Virtual dressing room media, buying intention and mediation

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to test the relationships between shopping enjoyment, economic motivation, apparel shopping self-confidence, perceived informativeness, perceived irritation and buying intention, using Uses and Gratification (U&G) theory, in a mediated model using virtual dressing room (VDR) media.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed mediation model is tested using the PROCESS (Version 3.0) macro for SPSS with bootstrapping.

Findings

Results indicate that shopping enjoyment, economic motivation and apparel shopping self-confidence have no direct relationship with buying intention. Additionally, no indirect relationship was found between apparel shopping self-confidence and buying intention. However, outcomes show that both perceived VDR informativeness and perceived VDR irritation mediate the relationships of shopping enjoyment and economic motivation with buying intention by different mechanisms when using VDR media. Additionally, the relationship between shopping enjoyment and buying intention is mediated via perceived VDR informativeness. Finally, economic motivation has both an indirect relationship with buying intention through perceived VDR irritation and a serial mediated relationship via perceived VDR irritation and informativeness.

Originality/value

This study is original in that it investigates the mediating effect of informativeness and irritation, from U&G theory, on buying intention during VDR media usage. Previous research suggests a direct relationship between shopping enjoyment, economic motivation, apparel shopping self-confidence, informativeness, irritation and buying intention. Results of this research suggest that online retailers should consider the different and complex mediating roles informativeness and irritation play in the relationship between consumer attributes and buying intention when adding media to a website.

Citation

Yaoyuneyong, G.S., Pollitte, W.A., Foster, J.K. and Flynn, L.R. (2018), "Virtual dressing room media, buying intention and mediation", Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 125-144. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-06-2017-0042