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Can’t touch this: the impact of augmented reality versus touch and non-touch interfaces on perceived ownership

  • S.I. : Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Commerce
  • Published:
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Abstract

The rise of augmented reality (AR) technology presents e-retailers with new opportunities. According to previous research, it is a technology that can positively affect engagement, brand recall and purchase confidence. Mobile-enabled augmented reality differs from regular mobile phone use as the technology virtually overlays images or information to the real environment. As the use of a touch screen device (i.e. smartphone vs. laptop) has previously been found to positively affect feelings of perceived ownership, the current study examines whether the possibility to virtually manipulate a product on a mobile AR application would have an even stronger effect. This is examined for products with either material properties (i.e. products that require the examination of sensory information) or geometric properties (i.e. products that can be examined via written and/or visual information). The findings reveal that AR does indeed result in higher levels of perceived ownership, particularly in case of material products.

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  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ack6CN3EwDY.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business – Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2 (C2.12), 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Malaika Brengman, Kim Willems & Helena Van Kerrebroeck

  2. Department of Marketing and Strategy, Hasselt University, Agoralaan – Building D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium

    Kim Willems

Authors
  1. Malaika Brengman
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  2. Kim Willems
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  3. Helena Van Kerrebroeck
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Malaika Brengman.

Appendices

Appendix 1: scale items

Construct

Scale type

 

Item

Cronbach’s α/Pearson correlation

Perceived ownership (Peck and Shu 2009)

7-point Likert scale

PO1

I feel like this is my [product].

α = 0.940

PO2

I feel a very high degree of personal ownership of the [product].

PO3

I feel like I own this [product].

Product attitude (Brown 1995)

7-point Likert scale

PA1

Negative/positive

α = 0.919

PA2

Unfavourable/favourable

PA3

Bad/good

PA4

Unpleasant/pleasant

Purchase intentions (Homer 1990)

7-point Likert scale

PI1

Unlikely/likely

r = 0.934

(p < 0.001)

PI2

Not probable/probable

Appendix 2: material product

figure a

Appendix 3: geometric product

figure b

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Brengman, M., Willems, K. & Van Kerrebroeck, H. Can’t touch this: the impact of augmented reality versus touch and non-touch interfaces on perceived ownership. Virtual Reality 23, 269–280 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-018-0335-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-018-0335-6

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