Exploring effects of Augmented Reality to Impulsive Buying through Virtual World Brand Experience and Virtual World Brand Authenticity

Exploring effects of Augmented Reality to Impulsive Buying through Virtual World Brand Experience and Virtual World Brand Authenticity | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Exploring effects of Augmented Reality to Impulsive Buying through Virtual World Brand Experience and Virtual World Brand Authenticity Van Dat Tran, Tuan Dat Nguyen, Ngoc Oanh Tran This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7929302/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Based on a synthesis of foundational theories, research constructs, and relevant academic literature, this study develops a research model examining the relationship between augmented reality (AR)-based brand experience factors and consumers’ impulsive buying behavior in Vietnam. A mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, was employed. The qualitative phase refined and contextualized the measurement scales, forming the basis for the preliminary survey and official quantitative research. The main survey was conducted with 553 respondents who had prior experience using AR features in shopping, particularly in the fashion, cosmetics, and electronics sectors. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) indicate that AR-related attributes such as interactivity and immersion positively influence consumers’ perceptions of virtual brand authenticity and brand experience. These factors subsequently affect their urge to buy impulsively and their actual impulsive buying behavior. Furthermore, self-image congruence plays a moderating role in the relationship between emotional engagement and impulsive actions. The findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for enhancing consumer engagement through AR marketing strategies. Augmented reality (AR) user experience brand authenticity virtual world brand experience impulsive buying behavior virtual environments immersive marketing self-image congruence Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 1. Introduction Augmented reality (AR) enhances the real-world environment, providing context-sensitive information about the user's immediate surroundings by overlaying computer-generated content (e.g., avatars, 3D models, interactive features) onto their direct view through a device (e.g., Han, Jung, & Gibson, 2014 ; tom Dieck & Jung, 2017 ; Yung & Khoo-Lattimore, 2017). AR popularity has increased rapidly, garnering significant industry and academic attention over the past five years. Nowadays, AR is considered “one of the most revolutionary inventions in recent years” (He, Wu, & Li, 2018, p. 127). One reason for this popularity is an increased awareness of its unique ability to provide a mediated perception of the real-world environment by seamlessly integrating it with computer-generated content (Han et al., 2019 ). In acknowledgment of its benefits, there has been an increasing number of studies exploring the value presented by AR in the tourism sector. Such studies report AR can improve education and interpretation (Tom Dieck & Jung, 2017 ), tailor information to tourists' specific preferences (Kounavis, Kasimati, & Zamani, 2012 ), increase interactivity (Tom Dieck, Jung, & Han, 2016 ) and improve entertainment and engagement (Xu, Buhalis, & Weber, 2017). Beyond tourism and education, AR is becoming increasingly influential in transforming consumer behavior, particularly in retail and e-commerce environments. By allowing users to visualize products in their real-world context—such as trying on clothes, previewing furniture in their homes, or experimenting with makeup on their faces—AR facilitates more immersive and emotionally engaging shopping experiences (Hilken et al., 2017; Javornik, 2016). This immersive nature enables stronger brand engagement and may lead to psychological responses like increased brand authenticity and congruence with self-image—key factors that influence impulsive buying behavior (Scholz & Duffy, 2018; McLean & Wilson, 2019). With the emergence of virtual worlds and metaverse platforms, AR is increasingly being integrated into digital brand experiences, creating a hybrid consumption space that blurs the boundaries between physical and virtual interactions. In these immersive environments, consumers may perceive AR-based brand experiences as more authentic, personal, and congruent with their self-concept, which in turn may intensify their emotional engagement and impulsive purchase tendencies. While previous research has focused on AR’s technological affordances or user attitudes, there remains limited understanding of how AR influences impulsive buying behavior through psychological mechanisms such as brand experience, perceived authenticity, and self-image congruence. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the influence of augmented reality on impulsive buying behavior, with a specific focus on the mediating roles of brand experience, authenticity, and self-image congruence within virtual and immersive retail environments. The findings are expected to contribute to both academic literature and managerial practice by shedding light on how AR can be strategically employed to shape consumer behavior in increasingly immersive commerce settings. 2. Conceptual background 2.1. Augmented reality - AR AR technology has three distinctive characteristics: it combines real and virtual, is interactive and in real-time, and registers in 3D (Azuma, 1997 ). AR can add or remove physical objects from view and replace them with alternative content (Azuma, 1997 ). Thus, AR has the potential to create an augmented perception of reality, enhancing what users see in the real world or creating an entirely artificial environment that shows users what does not exist in the real world (Kipper & Rampolla, 2012 ). By seamlessly blending computer simulations in real environments, AR creates an enhanced view, supplementing the users' environment with digital content, thus facilitating integration between the physical and virtual worlds (Flavián, Ibáñez-Sánchez, & Orús, 2019 ). Based on these characteristics, AR has been widely praised for its ability to create richer, more immersive content, enhancing interaction with and perceptions of the world around us. While AR can be experienced through a range of devices, and advanced wearable devices seamlessly integrate digital content into the real world, the smartphone remains the most common AR device due to its high proliferation and accessibility (Wang et al., 2016). The recent success and understanding of AR can be linked to the wider use of smartphones and the development of various applications (Han et al., 2019 ; Jung & Tom Dieck, 2017 ). 2.2. User experience User experience (UX) is a holistic, subjective, and evolving concept that encompasses a user's emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses during interaction with a product or system (McCarthy & Wright, 2004 ; Law et al., 2009 ). Alben (1996) defines UX as “all the aspects of how people use an interactive product,” emphasizing not only usability but also emotional resonance, purposefulness, and contextual fit. Hassenzahl and Tractinsky (2006) argue that UX is shaped by three dimensions: the user’s internal state (e.g., expectations, mood), the product’s attributes, and the usage context. These product attributes can be categorized into three qualities: Pragmatic Quality (PQ): The degree to which a product helps users accomplish goals effectively and efficiently (Hassenzahl, 2001). Hedonic Quality (HQ): The emotional stimulation, novelty, and self-expression users derive from the product (Thüring & Mahlke, 2007). Aesthetic Quality (AQ): The visual and sensory appeal that shapes users’ first impressions and trust (Tractinsky et al., 2000). In augmented reality (AR) environments, UX becomes more immersive, incorporating spatial presence and interactive engagement (Billinghurst et al., 2015). AR enhances user involvement, emotional arousal, and perceived realism—factors that positively influence brand attachment and impulsive buying (Hilken et al., 2017; Rauschnabel et al., 2019). Scholz and Duffy (2018) further highlight AR’s role in amplifying experiential authenticity and consumer-brand connection. 2.3. Virtual world brand experience Brand experience is defined as the sensations, feelings, cognitions, and behavioral responses evoked by brand-related stimuli such as design, packaging, and brand environments (Brakus et al., 2009 ). Brand experiences encompass a broad spectrum of consumer behaviors, including searching for information, shopping, consuming products, and evaluating them during various stages of interaction (Brakus et al., 2009 ). Virtual 3D environments have emerged as new marketing channels, offering highly interactive brand experiences similar to direct product interactions (Li et al., 2001). Consumer engagement with brands and products in the virtual world has been shown to enhance consumers’ product knowledge, attitudes, and purchase intentions (Li et al., 2002; Suh and Lee, 2005; Suh and Chang, 2006 ). 2.4. Virtual world brand authenticity - Oanh edited Brand authenticity refers to the extent to which consumers perceive a brand as being true to itself, genuine, and consistent with its stated values and promises. Authentic brands are seen as sincere, honest, and rooted in a clear set of beliefs or origins. This perception of authenticity plays an essential role in building trust, emotional attachment, and long-term loyalty, especially in highly competitive online environments (Napoli et al., 2014; Beverland, 2006). Virtual 3D brand authenticity extends this concept to virtual environments, referring to consumers’ perception of the genuineness and credibility of brand experiences created within 3D virtual platforms. Authentic virtual brand experiences are critical for fostering strong consumer–brand relationships, as they enhance cognitive beliefs, emotional engagement, and brand commitment (Lee, Jung, & Chan-Olmsted, 2021). 2.5. Impulsive buying urge Impulsive buying, in a simplistic definition, is unplanned purchases (Stern, 1962). However, according to much later research, it is a more complicated hedonic process combined with spontaneity, lack of pre-planning, limited deliberation, and emotional influence (Rook & Gardner, 1993 ; Beatty & Ferrell, 1998; Block and Morwitz, 1999 ). This immediate behavior is primarily motivated by an impulse buying urge, characterized by a spontaneous, compelling, and persistent desire to make a purchase (Rook, 1987). As a key psychological concept in consumer behavior, impulsive buying urge is defined precisely by many researchers with numerous characteristics such as suddenness and intensity (Rook & Fisher, 1995 ), persistence and powerfulness (Beatty & Ferrell, 1998), irresistibility and heightened emotion (Harmancioglu et al., 2009 ) 2.6. Impulsive buying behavior While the impulsive buying urge is the internal, psychological trigger, the impulsive buying behavior is the actual act of purchasing without prior planning and with minimal thought. Many researchers proved that it is a spontaneous and immediate purchasing decision made in the absence of any prior intention to acquire a product from that category or to accomplish a predefined shopping objective (Beatty & Ferrell, 1998), or is viewed as a consequence of emotional arousal - internal and external triggers (Xiao & Nicholson, 2013). Rook & Fisher ( 1995 ) highlighted impulsive buying behavior as action-oriented, similar to the way Piron (1991) distinguished impulse as emotion and behavior as action. 2.7. Self-image congruence The concept of self-image congruence, initially proposed by Sirgy (1982), suggests that consumers are more likely to prefer brands, products, or services that align with their self-concept. This self-concept is multidimensional, including the actual self (how individuals see themselves), ideal self (how they wish to be), social self (how they believe others perceive them), and ideal social self (how they want to be perceived by others). When a brand image resonates with any of these self-dimensions, it can lead to a stronger emotional connection and influence behavior. Sirgy et al. ( 1997 ) expanded this into Self-Congruity Theory, which posits that the match between self-image and brand-user imagery results in greater satisfaction, brand attachment, and loyalty. In contexts like AR shopping or virtual worlds, consumers may construct or project aspirational identities through avatars and virtual representations. This heightened self-expression potential makes self-image congruence even more salient in AR environments (Scholz & Smith, 2016). Recent studies in immersive commerce highlight that virtual try-ons or AR filters enhance the perceived congruence between the brand and user identity, which may stimulate impulse purchases, especially when users experience emotional arousal (Rauschnabel et al., 2019; Hilken et al., 2017). Moreover, Choi and Kim (2022) suggest that in virtual spaces, the alignment between brand personality and digital self-representation significantly influences purchase intention. 