Sensory disclosure in an augmented environment: memory of touch and willingness to buy

Abstract

The recent movement restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and subsequent booming in online buying, show consumers the crucial role of touch as a pre-purchase indicator of good quality products, especially in grocery and fashion sectors. During the pandemic time, consumers were somehow forced to find different alternatives to understand the quality of items before buying. Among these, the adoption of multi-sensory technologies (e.g., augmented reality, AR) or the visual activation of the memory of a material (e.g., wool) was certainly attracting attention from consumers. In this scenario, the purpose of this paper is to explore how AR can activate the memory of products and consumers’ willingness to purchase. Building on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 18 Italian consumers, our analysis reveals that AR might enhance consumers’ memory of products, with this sometimes occurring unconsciously. Our findings further deepen the scientific and managerial debate around the role AR might have in influencing/altering consumers’ shopping routines. Contributions to the body of knowledge and managerial implications are discussed and suggestions for further research are given.