Bridging the Mental Gap: The Impact of Augmented Reality Multiproduct Presentation and Recommendation Strategy on Consumer Satisfaction

Augmented reality (AR) has revolutionized digital retail by bridging the online–offline gap. However, its effectiveness in the context of multiproduct recommendation contexts remains unexplored. From the perspective of cognitive load theory, we examine how an AR product presentation format interacts with the chosen recommendation strategy (separate vs. collocated) to influence consumer satisfaction. Through two controlled laboratory experiments using non-immersive (tablet-based) and immersive (head-mounted) AR technologies, we demonstrate that the effectiveness of AR in enhancing consumer satisfaction is contingent on the selected recommendation strategy. Specifically, AR significantly reduces cognitive effort and enhances consumer satisfaction in collocated recommendation scenarios, where multiple products are presented together. However, this advantage is reduced for separate product recommendations, which challenges the assumption that AR universally enhances product presentation effectiveness. Our findings advance theoretical understanding of the boundary conditions of AR in digital retail and provide practical insights for retailers implementing AR-enhanced recommendation systems. This research contributes to both cognitive load theory and the digital retail literature by identifying the contextual factors that moderate the impact of AR on consumer cognitive processing and satisfaction.