3. Hypothesis development Augmented Reality (AR) and user experience are critical in shaping consumer perceptions within virtual environments. AR is expected to enhance the Virtual World Brand Experience (H1) and reinforce Virtual World Brand Authenticity (H2). Likewise, a positive User Experience is proposed to influence both brand experience (H3) and brand authenticity (H4). A strong brand experience in virtual settings is hypothesized to strengthen brand authenticity (H5) and directly trigger Impulsive Buying Urge (H6) and Impulsive Buying Behavior (H7). In addition, perceived authenticity is expected to influence both the urge (H8) and the behavior (H9) related to impulsive purchases. The Impulsive Buying Urge is assumed to directly drive Impulsive Buying Behavior (H10), consistent with prior models of consumer impulsivity in immersive contexts. Finally, Self-Image Congruence is hypothesized to moderate two relationships: it may strengthen the effect of virtual brand experience on the urge to buy impulsively (H11a), and enhance the influence of brand experience on brand authenticity (H11b). Augmented Reality (AR) enhances the consumer's brand experience by immersing users in interactive, sensory-rich environments that simulate real-world engagement. The AR affordances of interactivity, vividness, and presence have been shown to intensify emotional responses and involvement with brands (Hilken et al., 2017). By enabling users to visualize, manipulate, and personalize virtual brand-related content, AR elevates brand experience dimensions—namely, sensory, affective, behavioral, and intellectual experiences (Brakus et al., 2009 ). Scholz and Duffy (2018) emphasize that AR-mediated brand experiences increase telepresence and psychological ownership, both of which are associated with greater brand involvement and authenticity perceptions. When users perceive they are "present" in a brand-related virtual world and can interact freely with products or brand spaces, they are more likely to attribute authenticity to the brand. Further, Javornik (2016) found that AR triggers a "wow effect" that transforms passive brand exposure into active brand co-creation, reinforcing credibility and trust. Poushneh and Vasquez-Parraga ( 2017 ) concluded that AR experiences enhance perceived realism and credibility, fostering stronger brand authenticity judgments. In the context of virtual environments, Yim et al. (2017) demonstrated that AR enhances the "situatedness" of the brand experience, where users feel the product is part of their real context, thereby boosting both experiential value and authenticity. H1: Augmented reality positively effects the virtual world brand experience Moreover, AR contributes significantly to perceptions of brand authenticity in virtual settings. By allowing consumers to interact with digital representations of products in realistic contexts, AR fosters trust and credibility, essential components of perceived brand authenticity. Studies show that these immersive and personalized experiences lead to a stronger appreciation of the brand's value proposition and support the formation of long-term brand relationships (Kim & Forsythe, 2008; Poushneh & Vasquez-Parraga, 2017 ; Zeng, Xing, & Jin, 2023). Therefore, it is proposed that: H2: Augmented reality positively effects virtual world brand authenticity A growing body of research supports the hypothesis that user experience positively affects virtual world brand experience. Gomez et al. (2022) emphasize that immersive features of virtual reality, such as vividness, interactivity, and presence, enhance users’ emotional engagement and positive brand responses, directly linking UX elements to improved brand experience. Similarly, Yim, Chu, and Sauer (2017) found that higher interactivity and vividness in augmented reality environments significantly boost consumers' perceptions of brand value and satisfaction. Jin ( 2011 ) further highlights that avatar-based interactions in virtual spaces increase self-presence and personal relevance, deepening engagement with brand narratives. Collectively, these findings indicate that a well-designed UX in virtual environments fosters emotional connection, trust, and loyalty—core components of a strong virtual brand experience. H3: User experience positively effects virtual world brand experience. Rich, interactive, and immersive user experiences in AR-supported virtual environments increase consumer trust, emotional connection, and engagement, all of which are key components of brand authenticity. By enabling direct interaction with products and brand elements, AR reduces uncertainty and increases user involvement. Research indicates that these experiences simulate real-world interactions, fostering emotional involvement and a stronger sense of authenticity. When users are deeply engaged, they process brand information more thoroughly and perceive the brand as more genuine (Dağ et al., 2023 ). Moreover, perceived authenticity strengthens the impact of immersive AR experiences. Engeset and Elvekrok ( 2015 ) found that authenticity mediates the relationship between experiential quality and overall satisfaction. In tourism, for example, AR can vividly recreate historical scenes, allowing users to feel as though they are reliving the past, demonstrating how immersion supports a stronger sense of authenticity (Park et al., 2006 ). H4: User experience positively effects virtual world brand authenticity Virtual brand experience in immersive environments like AR enhances consumers’ perceptions of brand authenticity. Through online virtual experiences with products, consumers can engage with products and brands, increasing their understanding and emotional connection. This enriched engagement helps consumers perceive the brand as more genuine and trustworthy. Research shows that such virtual interactions improve product knowledge and shape positive brand perceptions and attitudes, which are key components of brand authenticity (Li et al., 2001; Li et al., 2002; Suh & Lee, 2005). H5: Virtual world brand experience positively effects virtual world brand authenticity. Virtual brand experiences in immersive environments, such as those enabled by augmented reality (AR), can significantly increase consumers’ impulsive buying tendencies. As an important marketing tool, AR-powered virtual environments allow consumers to try products, make decisions, and engage in immersive experiences that enhance product knowledge and brand perception. Research shows that such interactions can boost users’ confidence and intentions to purchase (Li et al., 2001; Li et al., 2002; Suh & Lee, 2005). These experiences also strengthen emotional connections with brands, which can increase impulsive buying urges. The combination of visual appeal, interactivity, and instant feedback often triggers spontaneous purchases, supporting theories on the impact of immersive environments on impulsive behavior (Verhagen & van Dolen, 2011; Rook, 1987). H6: Virtual world brand experience positively effects impulsive buying urges. Brakus et al. ( 2009 ) indicate that the concept of virtual world brand experience encompasses the totality of consumers’ interactions with a brand in an immersive, digital 3D world. High interactivity and sensory engagement can significantly impact how consumers connect with brands. In the case of AR, the integration of digital elements into the real world enhances consumer engagement by providing dynamic, interactive, and contextually relevant brand experiences. Research suggests that such rich, interactive experiences increase emotional arousal, heightening the likelihood of impulsive decision-making (Rook, 1987; Verhagen & van Dolen, 2011). In the virtual world, it is hypothesized that where brand interactions are immediate and engaging, consumers are more likely to act on spontaneous urges rather than deliberate choices, enhancing the likelihood of impulsive buying behavior. H7: Virtual world brand experience positively effects impulsive buying behavior. When brands present themselves authentically in virtual environments, they foster a sense of trust and credibility among consumers. This trust encourages quicker decision-making processes, allowing consumers to feel more confident in their choices, boosting the psychological trigger to buy something impulsively (Gao et al., 2025). Although not much study definitively states the positive relationship between virtual brand authenticity and impulsive buying in the virtual environment, there is research strongly suggesting that consumers are more likely to experience heightened emotional engagement with brands perceived as authentic, boosted by virtual world characteristics like immersion, telepresence, and emotional engagement, leading to increased impulsive buying urges (Cade et al., 2024; Hsu et al., 2024). H8: Virtual world brand authenticity positively effects the impulsive buying urge Moreover, according to some research, authentic brand experiences evoke positive emotions and a sense of connection, leading to increased enjoyment and satisfaction, which are key motivators for impulsive purchases (Cade et al., 2024; Gao et al., 2025). Following that, as brands cultivate authenticity in their virtual marketing efforts, they can successfully stimulate impulsive buying behavior, resulting in higher sales and improved consumer loyalty (Gao et al., 2025). Thus, it is hypothesized that: H9: Virtual world brand authenticity positively effects Impulsive buying behavior 3.6. Impulsive Buying Urge positively influences impulsive buying behavior Research has shown that emotional arousal significantly impacts impulsive buying. Studies indicate that positive emotions can lead to stronger impulsive buying urges, which in turn increase the likelihood of making spontaneous purchases (Verplanken & Herabadi, 2001). In the context of marketing techniques, such as scarcity, can enhance the impulsive buying urge, leading to higher rates of impulsive buying behavior (Cialdini, 2009). Moreover, Rook (1987) also indicated that when consumers feel a strong urge to buy, they often bypass rational decision-making processes, resulting in impulsive purchases. Empirical studies in retail environments have demonstrated that shoppers who report a higher level of impulsive buying urge are more likely to make unplanned purchases during shopping trips (Beatty & Ferrell, 1998). Thus, it is hypothesized that: H10: Impulsive buying urge positively effects impulsive buying behavior The moderating of Self-image congruence When consumers perceive a strong alignment between their self-image and the image portrayed by a brand in a virtual world, the impact of the brand experience on their impulsive buying urge is amplified (Liu & Liu, 2020; Gabisch, 2011). This is because self-image congruence fosters a sense of identification and emotional connection with the brand, making the virtual experience more personally relevant and engaging. Gabisch (2011) also illuminated that virtual world brand experience impacts real-world purchasing intentions and behavior, moderated by self-image congruence and perceived diagnosticity. This suggests that self-image congruence acts as a filter, enhancing the influence of positive brand experiences on impulsive buying tendencies when the brand aligns with the consumer's self-concept. Last but not least, AlQahtani (2025) has given an example that if a consumer views themselves as adventurous and sees a brand projecting a similar image through its virtual world activities, they are more likely to develop a strong urge to buy impulsively. Conversely, if there is a mismatch between the consumer's self-image and the brand's image, the virtual world brand experience may have a weaker effect on their impulsive buying urge. Thus, it is hypothesized that: H11a: Self-image congruence moderates the relationship between virtual brand experience and impulsive buying urge H11b: Self-image congruence moderates the relationship between virtual brand experience and brand authenticity The research framework This study proposes a research framework to examine how augmented reality influences consumer behavior in virtual environments, focusing on impulsive buying. Augmented reality is considered the main stimulus, affecting user experience, virtual world brand experience, and brand authenticity. These factors, in turn, shape consumers' impulsive buying urge and behavior. The model suggests that AR enhances user experience, which subsequently impacts brand experience and authenticity. Both virtual brand experience and authenticity are expected to influence the impulsive buying urge and behavior directly. Additionally, the framework includes self-image congruence as a moderating variable that strengthens the relationship between brand experience and both impulsive buying urge and behavior. This integrated model provides a comprehensive view of how immersive technology can shape consumer responses in virtual settings (Fig. 1). 4. Methods 4.1. Sample A total of 553 valid responses were collected for this study. Among them, 64.6% were female and 35.4% were male. Most participants were aged between 23 and 30 (49.4%), followed by 16–22 (31.5%), 31–40 (16.6%), and above 40 (2.5%). Respondents were distributed across various regions: Ho Chi Minh City (29.5%), Hanoi (21.3%), Can Tho (21%), Da Nang (18.3%), and Hue (9.9%). In terms of occupation, 31.1% were officers, 23.9% worked in business, 15.4% in industry, 15.2% were students, and 14.5% identified as other. Regarding education level, 44.5% held an undergraduate degree, 22.6% completed high school, 22.1% had a college diploma, and 10.8% had postgraduate degrees. For income, 37.4% earned between 7 and 15 million VND per month. Lastly, 61.7% of respondents used AR applications 2–4 hours per day, 21.5% less than 2 hours, and 16.8% more than 4 hours. 