The Effect of Augmented Reality on Consumer Learning for Search and Experience Products in Mobile Commerce

Mobile augmented reality (AR) has emerged as an effective interactive technology for providing visual information on products. As the importance of contextual information grows, mobile AR makes it easier for consumers to visually examine products virtually placed in their existing physical spaces. Despite the popularity and potential of mobile AR in commerce, there is a lack of research confirming that, in terms of providing consumers with shopping experiences, mobile AR is a more influential tool than the traditional method of product presentation. Based on the experience economy and task-media fit theories, this study examines the effect of AR information in mobile shopping on consumer learning, including enjoyment, compared to that of two-dimensional and three-dimensional information. Moreover, we examine the moderating effect of product type on this relationship. We conducted experiments with 212 participants to confirm these relationships. Our results revealed that AR information helps improve consumer learning and purchase intention in mobile environments, and the effect of AR is stronger for experience products than for search products.