Drivers of augmented reality shopping adoption for high-involvement products in South Africa

Background: Online shopping has revolutionised the way we buy products, providing convenience and accessibility. However, one of the challenges of online shopping has been the inability to physically try products before making a purchase. This limitation led to the emergence of online augmented reality (AR) shopping, a technology-driven solution that has transformed the online retail experience, especially for expensive products that require extensive search. Despite the potential that AR technology has exhibited, the retail sector has not yet fully embraced it and research on its impact on consumer behaviour is still in its early stages. Objectives: The study sought to establish the driving factors influencing consumers’ adoption of online AR shopping for high-involvement products. Method: A quantitative method was used to analyse specific relationships between variables, to address knowledge gaps in this context. Results: According to the results, perceived usefulness, optimism and trialability are significant driving factors that influence consumers’ adoption of AR shopping when purchasing high-involvement products. Conclusion: Gaining a greater understanding of consumers’ perception of online AR in the retail industry is critical for business success to create an enhanced and immersive retail experience. Contribution: These results make an important academic contribution by increasing the theoretical understanding of consumer adoption. The findings of this study may assist marketing practitioners in overcoming the challenges faced when migrating consumers from purchasing high-involvement products at traditional brick-and-mortar stores to online shopping platforms. Keywords: augmented reality shopping; adoption; perceived ease of use; perceived usefulness; optimism; innovativeness; trialability; social influence.