4.2. Measurement Scales The measurement scales used in this study were adapted from established research to ensure content validity and contextual relevance. All constructs were measured using multi-item scales on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The construct of augmented reality was measured based on interactivity and immersion attributes, adapted from Fiore et al. ( 2005 ) and Poushneh & Vasquez-Parraga ( 2017 ). User experience items were drawn from previous studies on virtual interaction quality (e.g., Li et al., 2001). Virtual World Brand Experience and Virtual World Brand Authenticity were measured using scales adapted from Brakus et al. ( 2009 ) and Napoli et al. (2014), respectively. Impulsive Buying Urge and impulsive buying behavior were measured using items based on Rook (1987) and Beatty & Ferrell (1998). Self-Image Congruence was measured using a three-item scale adapted from Sirgy et al. ( 2000 ). All scale items were initially translated and then back-translated to ensure semantic accuracy in the Vietnamese context. 4.3. Data Collection Process Data for the main study were collected through an online survey distributed via social media platforms, email, and messaging apps. A convenience sampling technique was used, targeting individuals who were frequent users of augmented reality features in mobile shopping or virtual brand environments. The survey link was shared across user communities with interests in the fashion, cosmetics, and electronics industries, where AR is commonly applied. Participants were informed about the research purpose and assured of anonymity and data confidentiality. Screening questions ensured that only respondents with prior experience using AR applications proceeded to the main questionnaire. The survey remained active for four weeks, allowing sufficient time to reach a diverse group of participants across key cities in Vietnam. 5. Research Results 5.1. Demographic statistics After cleaning the data process, there are 553 valid responses, resulting in Table 1 with the recap of respondents’ demographic characteristics regarding gender, age, location, career, education, income, and frequency of experiencing AR in shopping. The data sample is mainly female, contributing 64.6%, whereas males contributed 35.4 of % responses. The respondents lived in 5 key cities, of which Ho Chi Minh was the most significant (29.5%). They were mostly officers (31.1%) and had business (23.9%), with the age range highly focused on 16–30 years old (80.9%). In terms of income, most of the respondents earned from 7 to under 25 million VND per month (67.1%). Significantly, almost half of the participants graduated with bachelor's degrees (44.5%). Last but not least, more than half of them revealed that they engaged in AR 2–4 hours per day. Table 1 Characteristics of respondents Criteria Respondents Rate Gender 553 100% Male 196 35.4% Female 357 64.6% Age 553 100% 16–22 174 31.5% 23–30 273 49.4% 31–40 92 16.6% > 40 14 2.5% Location 553 100% HCM 163 29.5% HN 118 21.3% Hue 55 9.9% Da Nang 101 18.3% Can Tho 116 21% Job 553 100% Student 84 15.2% Officer 172 31.1% Industry 85 15.4% Business 132 23.9% Other 80 14.5% Academic level 553 100% High school 125 22.6% College 122 22.1% Undergraduate 246 44.5% Postgraduate 60 10.8% Income 553 100% < 7M 69 12.5% 7 - <15M 207 37.4% 15 - = 25M 113 20.4% Frequency 553 100% 4hrs 93 16.8% 5.2. Measurement model assessment We applied the PLS-SEM algorithm in SmartPLS 4 to evaluate the measurement model. As recommended by Hair et al. (2017), for reflective measurement models, the outer loadings should be at least 0.7 to be considered acceptable. If any item's outer loading falls below 0.4, it should be removed from the model. Based on the results shown in Table 2 , all items have outer loadings exceeding 0.7, indicating that all observed variables are valid and retained in the model. In terms of reliability and validity, all constructs met the established benchmarks: Cronbach’s alpha values were ≥ 0.7 (DeVellis, 2012), composite reliability exceeded 0.7 (Hair et al., 2013), and the average variance extracted (AVE) was ≥ 0.5 (Hock & Ringle, 2010). These results confirm that the measurement model is reliable and that the constructs exhibit adequate convergent validity. Furthermore, Henseler et al. (2015) recommend using the heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT) to evaluate discriminant validity, with the acceptable threshold being 0.90 or lower. As shown in Table 3 , all HTMT values fall within this limit, confirming that discriminant validity has been achieved. Table 2 Construct reliability and convergent validity results. Likert scale constructs Loadings Cronbach's alpha CR AVE AR 0.846 0.907 0.764 AR1 0.898 AR2 0.871 AR3 0.852 IBB 0.817 0.891 0.732 IBB1 0.859 IBB2 0.854 IBB3 0.853 IBU 0.854 0.911 0.773 IBU1 0.893 IBU2 0.876 IBU3 0.869 SIC 0.834 0.897 0.745 SIC1 0.912 SIC2 0.873 SIC3 0.800 UE 0.944 0.964 0.899 UE1 0.950 UE2 0.945 UE3 0.949 VBA 0.808 0.887 0.723 VBA1 0.851 VBA2 0.855 VBA3 0.844 VBE 0.895 0.927 0.761 VBE1 0.886 VBE2 0.894 VBE3 0.866 VBE4 0.842 Table 3 The results of the HTMT ratio of correlations AR IBB IBU SIC UE VBA VBE AR IBB 0.519 IBU 0.338 0.630 SIC 0.315 0.744 0.657 UE 0.110 0.537 0.300 0.381 VBA 0.333 0.681 0.359 0.365 0.334 VBE 0.323 0.670 0.636 0.843 0.464 0.330 5.3. Structural model assessment The structural model was evaluated using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach, with bootstrapping performed on 5,000 subsamples to ensure the robustness of estimates. Regarding collinearity diagnostics, the majority of the variance inflation factor (VIF) values fall below the recommended threshold of 3, indicating no critical multicollinearity concerns, in accordance with the guidelines proposed by Hair et al. (2019). Although slightly elevated, the VIF values for indicators UE1, UE2, and UE3 range between 4.4 and 4.7, which are still within the provisionally acceptable limit of 5, suggesting that collinearity does not significantly distort the model’s estimates. The explanatory power of the model is reflected in the R-squared values of the endogenous constructs. Specifically, the combined effects of augmented reality (AR) and user experience account for 24.1% of the variance in virtual world brand experience. When AR, user experience, and virtual world brand experience are considered together, they explain 15.9% of the variance in virtual world brand authenticity. Furthermore, virtual world brand experience and brand authenticity collectively explain 41.2% of the variance in impulsive buying urge. Finally, these variables, along with impulsive buying urge, account for 58.0% of the variance in impulsive buying behavior. These results indicate a moderate to substantial explanatory capacity of the model, supporting its structural validity in the context of consumer behavior in augmented reality environments. Regarding path analysis, Table 4 presents the path coefficients and corresponding p-values for each hypothesis. All hypotheses were supported, as all p-values were below the 0.05 threshold, indicating statistically significant relationships. Specifically, Hypotheses 1 and 2 were confirmed, with AR and user experience having a positive effect on virtual world brand experience (O AR = 0.247, p-value = 0; O UE = 0.401, p-value = 0). Hypotheses 2, 4 and 5 were also supported, showing that AR, user experience, and virtual world brand experience positively influence virtual world brand authenticity (O AR = 0.217, p-value = 0; O UE = 0.218, p-value = 0; OVBE 0.125, p-value = 0). Likewise, Hypotheses 6 and 8 were validated, as impulsive buying urge was significantly affected by both virtual world brand experience (O VBE = 0.158, p-value = 0) and virtual world brand authenticity (O VBA = 0.132, p-value = 0). Lastly, Hypotheses 7, 9, and 10 were supported, with virtual world brand experience, virtual world brand authenticity, and impulsive buying urge each exerting a positive influence on impulsive buying behavior (O VBE = 0.094, p-value = 0; O VBA = 0.376, p-value = 0; O IBU = 0.125, p-value = 0) Table 4 Results of the hypotheses test Hypothesis Original sample (O) P values Results H1: AR = > VBE 0.247 0.000 Supported H2: AR = > VBA 0.217 0.000 Supported H3: UE = > VBE 0.401 0.000 Supported H4: UE = > VBA 0.218 0.000 Supported H5: VBE = > VBA 0.125 0.005 Supported H6: VBE = > IBU 0.158 0.007 Supported H7: VBE = > IBB 0.094 0.046 Supported H8: VBA = > IBU 0.132 0.000 Supported H9: VBA = > IBB 0.376 0.000 Supported H10: IBU = > IBB 0.125 0.001 Supported H11b: SIC x VBE = > IBB 0.060 0.045 Supported H11a: SIC x VBE = > IBU 0.151 0.000 Supported 5.4. Mediating Effects To gain deeper insights into the mediating roles of virtual world brand experience, virtual world brand authenticity, and impulsive buying urge within the research model, an additional analysis was conducted using the PLS bootstrapping approach with 5,000 subsamples. As presented in Table 5 , AR demonstrated significant positive indirect effects on virtual world brand authenticity (O VBA = 0.031, p-value = 0), impulsive buying behavior (O IBB = 0.125, p-value = 0), and impulsive buying urge (O IBU = 0.072, p-value = 0). Similarly, user experience exhibited significant positive indirect effects on impulsive buying urge (O IBU = 0.099, p-value = 0) and impulsive buying behavior (O IBB = 0.151, p-value = 0). These results highlight the important mediating roles of virtual world brand experience and virtual world brand authenticity in the model. Additionally, virtual world brand experience itself had significant indirect effects on both impulsive buying behavior (O IBB = 0.069, p-value = 0) and impulsive buying urge (O IBU = 0.016, p-value = 0). Virtual world brand authenticity also indirectly influenced impulsive buying behavior in a positive way (O IBB = 0.016, p-value = 0). These findings further support the mediating roles of virtual world brand authenticity and impulsive buying urge in the proposed framework. Table 5 Mediating Effects Path Direct effect Indirect effect Total effect AR = > VBE 0,247*** 0,247*** VBE = > IBU 0,158* 0,016* 0,174* VBE = > IBB 0,094* 0,069*** 0,163*** AR = > VBA 0,217*** 0,031* 0,248*** VBA = > IBU 0,132*** 0,132*** VBA = > IBB 0,376*** 0,016* 0,392*** UE = > VBE 0,401*** 0,401*** UE = > VBA 0,218*** 0,05* 0,268*** IBU = > IBB 0,125*** 0,125*** VBE = > VBA 0,125* 0,125* AR = > IBB 0,125*** 0,125*** AR = > IBU 0,072*** 0,072*** UE = > IBB 0,151*** 0,151*** UE = > IBU 0,099*** 0,099*** Note: *p < 0.05; ***p < 0.001. 5.5. Moderation Effects This study examines the moderating role of self-image congruence in the context of virtual environments, specifically investigating how it influences the relationships between virtual world brand experience and impulsive buying urge (H11a) and between virtual world brand authenticity and impulsive buying urge (H11b). The empirical findings demonstrate that both moderating effects are statistically significant, with p-values of 0.000 for H11a and 0.045 for H11b—both below the conventional 0.05 threshold. Additionally, the original sample values for H11a (0.151) and H11b (0.060) are positive, confirming that self-image congruence enhances the strength of these relationships. In essence, when consumers perceive a strong alignment between their self-concept and the brand's virtual representation, the emotional impact of brand experience and authenticity becomes more pronounced, subsequently leading to a heightened impulsive buying urge. The incorporation of self-image congruence as a moderating variable represents a key theoretical advancement within the consumer behavior literature, particularly in the domain of augmented reality and virtual branding. This study contributes a novel perspective to the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework by embedding identity-based mechanisms into the model, thereby acknowledging the pivotal role of psychological congruence in shaping emotional and behavioral responses in immersive digital environments. While previous studies have largely emphasized technological interactivity or user engagement as direct predictors of consumer behavior, the present model moves a step further by demonstrating how internalized self-identity can condition the effectiveness of virtual brand stimuli. This finding underscores the importance of designing AR experiences that not only engage users functionally but also resonate with their self-concept, ultimately fostering deeper emotional attachment and stronger behavioral intentions. It offers a comprehensive theoretical lens for understanding the psychological underpinnings of impulse-driven purchasing in digitally mediated, identity-relevant contexts. 6. Discussion This study offers new insights into how Augmented Reality (AR) functions within immersive commerce environments by revealing the psychological and experiential mechanisms that drive impulsive purchasing behavior. Departing from earlier research that emphasizes AR’s utility in enhancing interactivity or product visualization, this study positions AR as a strategic enabler of virtual brand experience (H1) and virtual brand authenticity (H2). These findings show that AR contributes not only to user engagement but also to the construction of immersive and emotionally meaningful brand narratives in virtual settings. Additionally, the results highlight the critical role of user experience in shaping both brand experience (H3) and brand authenticity (H4). This supports and extends earlier work by Brakus et al. ( 2009 ) and Poushneh & Vasquez-Parraga ( 2017 ), who emphasized the importance of sensory and affective responses in brand engagement. High-quality AR interactions—marked by enjoyment, ease of use, and relevance—lead to deeper emotional engagement and a stronger sense of trust. These dynamics further contribute to the development of authentic virtual brand experiences (H5), which in turn significantly influence impulsive buying urges (H6) and behaviors (H7, H9). These results complement findings by Verhagen and van Dolen (2011), who argue that immersive environments can intensify emotional triggers that drive impulsive buying. Notably, virtual brand experience also has a direct effect on impulsive buying behavior, underscoring the power of immersive, memorable interactions to trigger spontaneous purchasing without requiring intermediary emotional cues. Another key contribution of this study is the introduction of self-image congruence (H11a and H11b) as a moderating factor. While identity alignment has been examined in conventional marketing contexts (Sirgy et al., 2000 ), its application in AR-driven commerce remains underexplored. When users perceive that a virtual brand reflects their own identity, they are more likely to form emotional connections and make impulse-driven decisions. This identity alignment offers a valuable lens to explore how immersive technologies influence consumer behavior. Overall, the findings suggest that AR-driven brand interactions are not only technologically immersive but also psychologically rich. This positions AR as a powerful medium for creating identity-relevant, emotionally resonant brand experiences that shape real-time consumer behavior within virtual shopping spaces. 