Abstract:

Purpose: The aim of the study is to measure the effect of avatar presence on happiness, arousal, trust, empathy and emotional appeal in virtual stores and the effect of these elements on consumer’s patronage intention. In addition, the mediating role of the feeling of happiness on the custpmer’s patronage intention of avatar presence was examined. Design/Methodology: The virtual store and avatars created by the authors were shown to the participants.. The data obtained were analyzed with the PLS structural equation model. The data collected from 214 participants with the help of convenience sampling method were tested with partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings: In the study, it was found that avatar presence was effective on happiness, arousal, trust, empathy and emotional appeal. In addition, the effects of happiness and emotional appeal on customer’s patronage intention and the mediating role of happiness on customer’s patronage intention of avatar presence were determined. Limitations: In the virtual store created by the authors, providing the store and avatar experience to the participants is an important time constraint. The fact that this experience was not carried out with virtual glasses is another limitation of the research. Originality/Value: It is thought that the digital age will bring the increase in the use of virtual stores and avatars by consumers and businesses. This makes it valuable to examine the effect of avatars in virtual stores on consumer emotions and the effect of these emotions on customer’s patronage intention. Study; It is a limited number of studies that deal with the virtual store experience, avatar presence, consumer emotions and customer’s patronage intention, and it is expected to contribute to the marketing literature on this subject.

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