The role of virtual reality in fostering brand experience on retail success

Abstract

The aim of the current study is to increase our understanding of the role of VR in shaping brand experience within the retailing context. Data was collected from a lab experiment. Participants were asked to imagine that they were planning to visit a mall. In the experiment, participants had a pre-experience with a real mall by watching a 360-degree video with technologies with varying degrees of technological embodiment (i.e. destock PC, smartphone and VR HMD). The results contribute to the growing literature on retail brand management and this would be one of the first studies to enhance our understanding of how new technologies shape and develop brand experience within the retailing sector.