How Augmented Reality App Quality Shapes Online Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Customer Attitude among Online Shoppers

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) is transitioning online purchasing by enabling consumers to interact with digital product representations and evaluate products in more immersive ways. However, how the quality of AR-driven apps shapes consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions requires further investigation, particularly in emerging markets. This study examines the nexus between service quality (SEQ), system quality (SYQ), information quality (INQ) and consumers’ behavioral intent to purchase, with customer attitude proposed as a mediating mechanism. Grounded on the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model (D&M ISSM), the research develops an integrated framework to explain consumer responses to AR-enabled online shopping. The research focuses on online consumers in Lahore, Pakistan, who are familiar with mobile applications and online shopping. A deductive, cross-sectional survey approach and purposive sampling are used to examine the proposed relationships. The framework proposes that SEQ, SYQ, and INQ impact customer attitude in a positive way, which in turn strengthens behavioral intention to purchase. Customer attitude is also examined as a mediator linking each quality dimension with purchase intention. The study advances research on AR commerce research by integrating technology-quality dimensions with an attitudinal explanation of consumer purchase intentions. Its practical implications underscore the significance of offering accurate product information, reliable application performance, and responsive customer support to improve consumer evaluations of AR shopping experiences. The research also offers a platform for future exploration across product categories and consumer markets.