7. Conclusion 7.1. Theory and managerial management This study advances theoretical knowledge on augmented reality (AR) by introducing and empirically validating two new pathways (H1, H2) that demonstrate how AR directly enhances virtual brand experience and perceived brand authenticity. These relationships contribute novel insights to the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework by positioning AR not merely as a technological feature but as a psychological stimulus that directly shapes how consumers emotionally and cognitively relate to virtual brands. In particular, H1 and H2 uncover the unique and previously underexplored roles of AR in influencing brand perceptions in virtual spaces. These direct links reinforce the transformative nature of AR as a key enabler of experiential branding in immersive environments. Moreover, the study identifies self-image congruence as a moderating variable (H11a, H11b)—a critical theoretical extension. By incorporating identity alignment as a moderating factor between brand experience/authenticity and impulsive buying urge, the model acknowledges the psychological mechanisms that link virtual experiences to behavioral responses. This provides deeper understanding of how personal identity influences decision-making in AR-enhanced contexts, thus enriching current theories of self-congruity and immersive commerce. From a managerial standpoint, these findings emphasize the strategic necessity of designing AR features not just for interactivity and immersion, but for authenticity and identity resonance. Brands should craft AR applications that deliver emotionally engaging and personally relevant virtual brand experiences, as these factors now prove instrumental in triggering both impulsive buying urge and behavior. In particular, marketers should consider personalization strategies that enhance self-image congruence, such as allowing users to customize virtual products or see themselves reflected in brand narratives. These tactics can elevate both emotional connection and purchase conversion in AR-driven shopping environments, offering a significant edge in the competitive digital landscape. 7.2. Limitations and Future Research The findings of this study are subject to several limitations, which offer directions for future research. First, the sample was geographically limited to five cities in Vietnam - two in the South, two in Central, and only one in the North. This uneven distribution may introduce regional and cultural biases, potentially limiting the generalizability of the results to broader contexts. To improve external validity, future research should aim to include a more diverse and geographically representative sample from various parts of Vietnam. Such an approach would yield a more comprehensive understanding of how impulsive buying behavior is perceived and expressed across different regions. Second, although the study examines both impulsive buying urge and behavior, it relies solely on self-reported data without the inclusion of actual behavioral evidence. The absence of objective data such as transaction records, clickstream paths, or time spent engaging with AR features limits the ecological validity of the model. Future research could benefit from incorporating such behavioral metrics to provide more robust support for the real-world impact of augmented reality on consumer behavior. Moreover, this research opens new possibilities for examining post-purchase outcomes related to AR-induced impulsive buying. Future studies may investigate how such purchases are evaluated over time in terms of customer satisfaction, regret, or brand loyalty, offering deeper insights into the long-term implications of AR-driven shopping experiences for marketers and brand strategists. Declarations Acknowledgements Many thanks to all the participants, the main investigators and the research team. Funding This research did not receive any specifc grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-proft sectors. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Availability of data and materials Data is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Declaration interests statement The authors declare no conflict of interest. Ethical approval Ethics approval for the research was granted by Ho Chi Minh Banking University and Publication Ethics Committee on 1.09.2024, under decision number HREC61. All procedures involving human participants followed the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committees and aligned with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its amendments. C onsent to participate We provided detailed information to the participants about the purpose, scope and expectations of the study before they participated in the study. We explained the aims of the study, the information requested from the participants, the data collection process and the method of using the data in a clear and understandable language. Before the research survey questionnaire, the participants received a consent form between September 1, 2024 and September 1, 2025, having read and understood the research’s purpose. We informed the participants that participation in the study was completely voluntary and that they had the right to withdraw from the study at any stage. We obtained written informed consent forms from the participants. These forms indicate that the participants accepted the terms of the study and approved the use of their data for the purposes of the study. Consent for publication Not applicable. Authors’ contributions All authors made substantial contributions to the conceptualization of the work and developed the interview guides Van Dat Tran: Data collection; analysis; methodology; writing original draft; Tuan Dat Nguyen: Review and editing: Ngoc Oanh Tran : Data collection; analysis: Ngoc Oanh Tran; Data collection; analysis. Tuan Dat Nguyen: Date collection; translation. Ngoc Oanh Tran: Data collection; translation Ngoc Anh Thu Tran: Data collection. Van Dat Tran: Supervision and review Van Dat Tran: Review and editing; Van Dat Tran: Data collection; methodology; supervision; review and editing. References Azuma RT. (1997). A survey of augmented reality. Presence: Teleoperators & Virtual Environments, 6(4), 355–385. https://doi.org/10.1162/pres.1997.6.4.355 Block LG, Morwitz VG. 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Jung T, tom Dieck MC. Augmented reality, virtual reality and 3D printing for the co-creation of value for the visitor experience at cultural heritage places. J Place Manage Dev. 2017;10(2):140–51. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMD-07-2016-0048 . Kipper G, Rampolla J. (2012). Augmented Reality: An Emerging Technologies Guide to AR. Syngress. Kounavis CD, Kasimati AE, Zamani ED. Enhancing the tourism experience through mobile augmented reality: Challenges and prospects. Int J Eng Bus Manage. 2012;4:1–6. https://doi.org/10.5772/51644 . Law EL-C, Roto V, Hassenzahl M, Vermeeren APOS, Kort J. (2009). Understanding, scoping and defining user experience: A survey approach. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 719–728. https://doi.org/10.1145/1518701.1518813 McCarthy J, Wright P. Technology as experience. MIT Press; 2004. Park HY, Chung N, Woo M. The impact of tour quality on satisfaction and brand trust in historical augmented reality-based tourism. Tour Manag. 2006;52:345–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.07.001 . Poushneh A, Vasquez-Parraga AZ. Discernible impact of augmented reality on retail customer’s experience, satisfaction and willingness to buy. J Retailing Consumer Serv. 2017;34:229–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.10.005 . Rook DW, Fisher RJ. Normative influences on impulsive buying behavior. J Consum Res. 1995;22(3):305–13. https://doi.org/10.1086/209452 . Rook DW, Gardner MP. In the mood: Impulse buying’s affective antecedents. Res Consumer Behav. 1993;6(7):1–28. Sirgy MJ, Grewal D, Mangleburg TF. Retail environment, self-congruity, and retail patronage: An integrative model and a research agenda. J Bus Res. 2000;49(2):127–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(99)00009-0 . Sirgy MJ, Johar JS, Samli AC, Claiborne CB. Self-congruity versus functional congruity: Predictors of consumer behavior. J Acad Mark Sci. 1997;25(3):229–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070397253004 . Suh K-S, Chang S. User interfaces and consumer perceptions of online stores: The role of product viewing, gender, and consumption purpose. Behav Inform Technol. 2006;25(2):159–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/01449290500168145 . Tom Dieck MC, Jung T. Value of augmented reality at cultural heritage sites: A stakeholder approach. J Destination Mark Manage. 2017;6(2):110–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2017.03.002 . Tom Dieck MC, Jung T, Han DI. Mapping requirements for the wearable smart glasses augmented reality museum application. J Hospitality Tourism Technol. 2016;7(3):230–53. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-09-2015-0036 . Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":33554,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eLegend not included with this version.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7929302/v1/4e984469c5738d19803055e8.png"},{"id":97263087,"identity":"753b4811-99cc-40ee-8987-37c6c394d090","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-02 14:10:52","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":31391,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eLegend not included with this version.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7929302/v1/6b1c1a1f3301edecb53584d2.png"},{"id":100361964,"identity":"f463d407-b2c8-4e09-acb9-dedf83b568f6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-16 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Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eAugmented reality (AR) enhances the real-world environment, providing context-sensitive information about the user's immediate surroundings by overlaying computer-generated content (e.g., avatars, 3D models, interactive features) onto their direct view through a device (e.g., Han, Jung, \u0026amp; Gibson, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e; tom Dieck \u0026amp; Jung, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Yung \u0026amp; Khoo-Lattimore, 2017). AR popularity has increased rapidly, garnering significant industry and academic attention over the past five years. Nowadays, AR is considered \u0026ldquo;one of the most revolutionary inventions in recent years\u0026rdquo; (He, Wu, \u0026amp; Li, 2018, p. 127). One reason for this popularity is an increased awareness of its unique ability to provide a mediated perception of the real-world environment by seamlessly integrating it with computer-generated content (Han et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). In acknowledgment of its benefits, there has been an increasing number of studies exploring the value presented by AR in the tourism sector. Such studies report AR can improve education and interpretation (Tom Dieck \u0026amp; Jung, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), tailor information to tourists' specific preferences (Kounavis, Kasimati, \u0026amp; Zamani, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e), increase interactivity (Tom Dieck, Jung, \u0026amp; Han, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) and improve entertainment and engagement (Xu, Buhalis, \u0026amp; Weber, 2017).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeyond tourism and education, AR is becoming increasingly influential in transforming consumer behavior, particularly in retail and e-commerce environments. By allowing users to visualize products in their real-world context\u0026mdash;such as trying on clothes, previewing furniture in their homes, or experimenting with makeup on their faces\u0026mdash;AR facilitates more immersive and emotionally engaging shopping experiences (Hilken et al., 2017; Javornik, 2016). This immersive nature enables stronger brand engagement and may lead to psychological responses like increased brand authenticity and congruence with self-image\u0026mdash;key factors that influence impulsive buying behavior (Scholz \u0026amp; Duffy, 2018; McLean \u0026amp; Wilson, 2019).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith the emergence of virtual worlds and metaverse platforms, AR is increasingly being integrated into digital brand experiences, creating a hybrid consumption space that blurs the boundaries between physical and virtual interactions. In these immersive environments, consumers may perceive AR-based brand experiences as more authentic, personal, and congruent with their self-concept, which in turn may intensify their emotional engagement and impulsive purchase tendencies. While previous research has focused on AR\u0026rsquo;s technological affordances or user attitudes, there remains limited understanding of how AR influences impulsive buying behavior through psychological mechanisms such as brand experience, perceived authenticity, and self-image congruence. