Research on the impact of augmented reality (AR) technology on the intention to purchase cosmetics: A case study of students in the Ho Chi Minh city

Abstract

In recent years, in tandem with the development and explosion of information technology, there has been the emergence of numerous modern tools and advanced solutions aimed at enhancing customer experiences. Considered a revolution in user experience, Augmented Reality (AR) technology has come into existence with outstanding advantages and is being widely adopted by many businesses in their sales processes. Particularly notable among these are businesses operating in the cosmetics market, where augmented reality technology can assist customers in flexibly and vividly trying out products, thereby facilitating the purchase intention. Situated within the context of the cosmetics industry, this study concentrates on examining the influence of several attributes of Augmented Reality (AR), such as interactivity, vividness, and aesthetics on factors related to enjoyment and perceived usefulness. Subsequently, the research delves into analyzing the correlation between these attributes and the purchasing intentions of surveyed individuals. A total of 488 students in Ho Chi Minh City actively participated in the survey, providing opinions on the relationships mentioned above through a survey conducted in the form of a 5-point Likert scale. The data processing resulted in 349 valid responses, ready for subsequent hypothesis testing procedures. The research results indicate that the vividness and aesthetics factor positively influence the enjoyment of users in the interaction process integrated with Augmented Reality (AR) and cosmetic products. Besides, the interactivity, vividness and aesthetics have a significant impact on perceived usefullness. Simultaneously, the study reveals that, in the context of cosmetic products and the presence of AR-related factors, the increase in consumer purchase intentions tends to be proportional to the increase in the perceived usefulness and enjoyment factor.