The effects of product presentation on consumer experiences, emotion, and website patronage intention towards an apparel website

The objectives of this study were to examine: (1) whether Pine and Gilmore’s (1999) four experience realms (4Es) are affected by website features, (2) whether the 4Es affect consumer emotional components of pleasure and arousal, and (3) whether pleasure and arousal lead to enhanced website patronage intention. For the main experiment, two stimulus websites reflecting high experiential value and low experiential value were developed. Data were collected in a laboratory setting from 196 participants. An analysis of the causal model was conducted using the maximum-likelihood estimation procedure of Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) for hypotheses testing. The results of this study indicated that website features affected the 4Es and two of the 4Es (entertainment and esthetic experiences) affected pleasure and arousal, as well as consequent website patronage intention. Entertainment and esthetic experiences appeared to have a direct and mediating effect on website patronage intention. Based on these findings, practical and theoretical implications are offered. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION The significance of study E-commerce sales continue to grow (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005a). E-commerce sales in 2005 totaled $86.3 billion and accounted for 2.3 percent of the total retail sales in the United States. Within e-commerce retail sales, apparel sales accounted for $6 billion (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005b). The growing importance of e-commerce and the maturation of Internet technology have led to a rapid development in a variety of product offerings, website designs, services, and information quality, which have increased the ease of use, usefulness, security, and playfulness of websites (Elliot & Speck, 2005; Liu & Arnett, 2000; Lohse, Bellman, & Johnson, 2000; Yang, Cai, Zhou, & Zhou, 2005). To enhance the shopping experience, differentiate between shopping sites, and further increase online sales, retailers continue to offer improved website features (Hess, 2005; Lohse et ah, 2000). Research supports the influence of online shopping environment features on consumer experiences and their resulting effects on consumer attitude towards a product or store (Fiore & Jin, 2003; Fiore, Jin, & Kim, 2005a; Fiore, Kim, & Lee, 2005b; Klein, 1998; Liu & Amett, 2000). Offering visual images of apparel products on a website, such as alternative views, image enlargement, and views of products on models, is important because product presentation of websites facilitates positive consumer responses, due to resulting hedonic or experiential value (Fiore & Jin, 2003; Fiore et ah, 2005b). Park, Lennon, and Stoel (2005) found that product presentation affects consumer mood, perceived risk, and apparel purchase intention associated with online shopping. Furthermore, Fiore, Jin, and Kim (2005a) found that product presentation on an apparel website affected experiential value and emotional pleasure and arousal, resulting in positive consumer responses towards the retail website. Based on an array of economic and social data as well as business trends, Pine and Gilmore (1999) and Postrel (2003) agree that current consumers are concerned with engaging experiences rather than just buying goods and services. Pine and Gilmore (1999) conceptualized this new focus of consumer demand as the emerging “Experience Economy” (EE). This perspective views experiences as enhancing consumer value beyond that derived from goods and services. Pine and Gilmore (1999) proposed four experience realms of EE— entertainment, educational, escapist, and esthetic. Pine and Gilmore (1999) posited that a consumer environment should include all four realms (the 4Es) to fully engage the consumer. In line with this proposed EE trend, there are studies that address the effects of online consumer experiences on consumer responses (e.g., Eiu & Amett, 2000; Mathwick, Malhotra, & Rigdon, 2001; Mousuwe, Dellaert, & Ruyter, 2004). However, these studies did not examine the relationships of all four realms of experience and consumer responses. Given the dearth of academic research regarding the influence of the 4Es on consumer responses towards online products and retailers, there is a clear need for further study. Therefore, the present study will explore: (1) whether the 4Es are affected by website features, (2) whether the 4Es affect consumer emotional components of pleasure and arousal, and (3) whether pleasure and arousal lead to enhanced website patronage intention. Hence, the present study will contribute to research on experiential aspects of consumer behavior during online shopping. To investigate the above relationships, the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework (Mehrabian & Russell, 1974) will be adapted with Pine and Gilmore’s (1999) 4E concepts. Objective of study The overall objective of the present study is to understand the relationships between website design, the 4Es, consumer emotion, choice criteria, and resulting apparel website patronage intention. Specific objectives of the present study are to: 1. Develop a conceptual framework that incorporates consumer experiences, consumer emotion, website choice criteria, and website patronage intention, using product presentation (i.e., website design) as the exogenous variable. 2. Test hypothesized links between product presentation and the 4Es. 3. Test hypothesized links between the 4Es and consumer emotion. 4. Test hypothesized links between consumer emotion and website choice criteria. 5. Test hypothesized links between website choice criteria and website patronage intention. 6. Test hypothesized links between consumer emotion and website patronage intention (See Figure 1.1 for a conceptual framework capturing these tested relationships.) Definitions of terms Emotional pleasure: the degree of affective happiness and pleasantness (Mehrabian & Russell, 1974). Emotional arousal: the degree of stimulation, excitement, and alertness (Mehrabian & Russell, 1974). Experience realms (4Es): entertainment, educational, escapist, and esthetic realms proposed by Pine and Gilmore (1999). These sub-definitions are: I nui (.'\|)friL-nco ri-iilms ( '(iiis iim cr cm olioii C'onsiiniL'i' response