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the influence of augmented reality on impulsive buying behavior, with a specific focus on the mediating roles of brand experience, authenticity, and self-image congruence within virtual and immersive retail environments. The findings are expected to contribute to both academic literature and managerial practice by shedding light on how AR can be strategically employed to shape consumer behavior in increasingly immersive commerce settings.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Conceptual background","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.1. Augmented reality - AR\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR technology has three distinctive characteristics: it combines real and virtual, is interactive and in real-time, and registers in 3D (Azuma, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). AR can add or remove physical objects from view and replace them with alternative content (Azuma, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, AR has the potential to create an augmented perception of reality, enhancing what users see in the real world or creating an entirely artificial environment that shows users what does not exist in the real world (Kipper \u0026amp; Rampolla, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). By seamlessly blending computer simulations in real environments, AR creates an enhanced view, supplementing the users' environment with digital content, thus facilitating integration between the physical and virtual worlds (Flavi\u0026aacute;n, Ib\u0026aacute;\u0026ntilde;ez-S\u0026aacute;nchez, \u0026amp; Or\u0026uacute;s, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Based on these characteristics, AR has been widely praised for its ability to create richer, more immersive content, enhancing interaction with and perceptions of the world around us.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile AR can be experienced through a range of devices, and advanced wearable devices seamlessly integrate digital content into the real world, the smartphone remains the most common AR device due to its high proliferation and accessibility (Wang et al., 2016). The recent success and understanding of AR can be linked to the wider use of smartphones and the development of various applications (Han et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Jung \u0026amp; Tom Dieck, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.2. User experience\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eUser experience (UX) is a holistic, subjective, and evolving concept that encompasses a user's emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses during interaction with a product or system (McCarthy \u0026amp; Wright, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e; Law et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). Alben (1996) defines UX as \u0026ldquo;all the aspects of how people use an interactive product,\u0026rdquo; emphasizing not only usability but also emotional resonance, purposefulness, and contextual fit. Hassenzahl and Tractinsky (2006) argue that UX is shaped by three dimensions: the user\u0026rsquo;s internal state (e.g., expectations, mood), the product\u0026rsquo;s attributes, and the usage context. These product attributes can be categorized into three qualities:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePragmatic Quality (PQ): The degree to which a product helps users accomplish goals effectively and efficiently (Hassenzahl, 2001). Hedonic Quality (HQ): The emotional stimulation, novelty, and self-expression users derive from the product (Th\u0026uuml;ring \u0026amp; Mahlke, 2007). Aesthetic Quality (AQ): The visual and sensory appeal that shapes users\u0026rsquo; first impressions and trust (Tractinsky et al., 2000). In augmented reality (AR) environments, UX becomes more immersive, incorporating spatial presence and interactive engagement (Billinghurst et al., 2015). AR enhances user involvement, emotional arousal, and perceived realism\u0026mdash;factors that positively influence brand attachment and impulsive buying (Hilken et al., 2017; Rauschnabel et al., 2019). Scholz and Duffy (2018) further highlight AR\u0026rsquo;s role in amplifying experiential authenticity and consumer-brand connection.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.3. Virtual world brand experience\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrand experience is defined as the sensations, feelings, cognitions, and behavioral responses evoked by brand-related stimuli such as design, packaging, and brand environments (Brakus et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). Brand experiences encompass a broad spectrum of consumer behaviors, including searching for information, shopping, consuming products, and evaluating them during various stages of interaction (Brakus et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). Virtual 3D environments have emerged as new marketing channels, offering highly interactive brand experiences similar to direct product interactions (Li et al., 2001). Consumer engagement with brands and products in the virtual world has been shown to enhance consumers\u0026rsquo; product knowledge, attitudes, and purchase intentions (Li et al., 2002; Suh and Lee, 2005; Suh and Chang, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.4. Virtual world brand authenticity - Oanh edited\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrand authenticity refers to the extent to which consumers perceive a brand as being true to itself, genuine, and consistent with its stated values and promises. Authentic brands are seen as sincere, honest, and rooted in a clear set of beliefs or origins. This perception of authenticity plays an essential role in building trust, emotional attachment, and long-term loyalty, especially in highly competitive online environments (Napoli et al., 2014; Beverland, 2006). Virtual 3D brand authenticity extends this concept to virtual environments, referring to consumers\u0026rsquo; perception of the genuineness and credibility of brand experiences created within 3D virtual platforms. Authentic virtual brand experiences are critical for fostering strong consumer\u0026ndash;brand relationships, as they enhance cognitive beliefs, emotional engagement, and brand commitment (Lee, Jung, \u0026amp; Chan-Olmsted, 2021).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.5. Impulsive buying urge\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eImpulsive buying, in a simplistic definition, is unplanned purchases (Stern, 1962). However, according to much later research, it is a more complicated hedonic process combined with spontaneity, lack of pre-planning, limited deliberation, and emotional influence (Rook \u0026amp; Gardner, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1993\u003c/span\u003e; Beatty \u0026amp; Ferrell, 1998; Block and Morwitz, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e). This immediate behavior is primarily motivated by an impulse buying urge, characterized by a spontaneous, compelling, and persistent desire to make a purchase (Rook, 1987). As a key psychological concept in consumer behavior, impulsive buying urge is defined precisely by many researchers with numerous characteristics such as suddenness and intensity (Rook \u0026amp; Fisher, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e), persistence and powerfulness (Beatty \u0026amp; Ferrell, 1998), irresistibility and heightened emotion (Harmancioglu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.6. Impulsive buying behavior\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile the impulsive buying urge is the internal, psychological trigger, the impulsive buying behavior is the actual act of purchasing without prior planning and with minimal thought. Many researchers proved that it is a spontaneous and immediate purchasing decision made in the absence of any prior intention to acquire a product from that category or to accomplish a predefined shopping objective (Beatty \u0026amp; Ferrell, 1998), or is viewed as a consequence of emotional arousal - internal and external triggers (Xiao \u0026amp; Nicholson, 2013). Rook \u0026amp; Fisher (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted impulsive buying behavior as action-oriented, similar to the way Piron (1991) distinguished impulse as emotion and behavior as action.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.7. Self-image congruence\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe concept of self-image congruence, initially proposed by Sirgy (1982), suggests that consumers are more likely to prefer brands, products, or services that align with their self-concept. This self-concept is multidimensional, including the actual self (how individuals see themselves), ideal self (how they wish to be), social self (how they believe others perceive them), and ideal social self (how they want to be perceived by others). When a brand image resonates with any of these self-dimensions, it can lead to a stronger emotional connection and influence behavior. Sirgy et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e) expanded this into Self-Congruity Theory, which posits that the match between self-image and brand-user imagery results in greater satisfaction, brand attachment, and loyalty. In contexts like AR shopping or virtual worlds, consumers may construct or project aspirational identities through avatars and virtual representations. This heightened self-expression potential makes self-image congruence even more salient in AR environments (Scholz \u0026amp; Smith, 2016). Recent studies in immersive commerce highlight that virtual try-ons or AR filters enhance the perceived congruence between the brand and user identity, which may stimulate impulse purchases, especially when users experience emotional arousal (Rauschnabel et al., 2019; Hilken et al., 2017). Moreover, Choi and Kim (2022) suggest that in virtual spaces, the alignment between brand personality and digital self-representation significantly influences purchase intention.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Hypothesis development","content":"\u003cp\u003eAugmented Reality (AR) and user experience are critical in shaping consumer perceptions within virtual environments. AR is expected to enhance the Virtual World Brand Experience (H1) and reinforce Virtual World Brand Authenticity (H2). Likewise, a positive User Experience is proposed to influence both brand experience (H3) and brand authenticity (H4). A strong brand experience in virtual settings is hypothesized to strengthen brand authenticity (H5) and directly trigger Impulsive Buying Urge (H6) and Impulsive Buying Behavior (H7). In addition, perceived authenticity is expected to influence both the urge (H8) and the behavior (H9) related to impulsive purchases. The Impulsive Buying Urge is assumed to directly drive Impulsive Buying Behavior (H10), consistent with prior models of consumer impulsivity in immersive contexts. Finally, Self-Image Congruence is hypothesized to moderate two relationships: it may strengthen the effect of virtual brand experience on the urge to buy impulsively (H11a), and enhance the influence of brand experience on brand authenticity (H11b).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAugmented Reality (AR) enhances the consumer's brand experience by immersing users in interactive, sensory-rich environments that simulate real-world engagement. The AR affordances of interactivity, vividness, and presence have been shown to intensify emotional responses and involvement with brands (Hilken et al., 2017). By enabling users to visualize, manipulate, and personalize virtual brand-related content, AR elevates brand experience dimensions\u0026mdash;namely, sensory, affective, behavioral, and intellectual experiences (Brakus et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). Scholz and Duffy (2018) emphasize that AR-mediated brand experiences increase telepresence and psychological ownership, both of which are associated with greater brand involvement and authenticity perceptions. When users perceive they are \"present\" in a brand-related virtual world and can interact freely with products or brand spaces, they are more likely to attribute authenticity to the brand. Further, Javornik (2016) found that AR triggers a \"wow effect\" that transforms passive brand exposure into active brand co-creation, reinforcing credibility and trust. Poushneh and Vasquez-Parraga (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e) concluded that AR experiences enhance perceived realism and credibility, fostering stronger brand authenticity judgments. In the context of virtual environments, Yim et al. (2017) demonstrated that AR enhances the \"situatedness\" of the brand experience, where users feel the product is part of their real context, thereby boosting both experiential value and authenticity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH1: Augmented reality positively effects the virtual world brand experience\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMoreover, AR contributes significantly to perceptions of brand authenticity in virtual settings. By allowing consumers to interact with digital representations of products in realistic contexts, AR fosters trust and credibility, essential components of perceived brand authenticity. Studies show that these immersive and personalized experiences lead to a stronger appreciation of the brand's value proposition and support the formation of long-term brand relationships (Kim \u0026amp; Forsythe, 2008; Poushneh \u0026amp; Vasquez-Parraga, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Zeng, Xing, \u0026amp; Jin, 2023). Therefore, it is proposed that:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH2: Augmented reality positively effects virtual world brand authenticity\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA growing body of research supports the hypothesis that user experience positively affects virtual world brand experience. Gomez et al. (2022) emphasize that immersive features of virtual reality, such as vividness, interactivity, and presence, enhance users\u0026rsquo; emotional engagement and positive brand responses, directly linking UX elements to improved brand experience. Similarly, Yim, Chu, and Sauer (2017) found that higher interactivity and vividness in augmented reality environments significantly boost consumers' perceptions of brand value and satisfaction. Jin (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e) further highlights that avatar-based interactions in virtual spaces increase self-presence and personal relevance, deepening engagement with brand narratives. Collectively, these findings indicate that a well-designed UX in virtual environments fosters emotional connection, trust, and loyalty\u0026mdash;core components of a strong virtual brand experience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH3: User experience positively effects virtual world brand experience.