Page 25 - Volume5, Issue 3, May-August 2024

RESEARCH @ IIMV

Consumer engagement in chatbots and voicebots.
A multiple-experiment approach in online retailing
context

Kumar Rohit, Amit Shankar, Gagan Katiyar,
Ankit Mehrotra, Ebtesam Abdullah Alzeiby

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services (ABDC-A)

The significant advancements in virtual assistant (VA) technology
have fundamentally transformed customer interactions in online

retail. Using the underpinnings of Media Richness Theory (MRT), the
study investigates the nuanced impacts of VA interfaces on consumer
engagement in online retailing. Employing a between-subject
experimental design with 477 V A users, the research examines the
influence of voicebots versus chatbots, diverse product types, and
localization levels on cognitive, affective, and activation engagement
dimensions. The study’s findings suggest that voice assistants are
more effective in enhancing cognitive and affective engagement in the
case of experiential products. Furthermore, the study highlights that

localization significantly moderates the relationship between VA type
and user engagement, emphasizing the need for tailored VA interfaces
to linguistic and cultural preferences for diverse markets. These
insights underscore the importance of strategic VA selection aligned
with product characteristics and localization for optimizing user
engagement in online retail. The study offers actionable insights for
retailers to enhance customer interactions and engagement through

tailored VA strategies, potentially leading to improved conversion rates
and customer satisfaction.
Click here to read the paper.

Investigating consumers’ adoption of electric vehicles:
a perceived value-based perspective

Pankaj Vishwakarma
Marketing Intelligence and Planning (ABDC-A)

The current work aims to understand the consumers’ adoption of
electric vehicles (two-wheelers) from their value perspective by utilizing
the value-based adoption model. The study considered data from 302

potential electric two-wheeler customers and tested the hypotheses
using structural equation modelling. The outcomes showed that
perceived economic benefits, social image, enjoyable acceleration and

22 VOL.5/ ISSUE 3, MAY-AUGUST 2024