The Impact of AR Technology on Users’ Purchase Intention in Mobile Shopping

This study demonstrates how augmented reality (AR) technology in mobile shopping applications influences users’ purchase intentions from the perspective of telepresence, aiming to uncover the internal pathway through which users’ psychological perceptions translate into consumer behavior under the integration of online convenience and offline immersion. Based on data from 707 valid questionnaires, a structural equation model (SEM) was constructed and validated to systematically analyze the mediating effects of AR technology on purchase intention through telepresence. The findings indicate that AR technology indirectly affects purchase intention by enhancing users’ telepresence, and this effect is driven not by perceived enjoyment but by elevated trust. Specifically, telepresence exhibits a significant positive impact on trust (β = .74, p < .001), which in turn strongly drives purchase intention (β = .64, p < .001). This research elucidates the sequential mediating mechanism of “telepresence - trust - purchase intention,” challenging the direct-effect assumptions of traditional technology acceptance models and offering a novel theoretical framework for AR-enabled consumer behavior. The results provide quantifiable insights for e-commerce platforms to optimize AR feature designs (e.g., enhancing scenario authenticity and interactive immediacy) to foster user trust. Additionally, it offers strategic guidance for digital retailers and AR market players in policy formulation and promotional campaigns, supporting the sustainable innovation of the “technology-experience-consumption” ecosystem.