An Avatar a Day Keeps the Stress Away: The Implementation of Avatars as Technostress Relievers on Online Shopping Websites

Abstract

In contrast to stationary retail, online shopping websites are characterized by the fact that no human salesperson is available to buyers as a reference and supporting function for the purchase. With increasing technological penetration and thus online shoppers facing the challenges of technologically induced stress (technostress), it becomes crucial for e-commerce operators to reduce this impersonality of online stores to avoid negative consequences of technostress. Our study proposes the means of an avatar as a technostress reliever. We empirically assess the indirect effect of technostress on purchase intention mediated by online store quality and moderated by avatar presence on the online store website. Our 2x2-factorial between-subjects experimental study reveals a negative indirect effect of technostress on purchase intention of respondents. Further, our findings show that independently of perceived online store quality the total level of the purchase intention is higher for the presence of an avatar than for the absence of an avatar.