An analysis of the impact of augmented reality marketing (ARM) on Maltese millennials in the context of online shopping

Abstract

The Internet has revolutionised the way consumers purchase. While online shopping can be thought of as a service experience (Hilken et al., 2017) providing customers with numerous benefits, it can also present numerous limitations. One of the most significant limitations is that online shopping prevents customers from experiencing physical contact with the product that they intend to purchase, thus, forcing them to evaluate the product based upon their judgment and perception. Rapid technological advancements in recent years have led to the emergence of numerous immersive technologies, one of which is Augmented Reality (AR). Augmented Reality augments computer simulated objects within a real environment, giving customers the impression that the virtual object exists within a real environment (Dacko, 2017). Such technology has been developed through the use of mobile applications due to advances in mobile device technologies (Irshad and Awang, 2016) and in various sectors, most prominently within the marketing sector. Augmented Reality Marketing and its ability to place a virtual product in the customer’s hand, enables potential customers to interact with the virtual product, prior to making an effective purchasing decision (Yaoyuneyong et al., 2016).

The purpose of this research is to analyse the impact of Augmented Reality Marketing by investigating the perception, acceptance and adoption of AR applications by Maltese Millennials when shopping online. The focus of this research is upon the Maltese Islands, since the Maltese population in general tends to have a preference for avoiding uncertainty and resisting innovation when compared to other EU countries such as Germany and the Netherlands (Hofstede Insights, 2020).