Augmented Reality and Product Information in Fashion E-Commerce: Investigating Emotional Responses, Engagement, and Purchase Intention

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) is transforming the fashion shopping experience online by changing how customers interact with products. As e-commerce continues to grow, fashion brands are under pressure to replicate the sensory and emotional aspects of physical store experiences. AR creates interactive and immersive features that allow consumers to view products, try them on virtually, and interact with digital content in real-time. These experiences not only produce enjoyment and novelty but also influence emotional engagement, trust, and decision-making. By this context, this thesis investigates how AR and product information impact emotional engagement and purchase intention in online fashion shopping. A 2 x2 between-subjects experimental study (AR: present vs. absent) × (Product Information: present vs. absent) was conducted to examine their effects. Results from PLS-SEM analysis reveal that AR significantly increases positive affective responses and emotional engagement, which together mediate its influence on purchase intention. A one-way ANOVA further showed that AR exposure—regardless of product information—led to significantly higher purchase intention. These findings highlight how AR acts as a key emotional driver in digital fashion contexts, offering both theoretical and managerial insights into how immersive technology and smart information design shape consumer behavior.