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Mass customization is a production process that allows consumers to customize products from an array of options to suit their preferences and needs and benefit from large-scale production efficiencies. In recent years, several apparel retailers have integrated customization into their online presence. While the benefits of online apparel mass customization (OAMC) are apparent, factors that determine the usage of the process are many. Therefore, it is important to explore these factors and understand the relationships between them and the impact on the intention to use OAMC.

A review of studies published in the last decade was conducted through the Scopus, Web of Science and JSTOR databases in September 2023. Peer-reviewed research articles published in the English language were included. These studies were carried out in the United States of America, Canada, Korea and China and addressed motivations and antecedents of OAMC technology.

The data were extracted, and the findings were synthesized. The review process enabled us to examine several theories and determinants of OAMC. The latter were categorized into the following themes: “consumer personality and psychology”, “consumer perceptions”, “consumer behaviour determinants” and “process, experience and product”. The influence of consumer personality traits, psychogenic needs, characteristics and other facilitating conditions emerged through the review.

The purpose of this paper is to study the various determinants of OAMC and thereby provide valuable information to businesses in OAMC domains to improve customized processes, understand consumers' motivations and develop marketing strategies that improve overall satisfaction with OAMC.

Virtual try-on (VTO) technology with three-dimensional (3D) body scanning in a mobile application is a relatively new technique for selling custom-fit apparel. VTO involves scanning and measuring one's body and visualizing the fit of a garment on a 3D avatar. The purpose of this study is to explore consumers' experiences toward the custom-fit T-shirts and online mass customization (MC) services using the VTO technology found in online consumer reviews (OCRs).

A total of 297 OCRs were collected from the Amazon's Made for You site that uses VTO technology for the MC process. A qualitative content analysis, within a mixed method research process, was used to determine systematically the meanings within qualitative data with quantitative results. In the qualitative approach, combinations of two coding processes were employed, which were concept-driven (i.e., deductive/a priori) and data-driven (i.e., inductive/emergent) coding processes. In the quantitative approach, the prevalence of each coding in terms of its valence was calculated based on frequencies. Intercoder reliability reached 96 per cent.

In OCRs of customized apparel products and online MC services using VTO technology, consumers described expectations, perceived performance, dis/confirmation, dis/satisfaction, outcomes of dis/satisfaction and descriptive information. Those with expectations often expressed skepticism about the product and the MC process using VTO technology at the pre-consumption stage. In OCRs, they used four product dimensions and two service dimensions of perceived performance. Consumers had positive (negative) confirmation when the performance of the T-shirts and/or services worked better (worse) than their expectations. The OCRs also included dis/satisfaction with a product and/or service, its outcomes and descriptive information.

This study identified a resulting framework to identify the content in OCRs of the custom-fit T-shirts and online MC services that use VTO technology. This study extends the expectation confirmation theory by adding multiple dimensions (i.e., four product dimensions and two service dimensions) as well as more outcomes of dis/satisfaction (not limited to repurchase intentions). This study provides practical suggestions for online MC companies who are using or planning to use VTO technology on how to improve consumers' satisfaction with customized T-shirts using VTO technology.

Customization, a marketing strategy through providing personalized products, might be a new solution to motivate consumer feedbacks in electronic commerce (e-commerce) websites. Taking the dual-value of customization (emotional involvement and uniqueness expression) as the theoretical basis, this study aims to investigate the impact of customization on consumer's word-of-mouth (WOM) behaviors and contents by motivating: (1) more, (2) faster, (3) positive at first and then negative, (4) longer and (5) more helpful WOMs.

A field study was conducted with multi-sourced data: customer order data from a Chinese retailer and WOM data from Amazon.com. The two datasets were matched to filter out 463 online reviews among 6,892 customers who placed customized orders. Heckman's two-stage model, logistic regression, Ordinary least squares regression, Tobit regression, analysis of covariance and Lind–Mehlum U Test were used in the data analysis.

This study has found that (1) customization level motivates WOM behaviors including WOM posting and WOM speed, (2) an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between customization level and consumer rating and (3) customization level has a significantly positive impact on WOM helpfulness but not on WOM length.

This study advances theoretical development in the area of WOM motivators by proposing a new product-centric approach, customization, to stimulate voluntary WOMs. Empirical field research that analyzes consumer's real responses to customization is in scarcity. The dual-value of customized products is proposed as the underlying mechanism to explain the impact of customization level on consumer's WOM behaviors/contents. An interesting inverted U-shaped relationship is found between customization level and customer rating. This research provides nuanced practical guidance for websites, companies and consumers.

