Understanding customer experience and engagement in digital assistant-based retail interactions

Purpose This study examines the impact of digital assistants' emotional stimuli (i.e. aesthetics and playfulness) on customer pleasurable experience (CPE) and purchase intentions within the boundary condition of customer engagement. Design/methodology/approach Partial least squares-based structural equation modeling was performed using SmartPLS 4.0 to confirm the reliability and validity of the measurement model and test hypotheses. Findings The findings highlight aesthetics and playfulness as key emotional stimuli driving CPE, which in turn enhances purchase intentions. Moreover, CPE serves as a full and partial mediator between emotional stimuli and purchase intention, while customer engagement negatively moderates the CPE–purchase intentions relationship. Originality/value Our study pioneers in establishing the mediating role of CPE in the relationship between emotional stimuli and purchase intentions. Furthermore, it offers fresh insights by introducing customer engagement as a moderating variable, revealing that higher engagement actually weakens the link between CPE and purchase intentions in DA-driven marketing.