiential synergies to maximize consumer value in retail operations.