Elsevier

Journal of Business Research

The touch on of virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies on the customer experience

Under a Artistic Commons license

Open access

Highlights

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Virtual, augmented and mixed realities are reshaping client experiences.

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The terms describing the different realities are antiseptic and standardized.

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EPI Cube (Embodiment-Presence-Interactivity) assorts reality-virtuality technology.

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EPI Cube technologies create technology-enhanced customer experiences.

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Technology-enhanced experiences add value to the customer purchase journey.

Abstract

The inflow of Virtual-Reality, Augmented-Reality, and Mixed-Reality technologies is shaping a new environment where physical and virtual objects are integrated at different levels. Due to the evolution of portable and embodied devices, together with highly interactive, concrete-virtual connections, the customer feel landscape is evolving into new types of hybrid experiences. Even so, the boundaries between these new realities, technologies and experiences accept not yet been clearly established by researchers and practitioners. This newspaper aims to offer a better understanding of these concepts and integrate technological (embodiment), psychological (presence), and behavioral (interactivity) perspectives to propose a new taxonomy of technologies, namely the "EPI Cube". The cube allows academics and managers to allocate all technologies, current and potential, which might back up or empower client experiences, but tin can also produce new experiences along the customer journeying. The paper concludes with theoretical and managerial implications, besides as a hereafter research agenda.

Keywords

Virtual reality

Applied science-mediated realities

Embodiment

Presence

Interactivity

Customer feel

Carlos Flavián holds a PhD in Business Administration and is a Professor of Marketing at the Academy of Zaragoza (Spain). His research has been published in several academic journals, specialized in marketing (Periodical of Interactive Marketing, European Periodical of Marketing, Psychology & Marketing, etc.), Tourism (Tourism Management, International Periodical of Contemporary Hospitality Management, International Periodical of Hospitality Management, etc.) and new technologies (Information & Management, Cyberspace Research, Computers in Human Behavior, International Journal of Electronic Commerce, Industrial Management & Data Systems, etc.). He is the editor of the Spanish Periodical of Marketing-ESIC and Acquaintance Editor of the Services Industries Journal. Carlos Flavián is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: [email protected].

Sergio Ibáñez-Sánchez is a PhD student at the University of Zaragoza (Espana). His primary research line focuses on analyzing the impact of new technologies and social networking sites on the customer experience and behavior. The main results of his research take been published in academic journals such as Journal of Business Inquiry, Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking and Online Information Review. His enquiry has likewise been presented in national and international conferences such as the International Conference on Corporate and Marketing Communications where he received the Best Working Paper Award.

Carlos Orús holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration and is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Economics and Business Studies at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). His chief research lines are based on the touch on of the Internet and Spider web 2.0 technologies on different domains such equally consumption, urbanism and teaching. His work has been published in several journals such as Journal of Consumer Behavior, Psychology & Marketing, Computers in Homo Behavior, Computers and Education, Cities, or European Journal of Data Systems.

© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.