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRich, interactive, and immersive user experiences in AR-supported virtual environments increase consumer trust, emotional connection, and engagement, all of which are key components of brand authenticity. By enabling direct interaction with products and brand elements, AR reduces uncertainty and increases user involvement. Research indicates that these experiences simulate real-world interactions, fostering emotional involvement and a stronger sense of authenticity. When users are deeply engaged, they process brand information more thoroughly and perceive the brand as more genuine (Dağ et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Moreover, perceived authenticity strengthens the impact of immersive AR experiences. Engeset and Elvekrok (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) found that authenticity mediates the relationship between experiential quality and overall satisfaction. In tourism, for example, AR can vividly recreate historical scenes, allowing users to feel as though they are reliving the past, demonstrating how immersion supports a stronger sense of authenticity (Park et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH4: User experience positively effects virtual world brand authenticity\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVirtual brand experience in immersive environments like AR enhances consumers\u0026rsquo; perceptions of brand authenticity. Through online virtual experiences with products, consumers can engage with products and brands, increasing their understanding and emotional connection. This enriched engagement helps consumers perceive the brand as more genuine and trustworthy. Research shows that such virtual interactions improve product knowledge and shape positive brand perceptions and attitudes, which are key components of brand authenticity (Li et al., 2001; Li et al., 2002; Suh \u0026amp; Lee, 2005).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH5: Virtual world brand experience positively effects virtual world brand authenticity.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVirtual brand experiences in immersive environments, such as those enabled by augmented reality (AR), can significantly increase consumers\u0026rsquo; impulsive buying tendencies. As an important marketing tool, AR-powered virtual environments allow consumers to try products, make decisions, and engage in immersive experiences that enhance product knowledge and brand perception. Research shows that such interactions can boost users\u0026rsquo; confidence and intentions to purchase (Li et al., 2001; Li et al., 2002; Suh \u0026amp; Lee, 2005). These experiences also strengthen emotional connections with brands, which can increase impulsive buying urges. The combination of visual appeal, interactivity, and instant feedback often triggers spontaneous purchases, supporting theories on the impact of immersive environments on impulsive behavior (Verhagen \u0026amp; van Dolen, 2011; Rook, 1987).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH6: Virtual world brand experience positively effects impulsive buying urges.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrakus et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) indicate that the concept of virtual world brand experience encompasses the totality of consumers\u0026rsquo; interactions with a brand in an immersive, digital 3D world. High interactivity and sensory engagement can significantly impact how consumers connect with brands. In the case of AR, the integration of digital elements into the real world enhances consumer engagement by providing dynamic, interactive, and contextually relevant brand experiences. Research suggests that such rich, interactive experiences increase emotional arousal, heightening the likelihood of impulsive decision-making (Rook, 1987; Verhagen \u0026amp; van Dolen, 2011). In the virtual world, it is hypothesized that where brand interactions are immediate and engaging, consumers are more likely to act on spontaneous urges rather than deliberate choices, enhancing the likelihood of impulsive buying behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH7: Virtual world brand experience positively effects impulsive buying behavior.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen brands present themselves authentically in virtual environments, they foster a sense of trust and credibility among consumers. This trust encourages quicker decision-making processes, allowing consumers to feel more confident in their choices, boosting the psychological trigger to buy something impulsively (Gao et al., 2025). Although not much study definitively states the positive relationship between virtual brand authenticity and impulsive buying in the virtual environment, there is research strongly suggesting that consumers are more likely to experience heightened emotional engagement with brands perceived as authentic, boosted by virtual world characteristics like immersion, telepresence, and emotional engagement, leading to increased impulsive buying urges (Cade et al., 2024; Hsu et al., 2024).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH8: Virtual world brand authenticity positively effects the impulsive buying urge\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMoreover, according to some research, authentic brand experiences evoke positive emotions and a sense of connection, leading to increased enjoyment and satisfaction, which are key motivators for impulsive purchases (Cade et al., 2024; Gao et al., 2025). Following that, as brands cultivate authenticity in their virtual marketing efforts, they can successfully stimulate impulsive buying behavior, resulting in higher sales and improved consumer loyalty (Gao et al., 2025). Thus, it is hypothesized that:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH9: Virtual world brand authenticity positively effects Impulsive buying behavior\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.6. Impulsive Buying Urge positively influences impulsive buying behavior\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch has shown that emotional arousal significantly impacts impulsive buying. Studies indicate that positive emotions can lead to stronger impulsive buying urges, which in turn increase the likelihood of making spontaneous purchases (Verplanken \u0026amp; Herabadi, 2001). In the context of marketing techniques, such as scarcity, can enhance the impulsive buying urge, leading to higher rates of impulsive buying behavior (Cialdini, 2009). Moreover, Rook (1987) also indicated that when consumers feel a strong urge to buy, they often bypass rational decision-making processes, resulting in impulsive purchases. Empirical studies in retail environments have demonstrated that shoppers who report a higher level of impulsive buying urge are more likely to make unplanned purchases during shopping trips (Beatty \u0026amp; Ferrell, 1998). Thus, it is hypothesized that:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH10: Impulsive buying urge positively effects impulsive buying behavior\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe moderating of Self-image congruence\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen consumers perceive a strong alignment between their self-image and the image portrayed by a brand in a virtual world, the impact of the brand experience on their impulsive buying urge is amplified (Liu \u0026amp; Liu, 2020; Gabisch, 2011). This is because self-image congruence fosters a sense of identification and emotional connection with the brand, making the virtual experience more personally relevant and engaging. Gabisch (2011) also illuminated that virtual world brand experience impacts real-world purchasing intentions and behavior, moderated by self-image congruence and perceived diagnosticity. This suggests that self-image congruence acts as a filter, enhancing the influence of positive brand experiences on impulsive buying tendencies when the brand aligns with the consumer's self-concept. Last but not least, AlQahtani (2025) has given an example that if a consumer views themselves as adventurous and sees a brand projecting a similar image through its virtual world activities, they are more likely to develop a strong urge to buy impulsively. Conversely, if there is a mismatch between the consumer's self-image and the brand's image, the virtual world brand experience may have a weaker effect on their impulsive buying urge. Thus, it is hypothesized that:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH11a: Self-image congruence moderates the relationship between virtual brand experience and impulsive buying urge\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eH11b: Self-image congruence moderates the relationship between virtual brand experience and brand authenticity\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe research framework\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study proposes a research framework to examine how augmented reality influences consumer behavior in virtual environments, focusing on impulsive buying. Augmented reality is considered the main stimulus, affecting user experience, virtual world brand experience, and brand authenticity. These factors, in turn, shape consumers' impulsive buying urge and behavior. The model suggests that AR enhances user experience, which subsequently impacts brand experience and authenticity. Both virtual brand experience and authenticity are expected to influence the impulsive buying urge and behavior directly. Additionally, the framework includes self-image congruence as a moderating variable that strengthens the relationship between brand experience and both impulsive buying urge and behavior. This integrated model provides a comprehensive view of how immersive technology can shape consumer responses in virtual settings (Fig.\u0026nbsp;1).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.1. Sample\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA total of 553 valid responses were collected for this study. Among them, 64.6% were female and 35.4% were male. Most participants were aged between 23 and 30 (49.4%), followed by 16\u0026ndash;22 (31.5%), 31\u0026ndash;40 (16.6%), and above 40 (2.5%). Respondents were distributed across various regions: Ho Chi Minh City (29.5%), Hanoi (21.3%), Can Tho (21%), Da Nang (18.3%), and Hue (9.9%). In terms of occupation, 31.1% were officers, 23.9% worked in business, 15.4% in industry, 15.2% were students, and 14.5% identified as other. Regarding education level, 44.5% held an undergraduate degree, 22.6% completed high school, 22.1% had a college diploma, and 10.8% had postgraduate degrees. For income, 37.4% earned between 7 and 15\u0026nbsp;million VND per month. Lastly, 61.7% of respondents used AR applications 2\u0026ndash;4 hours per day, 21.5% less than 2 hours, and 16.8% more than 4 hours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.2. Measurement Scales\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe measurement scales used in this study were adapted from established research to ensure content validity and contextual relevance. All constructs were measured using multi-item scales on a five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The construct of augmented reality was measured based on interactivity and immersion attributes, adapted from Fiore et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2005\u003c/span\u003e) and Poushneh \u0026amp; Vasquez-Parraga (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). User experience items were drawn from previous studies on virtual interaction quality (e.g., Li et al., 2001). Virtual World Brand Experience and Virtual World Brand Authenticity were measured using scales adapted from Brakus et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) and Napoli et al. (2014), respectively. Impulsive Buying Urge and impulsive buying behavior were measured using items based on Rook (1987) and Beatty \u0026amp; Ferrell (1998). Self-Image Congruence was measured using a three-item scale adapted from Sirgy et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e). All scale items were initially translated and then back-translated to ensure semantic accuracy in the Vietnamese context.