Augmented Reality’s Influence in Shaping Consumer Participation in Value Co-creation: Exploration of Online Retail Context

In the online retail context, the integration of augmented reality (AR) has revolutionized customer experiences and interactions with brands and products. Recognizing the consumer’s inherent role in value co-creation, multiple studies assert AR’s capacity to facilitate and enhance this collaborative process. However, very few studies have explored value co-creation behavior following the use of a mobile AR application. In this sense, the present study aims to explore the influence of AR on customer value co-creation throughout the purchase and post-purchase phases. Utilizing a qualitative research approach with nineteen online consumers, a thematic content analysis on their speeches was conducted. The findings of the study reveal that the impact of AR on the value co-creation is centered on two key facets: (1) the AR application itself and (2) the content it offers. Furthermore, this influence is manifested through the lens of three essential components: (1) experience, (2) personalization, and (3) relational value.