Modelling 3D product visualisation for the online retailer

Abstract

This research aims to explain the process that previous researchers have discussed concerning the consumer virtual experience, using three-dimensional (3D) product visualisations, within online retailers. In addition, this research aims to identify the main advantages of using 3D product visualisation in comparison to two-dimensional (2D) static pictures within online retailers. Moreover, using the online Stimulus-Organism-Responses (S-O-R) paradigm, this research aims to model the effect of 3D product visualisation on consumers’ perception and responses towards the online retailer environment. Given that the appearance of the notion of telepresence or presence and their implications on the online retailer, many scholars attempt to build and develop models that can suit these notions online. However, this thesis argues that the notion of 3D telepresence is not the proper terminology to be used within the online retail context and therefore, this research raises the following question “how do consumers perceive 3D product virtualisation (telepresence) compared with 3D product authenticity on online retailers’ websites?” The effects of 3D product visualisation and 2D static pictures have been raised during the past decade to determine which is better for the online consumers. Marketers and information system scholars started wondering about the best device that can generate hedonic and utilitarian values for the consumers. To investigate the main impact of 3D product visualisation and 2D static pictures on hedonic and utilitarian values, this research raises the following questions: How do consumers perceive 3D hedonic values compared with 2D hedonic values on online retailers’ website? How do consumers perceive 3D product visualisation utilitarian values compared with 2D utilitarian values on online retailers’ website? This thesis, based on the previous literature in interactivity and vividness, narrowed down the 3D authenticity antecedents to the control and animated colour constructs. Moreover, to determine the effect of the progressive levels of control and animated colour constructs on the 3D authenticity construct, it raises the following research question: How do different levels of 3D control and animated colours influence 3D authenticity? To determine the effects of the progressive levels of 3D hedonic and utilitarian values on behavioural intention construct, this thesis raises the following research question: How do different levels of 3D hedonic and utilitarian levels influence behavioural intentions? Based on the online S-O-R framework, previous studies investigate the impact of the whole website e-retail environment (many stimuli) on consumers’ responses. Yet, this is the first study that is using one stimulus, namely 3D laptop product visualisation to investigate its impacts on consumers’ perceptions and responses using the online S-OR paradigm. Therefore, this thesis raises the following research question: How do control, animated colours, 3D authenticity, hedonic and utilitarian values affect consumers’ behavioural intention? The results reveal significant differences between 3D telepresence and 3D authenticity constructs. 3D telepresence involves an illusion or a sense of being transported to another place, whereas 3D authenticity refers to the ability to imagine a virtual object as real. The 3D authenticity construct is more significant in simulating an online retailer’s products. The proposed online S-O-R conceptual model achieves acceptable fit and the hypothesised paths are all valid. This research adds to the marketing literature the notion of 3D authenticity and contributes a valid scale to measure that new variable. Moreover, it is the first study that connects and uses the antecedents of 3D authenticity (S), control and animated colours, to investigate their impact on 3D authenticity, hedonic and utilitarian values (O), and the impact of the Organism constructs (O) on behavioural intention (R). Furthermore, the final framework considers the first framework that has studied the impact of one stimulus using the online S-O-R framework on an electronic retailer website environment. Indeed, to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first study that uses a UK sample to investigate the effects of an authentic 3D product visualisation in an electronic e-retailing industry (i.e., laptops).