The purpose of the study is to reach an in-depth understanding of personalization and its components by developing a comprehensive definition of the concept in fashion. Moreover, it aims to clarify the open debate of the use of the terms personalization and customization.

The Delphi method was utilized for this study in order to collect the opinions of experts. This method is considered appropriate for reaching consensus among experts regarding a topic that is subject to debate.

The study provides a definition of personalization in fashion which is relevant in the current digital context, and it identifies the building components of the concept. By developing a definition of personalization, it also clarifies the meaning of customization in fashion and suggests a possible explanation for the use of the different terminologies among experts.

This study contributes to the personalization and customization debate by providing an expert perspective on the topics specific to the fashion industry and by offering insights into open debates that have limited its advancement. The definition represents an interesting theoretical contribution and offers avenues for further research. Moreover, it can be applied by fashion practitioners to guide the development of personalization strategies.

This study investigated the impacts of the interaction experiential customization (IEC) mode on consumers' information processing fluency and green customization intention (GCI) as well as the moderating effect of consumers' self-construal.

This study conducted an online field experiment, questionnaire study and between-subjects laboratory experiment to test the hypotheses.

It was found that IEC had a significant positive effect on consumers' GCI. Moreover, consumer retrieval processing fluency played a partial mediating role in the relationship between IEC and GCI. In addition, consumers' self-construal moderated the “IEC? Three dimensions of processing fluency” relationships.

The results emphasized the importance of IEC in influencing consumers' consumption intention in a green customization setting and have some practical implications, that is, companies have the opportunity to use appropriate digital choice architecture designs, which can enhance consumer processing fluency when promoting eco-friendly products in the customized consumption process, especially for independent consumers.

This study focused on the customization design on consumers' GCI and explained the mechanism of impact of IEC on improving consumers' processing fluency and GCI in a product customization setting based on the fluency theory. In addition, this study investigated the moderating effect of consumers' self-construal (independent vs interdependent) on their significant different information processing modes for low-carbon choices.

This paper aims to propose a conceptual model to examine the effect of an augmented reality (AR)–based product display (vs a picture-based product display) on interactivity, vividness, website quality and consumer responses. In addition, the moderating role of the need for touch (NFT) in the effect of AR on media features is identified.

Hypotheses are tested using a one-factor between-subjects design for both a student sample (Study 1, N = 120) and a nonstudent sample (Study 2, N = 272). Data are analyzed using a series of analyses of variance, multivariate analyses of covariance and structural equation modeling.

Study 1 shows that an AR-based product display generates greater website quality, interactivity and vividness than a picture-based product display. Moreover, an AR-based product display improves interactivity and vividness only for high-NFT consumers; however, no significant difference emerged for low-NFT consumers. Study 2 replicates and extends our findings by identifying the specific processes that consumers go through when evaluating a website.

The current research advances the understanding of how product presentation technologies can attract customers with different haptic orientations and provides practical implications for online retailers interested in improving their customers' e-commerce experience.

This paper aims to examine the research conducted between 1938 and 2023 on applying Gestalt principles in management research, focusing on publishing and citation trends in this field.

A systematic literature review was conducted using PRISMA criteria, forming a three-phase strategy. A total of 394 articles from the Scopus database were reviewed. Bibliometric analysis involving co-citation and co-word analysis was used to explore the intellectual structure of the research area.

Eight application clusters were identified through co-citation analysis using Gestalt as a keyword. Co-word analysis revealed key themes and keywords over the period. Substantial literature exists on topics like organization, strategy, physical servicescape, coaching, learning and human resource management. However, Gestalt principles are minimally applied to online retail, social media, website design, mobile app design and emerging areas like Industry 4.0.

The study suggests that Gestalt principles can enhance marketing, communication, decision-making and leadership, according to the study. Understanding Gestalt concepts and how different industries adapt and apply them helps enable cross-industry learning, where successful strategies from one sector can be creatively implemented in others to solve problems.

This study fills a significant gap in the literature by highlighting the underexplored application of Gestalt principles in emerging business and management sectors. It provides a comprehensive discussion on future research directions and identifies specific areas where Gestalt principles can be innovatively applied, offering fresh insights and expanding the theoretical and practical understanding of their utility in modern business contexts.

