Augmented Reality in Offline Retail: Integrating the Affordance and Means-End Chain Perspectives

Abstract

This paper presents an integrated approach that combines both the affordance and means-end chain (MEC) perspectives to examine the cognitive structure of offline retail consumers in relation to the material properties of Augmented Reality (AR) technology. Drawing from both perspectives, we propose that while an information technology (IT) artefact gives rise to affordances through its interactions with users’ goals, personal values play a role in the emergence of affordances as well. We present our preliminary study whereby we conducted 15 laddering interviews to investigate how consumers use AR, the benefits that consumers seek to obtain when using AR in offline retail and why they seek to pursue them. Our findings suggest that the AR affordances that emerged in relation to consumers’ goals enable consumers to achieve both utilitarian and hedonic values. Further, we identified and discussed AR-related boundaries stemming from user and AR capacity limitations. Based on our exploratory findings and proposed integrated framework, we conclude this paper with suggestions on potential future research directions.