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e4.3. Data Collection Process\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eData for the main study were collected through an online survey distributed via social media platforms, email, and messaging apps. A convenience sampling technique was used, targeting individuals who were frequent users of augmented reality features in mobile shopping or virtual brand environments. The survey link was shared across user communities with interests in the fashion, cosmetics, and electronics industries, where AR is commonly applied. Participants were informed about the research purpose and assured of anonymity and data confidentiality. Screening questions ensured that only respondents with prior experience using AR applications proceeded to the main questionnaire. The survey remained active for four weeks, allowing sufficient time to reach a diverse group of participants across key cities in Vietnam.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Research Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.1. Demographic statistics\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter cleaning the data process, there are 553 valid responses, resulting in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e with the recap of respondents\u0026rsquo; demographic characteristics regarding gender, age, location, career, education, income, and frequency of experiencing AR in shopping. The data sample is mainly female, contributing 64.6%, whereas males contributed 35.4 of % responses. The respondents lived in 5 key cities, of which Ho Chi Minh was the most significant (29.5%). They were mostly officers (31.1%) and had business (23.9%), with the age range highly focused on 16\u0026ndash;30 years old (80.9%). In terms of income, most of the respondents earned from 7 to under 25\u0026nbsp;million VND per month (67.1%). Significantly, almost half of the participants graduated with bachelor's degrees (44.5%). Last but not least, more than half of them revealed that they engaged in AR 2\u0026ndash;4 hours per day.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCharacteristics of respondents\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCriteria\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRespondents\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRate\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e553\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e196\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35.4%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e357\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e64.6%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e553\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16\u0026ndash;22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e174\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23\u0026ndash;30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e273\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e49.4%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31\u0026ndash;40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e92\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.6%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLocation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e553\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHCM\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e163\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHN\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e118\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.3%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHue\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.9%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDa Nang\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e101\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18.3%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCan Tho\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e116\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJob\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e553\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e84\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.2%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOfficer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e172\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.1%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndustry\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e85\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15.4%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusiness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e132\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.9%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcademic level\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e553\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh school\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e125\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.6%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollege\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e122\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.1%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUndergraduate\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e246\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e44.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePostgraduate\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.8%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIncome\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e553\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;7M\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e69\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7 - \u0026lt;15M\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e207\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37.4%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15 - \u0026lt;25M\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e164\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.7%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;= 25M\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e113\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.4%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e553\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;2hrs\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e119\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21.5%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u0026ndash;4hrs\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e341\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e61.7%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;4hrs\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e93\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.8%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.2. Measurement model assessment\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe applied the PLS-SEM algorithm in SmartPLS 4 to evaluate the measurement model. As recommended by Hair et al. (2017), for reflective measurement models, the outer loadings should be at least 0.7 to be considered acceptable. If any item's outer loading falls below 0.4, it should be removed from the model. Based on the results shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, all items have outer loadings exceeding 0.7, indicating that all observed variables are valid and retained in the model.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn terms of reliability and validity, all constructs met the established benchmarks: Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha values were \u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;0.7 (DeVellis, 2012), composite reliability exceeded 0.7 (Hair et al., 2013), and the average variance extracted (AVE) was \u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;0.5 (Hock \u0026amp; Ringle, 2010). These results confirm that the measurement model is reliable and that the constructs exhibit adequate convergent validity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, Henseler et al. (2015) recommend using the heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT) to evaluate discriminant validity, with the acceptable threshold being 0.90 or lower. As shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, all HTMT values fall within this limit, confirming that discriminant validity has been achieved.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eConstruct reliability and convergent validity results.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLikert scale constructs\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eLoadings\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCronbach's alpha\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAVE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.846\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.907\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.764\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.898\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.871\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.852\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIBB\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.817\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.891\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.732\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBB1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.859\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBB2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.854\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBB3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.853\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIBU\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.854\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.911\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.773\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBU1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.893\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBU2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.876\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBU3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.869\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSIC\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.834\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.897\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.745\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSIC1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.912\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSIC2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.873\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSIC3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.800\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUE\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.944\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.964\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.899\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUE1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.950\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUE2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.945\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUE3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.949\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVBA\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.808\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.887\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.723\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBA1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.851\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBA2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.855\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBA3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.844\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVBE\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.895\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.927\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.761\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBE1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.886\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBE2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.894\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBE3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.866\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBE4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.842\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe results of the HTMT ratio of correlations\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBU\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSIC\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIBB\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.519\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIBU\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.338\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.630\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSIC\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.315\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.744\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.657\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUE\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.110\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.537\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.300\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.381\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVBA\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.333\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.681\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.359\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.365\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.334\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVBE\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.323\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.670\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.636\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.843\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.464\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.330\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.3. Structural model assessment\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structural model was evaluated using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach, with bootstrapping performed on 5,000 subsamples to ensure the robustness of estimates. Regarding collinearity diagnostics, the majority of the variance inflation factor (VIF) values fall below the recommended threshold of 3, indicating no critical multicollinearity concerns, in accordance with the guidelines proposed by Hair et al. (2019). Although slightly elevated, the VIF values for indicators UE1, UE2, and UE3 range between 4.4 and 4.7, which are still within the provisionally acceptable limit of 5, suggesting that collinearity does not significantly distort the model\u0026rsquo;s estimates.