This study aims to examine the younger generations’ experiential consumption of foreign contemporary music online (i.e. digital music streaming services) by generation and gender in the US market.

The author proposes a sequential experiential consumption model by applying Jacoby’s refined stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory to better understand the experiential sequences in foreign music consumption among young generations in the US market. The proposed model, using structural equation modeling (SEM), examines a cognitive permeable role and a hierarchical affective mediating role. Also, moderating roles of generation and gender are simultaneously tested in overall and specific causal relationships.

The refined S-O-R framework is superior to a linear one in better understanding young consumers’ online experiential foreign music consumption behavior. Moreover, hierarchical sequenced affective organismic behavior is crucial to enhance young consumers’ online music consumption experiences to regulate subsequent behavioral responses. Furthermore, gender differences but no generational differences exist in the experiential consumption process among young consumers. Nevertheless, the strength of S-O-R factors affecting experiential consumption seems idiosyncratic simultaneously in gender and generation.

The study suggests foreign music streaming services boost profitability by focusing on young consumers' psychological ownership and tailored experiences, encouraging a shift from freemium to premium subscriptions. Also, the findings recommend adopting phygital experiences using technologies like AR, VR and MR to enhance engagement and create unique, emotionally resonant experiences for young consumers, thus fostering a more profitable business model.

The authors address under-researched topics relevant to young generations by applying Jacoby’s refined S-O-R framework to foreign music consumption through online streaming. This approach delves into a lesser-explored consumer behavior framework, highlighting young generations’ musical trends. The model reveals cognitive and affective roles, offering advantages over traditional linear S-O-R models. It also uniquely incorporates the moderating effects of generation and gender in music consumption studies, addressing a gap in music-related studies.

The purpose of this study is to examine the ease of use and usefulness of the application Taobao and whether involvement, self-confidence and self-expression of users are related and ultimately affect the purchase intention of Gen Z Chinese users on the site.

The theoretical basis of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was utilized. An online survey of 46 questions and 190 responses of Chinese consumers between the ages of 18 and 23 was conducted. PROCESS and a linear regression were used to analyze the results.

Through the lens of the TAM (Davis, 1989), the findings of this study determined that for participants TAM was deemed more useful when TAM was viewed than as easier to use. However, in this case perceived ease of use and usefulness did not directly relate to attitude. Instead, attitude was directly related to self-expression, confidence and involvement as the determining factors of positive attitude leading to intention. The study found that self-expression was most significant regarding attitude. To influence perceived self-expression though, ease of use and usefulness were crucial to obtain this effective characteristic.

In this study how the ease of use and usefulness of the application and involvement, self-confidence and self-expression of users are related and affect the purchase intention is examined.

The concept of ubiquitous assimilation in e-commerce, denoting the seamless integration of technologies into customer shopping experiences, has played a pivotal role in aiding e-satisfaction and, consequently, fostering patronage intention. Among these, text-based chatbots are significant innovations. In light of this, the paper aims to develop a conceptual framework and comprehend the patronage behaviour of artificial intelligence-enabled chatbot users by using chatbot usability cues and to determine whether the social presence and flow theories impact e-satisfaction, which leads to users’ patronage intention. The current research provides insights into online travel agencies (OTAs), a crucial segment within the travel and tourism sector. Given the significance of building a loyal clientele and cultivating patronage in this industry, these insights are of paramount importance for achieving sustained profitability and growth.

The research framework primarily focused on the factors that precede e-satisfaction and patronage intention among chatbot users, which include social presence, flow, perceived anthropomorphism and need for human interaction. The researchers collected the data by surveying 397 OTA chatbot users by using an online questionnaire. The data of this cross-sectional study were analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling.

Findings reveal that e-satisfaction is positively linked with patronage intention and the variables of social presence and flow impact e-satisfaction along with chatbot usability cues. There were direct and indirect relations between chatbot usability and e-satisfaction. Moreover, the personal attributes, “need for human interaction” and, “perceived anthropomorphism” were found to moderate relations between chatbot usability cues, social presence and flow.

The impact of chatbot’s usability cues/attributes on e-satisfaction, along with perceived attributes – social presence and flow in the realm of OTAs contributes to the human–chatbot interaction literature. Moreover, the interacting effects of perceived anthropomorphism and the need for human interaction are unique in the current contextual relations.