Impact of digital product presentation on customer purchase behavior

Digital product presentation requires interactive ways that allow buyers to have a real-time experience of the products. This leads to the need for innovative marketing strategies (Kim, 2018). Many technologies have been introduced in the contemporary market such as augmented reality (AR), internet of things (IoT) and virtual reality (VR) as digital product presentation to the likes of the buyers (Ricci, et al., 2015). Therefore, businesses extend their technological limits to ensure that the buyers get full knowledge of the products prior to their buying.

Digital product presentation allows the consumers to have real-time experience through the digital exhibition. It is also commonly known as digital marketing, whereby businesses use different digital technologies to showcase their products and provide a digital experience of their products. Digital presentation of products may use technology to virtualize a variety of functionalities and high-quality design during trade fairs, roadshows, in-store experience, and others.

For instance, Apple Inc. allows its customers to use and experience Apple products before they purchase.

Different methods of the digital product presentation

Organizations have been emphasizing on the sophisticated technologies to attract the buyers towards their brands. Companies use different methods of digital product presentation such as demo video or product portfolio and on-demand webinar to develop unforgettable and fascinating consumer experience (Kim, 2018). With the help of these methods of digital product presentation, businesses try to engage and inspire the customers through their products and ensure more sales growth. In order to develop these methods, businesses use advanced technologies like Virtual Reality, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, and 3D hologram in exhibitions, events and trade fairs to gain attention from the masses (Bach, et al., 2017).

These advanced technologies have presented the customers with a different world altogether where they are able to integrate their perceptions or visualizations to the virtual world to shape up their product and even facilitate the potential buyers to explore how the product functions prior purchasing it. Companies such as Lenskart is using features like a 3D trial to enable the potential buyers to see how the frames would look like on their faces at 180 degrees’ angle (Lenskart, 2019). Examples of artificial intelligence (AI) have changed the perceptions of the consumers which is evident from Apple’s Siri, Google’s Deepmind and others. On the other hand, VR has offered different facets of its applications through which both companies and consumers have benefited.

For example, Volvo, the automaker has used virtual reality in their “Volvoreality campaign” to offer their potential buyers fascinating experiences of mountain driving. VR has also found its applications in Samsung Gear and Oculus (Wired, 2014).

Customer characteristics of digital presentation of products

Customers use different channels to evaluate different facets of products prior to any purchase. The characteristics with relation to online shopping depend on different services and features offered by online businesses (Kim, 2018). Customer’s acceptance of shopping online depends on aspects such as:

• personal perceived value
• consumer characteristics
• website design

Perceived value implicates the time spent to select a product, the level of information provided by the presentations and the perceived usefulness of the products (Kim, 2018). This means the personal values depend on how the product presentation impact consumer choice.

For instance, if the digital presentation is not informative about how it is different other products, the personal value will negatively impact consumer choice.

On the other hand, generalized consumer characteristics include cost comparison, a wider range of product customization such as type of flavor or quantity, ease of availability in the market, influenced by peers and family and other qualitative characteristics of the product. It is imperative that digital products focus on these customer characteristics to motivate them to purchase the product.

Lastly, with respect to product design and website design, it impacts the ease of use and perceived attitude towards the product as well as the digital presentation mode (Kim, 2018). The website being the best mode of digital presentation it is important that products are easily found and easily searchable from the advertisements. The digital presentation when attractive and informative motivates the customer to make a purchase. Therefore, the most important characteristic is customer experience from the digital presentation of products.

Relationship between the online customer and digital product presentation

Behaviors of online consumers are concentrated on exploring product reviews by other buyers. The behavior process of the online consumers is complex as it involves a wide array of factors such as product reviews, education level, quality and price of the product, impulse triggers and influence from other people (Javadi, et al., 2012).

Businesses focus on why consumers are refraining from purchasing and execute visitor monitoring tools to evaluate the buying process. This helps in developing re-engagement processes for refrained buyers. To mitigate such issues, companies have integrated strategies of digital product presentation in such a way that the consumers can virtually experience a product offering. This increases customer motivation, perception, and lifestyle affecting their buying behavior. These strategies ensure that online consumers have one – to – one real-time experience of the product.

Zara, the retail giant has introduced augmented reality in their operations to engage consumers, especially millennials and facilitate them with real-time experience of the products (Forbes, 2018). They also use designed and customized digital displays, providing a lasting brand and product experience. These include info walls with real-time data, interactive tables with product recognition, and kiosk systems that connect products and information with shopping functions and services. This improves the relationship between the strategies and the customer’s purchase behavior.

References

• Bach, B. et al., 2017. The hologram in my hand: How effective is an interactive exploration of 3D visualizations in immersive tangible augmented reality?. IEEE transactions on visualization and computer graphics, 24(1), pp. 457-467, DOI:10.1109/TVCG.2017.2745941.
• Forbes, 2018. Zara Stores Target Millennials With Augmented Reality Displays. [Online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmasandler/2018/04/16/zara-stores-targets-millennials-with-augmented-reality-displays/#39c261522315 [Accessed 30 May 2019].
• Javadi, M. et al., 2012. An analysis of factors affecting on online shopping behavior of consumers. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 4(5), pp. 81, doi: 10.2307/3150375.
• Kim, M., 2018. Digital product presentation, information processing, need for cognition and behavioral intent in digital commerce. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 1(1), pp. 1, DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.07.011. Lenskart, 2019. VIEW 3D TRY ON. [Online] Available at: https://www.lenskart.com/ditto.html [Accessed 30 May 2019].
• Ricci, A., Piunti, M., Tummolini, L. & Castelfranchi, C., 2015. The mirror world: Preparing for mixed-reality living. IEEE Pervasive Computing, 14(2), pp. 60-63, doi: 10.1109/MPRV.2015.44.
• Wired, 2014. THE INSIDE STORY OF OCULUS RIFT AND HOW VIRTUAL REALITY BECAME REALITY. [Online] Available at: https://www.wired.com/2014/05/oculus-rift-4/ [Accessed 30 May 2019]