How product try-on impacts the quality of consumer purchase decisions
(A2020-63083)

AUTHORS

Philippine Loupiac, Université Paris Dauphine - PSL; Emmanuelle Le Nagard, ESSEC Business School

KEYWORDS

Product try-on; Decision-making process; Construal Level Theory

ABSTRACT

For a long time, product try-on could only be done in brick-and-mortar stores, but this situation has recently undergone changes. Through omnichannel distribution, product try-on can now be done in different environments and in different ways. Try-at-home services, for example, (Zalando, Etam) allow consumers to order products online, try them at home and then pay only for those they wish to keep. These evolutions lead us to consider how product try-on impacts consumers’ purchase decisions and, more specifically, the quality of these decisions. In order to address this question, we set up a field experiment in a cosmetics retailer. Our results show that product try-on has a positive effect on both consumer purchase intentions and consumer confidence in their choice. Thus, product try-on appears as a key element when it comes to making the “best” purchase decision. This paper also provides recommendations for retailers.