Virtual product experience: The effects of interactivity and task on presence perceptions

Presence perceptions (i.e., perceptions of nonmediation in technology-mediated environments, Lombard & Ditton, 1997) have been demonstrated to influence consumers' attitudes and intentions in online shopping situations; the factors leading to presence, however, are not well understood. In business-to-consumer e-Commerce environments, factors such as task characteristics (i.e., searching versus browsing), object interactivity, and users' characteristics can influence presence perceptions. A model is presented that demonstrates how a consumer's task as well as the interactivity of virtual product representations can influence the consumer's sense of presence, and, subsequently, beliefs about the product and the web site. In order to test the theoretical model, a laboratory experiment has been designed. The expected findings will further the understanding of factors influencing presence perceptions and online buying behavior, and will thus provide prescriptive insights for the design of business-to-consumer e-Commerce systems.