# Touch Matters: The Impact of Physical Contact on Haptic Product Perception in Virtual Reality
### State of the Research Field and Research Hypotheses  
Of all the presentation formats that are becoming interesting for presenting online products, there are interactive images, where users are able to intuitively turn a 3D image of a product to look at it from different viewpoints [6]; pre-recorded videos, which offer a product's animation [7]; and virtual reality (VR), which can offer users experiences by interacting with the product in a more immersive setting [8] and can even improve the shopping experience [9; 10]. Several works have confirmed the interest shown in recent years in investigating VR in e-commerce and product presentation. For instance, [PERSON] et al. [11] analyzed the influence of using virtual reality, augmented reality, and \(360^{\circ}\) display technologies on the perception of different aspects of products and on the overall shopping experience, comparing them with static 2D rendered images. [PERSON] et al. [12] studied the influence of being immersed in a VR setting on users' intention to use the shopping environment again. [PERSON] et al. [13] pointed out the importance of designing suitable user interfaces and user experiences to ensure that a VR setting applied to e-commerce is efficient by contemplating five themes: screen, operation and prompts, safety and experience of use, system functions, and transactions. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [14] investigated the role that immersion, enjoyment, trust, and VR self-efficacy play in consumers' purchase intention in the virtual commerce (v-commerce) setting, and pointed out the role played by processing fluency, need for touch, propensity to trust, and gender in attitudes to these e-commerce platforms. [PERSON] et al. [15] investigated the efficiency of using different VR formats and devices in a virtual store setting by analyzing the relations that link the sense of presence, remembering a brand, and purchase intention by demonstrating the advantages of e-commerce over physical stores to generate positive consumer responses, as well as the positive impact that head-mounted displays (HMD) have on users' purchase intention. However, a recent review of 22 studies pointed out some limitations of VR in assessing user experience due to the lack of perceived realism and sensory feedback [16]. In this regard, none of the aforementioned visual presentation means offer the possibility of physically touching a real product, which limits product feedback to visual information only. This implies that the way some product properties are perceived can be affected, which could influence users' opinions. On material objects that stand out for their haptic properties, i.e., products with a high propensity to be touched during normal use (high haptic importance), some works have found that not being able to access haptic information can frustrate users [17; 18]. This can be explained by the need for touch for the product (NFT), i.e., preference for the extraction and utilization of information obtained through the haptic system [19], regardless of it involving searches for useful information (instrumental touch) or purely hedonic information (autotelic touch). Although some techniques may help simulate tangible properties in VR [20; 21; 22], they sometimes require expensive or complex tools and devices. However, by using passive haptics, i.e., the use of physical elements (proxies) capable of providing information to users through their shape [23], VR is able to bridge this gap in a simpler way. This can offer users a more complete product experience by allowing them to access information that might be relevant, such as temperature when touching materials, surface textures, or weight. Being able to touch a product sample during its presentation in physical stores, showrooms, or during the prototype evaluation stage of product design permits users to form a more correct opinion about its quality [24; 25], which could increase their trust in the product.