The experiential value of augmented reality application: A study on consumers

In the globalizing world, technology is advancing rapidly. However, the demands and needs of consumers also vary. In order for businesses to adapt to this changing situation in an intensely competitive environment, they need to provide consumers with unforgettable experiences that will make consumers feel more unique and special, as well as products and services. With the concept of experience economy, traditional marketing practices have been replaced by experiential marketing strategies, where experience is seen as customer value. As a result of developments in marketing, the focus has been on value perceptions in experiences that appeal to customer emotions rather than the functional benefits of products and services. By creating a new shopping environment is with augmented reality applications, which are used as experiential marketing tools by businesses, different experiences and values are offered to customers. The aim of this study, which is about augmented reality and experiential value, is to determine the place of augmented reality applications in marketing by determining the relationships between the experiential value of augmented reality applications and customer satisfaction and approach intention. For this purpose, the effect of the hedonic value and utilitarian value perceptions on the experiential value and the effect of the ezperiential value on the satisfaction and approach intention of the participants who experienced the mobile augmented reality application were examined. In the research, a face-to-face questionnaire was applied to 464 people consisting of university students. SPSS 26 and SMART PLS 4.0 programs were used to test the research model. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that experiential shopping value, hedonic value and utilitarian value have a possitive effect on experiential satisfaction. At the same time, it was concluded that experiential shopping value and experiential satisfaction positively affect the approach intention. The results of the research are expected to contribute to the marketing literature and many brands in the industry.