Enhancing consumer engagement in virtual shopping: The role of social presence in shaping switching intentions

Abstract

Virtual shopping has emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing consumers’ retail experience, yet the understanding of presence in consumer switching behavior toward this emerging shopping channel remains limited. Drawing on a conceptual framework grounded in social presence theory, this study identifies the multidimensional structure of social presence and examines how its components shape consumers’ switching intentions, while also accounting for heterogeneity in demographic characteristics and shopping preferences. The study employs a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 621 residents in Singapore. A second-order structural model is used to examine the the relationships among social presence, hedonic value, utilitarian value, perceived control, and switching intention. Moreover, a multi-group analysis is conducted to explore nuanced variations across certain demographic segments and product categories. Findings underscore the importance of social presence, hedonic value, and utilitarian value in shaping consumers’ switching behavior in virtual shopping environments. Moreover, the findings indicate that gender, product type, and product function can significantly moderate the relationship between social presence and switching intention. This study enriches the concept of social presence and consumer behavioral intention in virtual shopping. Managerially, the research offers insights for enhancing virtual shopping experiences via prioritizing social interactions.