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe explanatory power of the model is reflected in the R-squared values of the endogenous constructs. Specifically, the combined effects of augmented reality (AR) and user experience account for 24.1% of the variance in virtual world brand experience. When AR, user experience, and virtual world brand experience are considered together, they explain 15.9% of the variance in virtual world brand authenticity. Furthermore, virtual world brand experience and brand authenticity collectively explain 41.2% of the variance in impulsive buying urge. Finally, these variables, along with impulsive buying urge, account for 58.0% of the variance in impulsive buying behavior. These results indicate a moderate to substantial explanatory capacity of the model, supporting its structural validity in the context of consumer behavior in augmented reality environments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegarding path analysis, Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e presents the path coefficients and corresponding p-values for each hypothesis. All hypotheses were supported, as all p-values were below the 0.05 threshold, indicating statistically significant relationships. Specifically, Hypotheses 1 and 2 were confirmed, with AR and user experience having a positive effect on virtual world brand experience (O\u003csub\u003eAR\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.247, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0; O\u003csub\u003eUE\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.401, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0). Hypotheses 2, 4 and 5 were also supported, showing that AR, user experience, and virtual world brand experience positively influence virtual world brand authenticity (O\u003csub\u003eAR\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.217, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0; O\u003csub\u003eUE\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.218, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0; OVBE 0.125, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0). Likewise, Hypotheses 6 and 8 were validated, as impulsive buying urge was significantly affected by both virtual world brand experience (O\u003csub\u003eVBE\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.158, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0) and virtual world brand authenticity (O\u003csub\u003eVBA\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.132, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0). Lastly, Hypotheses 7, 9, and 10 were supported, with virtual world brand experience, virtual world brand authenticity, and impulsive buying urge each exerting a positive influence on impulsive buying behavior (O\u003csub\u003eVBE\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.094, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0; O\u003csub\u003eVBA\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.376, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0; O\u003csub\u003eIBU\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.125, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eResults of the hypotheses test\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHypothesis\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal sample (O)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eP values\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eResults\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH1: AR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.247\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH2: AR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.217\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH3: UE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.401\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH4: UE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.218\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH5: VBE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.125\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.005\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH6: VBE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBU\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.158\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.007\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH7: VBE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.094\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.046\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH8: VBA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBU\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.132\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH9: VBA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.376\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH10: IBU\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.125\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.001\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH11b: SIC x VBE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.060\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.045\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH11a: SIC x VBE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBU\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.151\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.4. Mediating Effects\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo gain deeper insights into the mediating roles of virtual world brand experience, virtual world brand authenticity, and impulsive buying urge within the research model, an additional analysis was conducted using the PLS bootstrapping approach with 5,000 subsamples. As presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, AR demonstrated significant positive indirect effects on virtual world brand authenticity (O\u003csub\u003eVBA\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.031, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0), impulsive buying behavior (O\u003csub\u003eIBB\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.125, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0), and impulsive buying urge (O\u003csub\u003eIBU\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.072, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0). Similarly, user experience exhibited significant positive indirect effects on impulsive buying urge (O\u003csub\u003eIBU\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.099, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0) and impulsive buying behavior (O\u003csub\u003eIBB\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.151, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0). These results highlight the important mediating roles of virtual world brand experience and virtual world brand authenticity in the model. Additionally, virtual world brand experience itself had significant indirect effects on both impulsive buying behavior (O\u003csub\u003eIBB\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.069, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0) and impulsive buying urge (O\u003csub\u003eIBU\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.016, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0). Virtual world brand authenticity also indirectly influenced impulsive buying behavior in a positive way (O\u003csub\u003eIBB\u003c/sub\u003e = 0.016, p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0). These findings further support the mediating roles of virtual world brand authenticity and impulsive buying urge in the proposed framework.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMediating Effects\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePath\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDirect effect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndirect effect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTotal effect\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,247***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,247***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBU\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,158*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,016*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,174*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,094*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,069***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,163***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,217***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,031*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,248***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBU\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,132***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,132***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,376***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,016*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,392***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBE\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,401***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,401***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,218***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,05*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,268***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIBU\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,125***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,125***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVBE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;VBA\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,125*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,125*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,125***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,125***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBU\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,072***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,072***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,151***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,151***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;IBU\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,099***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0,099***\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote: *p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05; ***p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e5.5. Moderation Effects\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study examines the moderating role of self-image congruence in the context of virtual environments, specifically investigating how it influences the relationships between virtual world brand experience and impulsive buying urge (H11a) and between virtual world brand authenticity and impulsive buying urge (H11b). The empirical findings demonstrate that both moderating effects are statistically significant, with p-values of 0.000 for H11a and 0.045 for H11b\u0026mdash;both below the conventional 0.05 threshold. Additionally, the original sample values for H11a (0.151) and H11b (0.060) are positive, confirming that self-image congruence enhances the strength of these relationships. In essence, when consumers perceive a strong alignment between their self-concept and the brand's virtual representation, the emotional impact of brand experience and authenticity becomes more pronounced, subsequently leading to a heightened impulsive buying urge.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe incorporation of self-image congruence as a moderating variable represents a key theoretical advancement within the consumer behavior literature, particularly in the domain of augmented reality and virtual branding. This study contributes a novel perspective to the Stimulus\u0026ndash;Organism\u0026ndash;Response (S\u0026ndash;O\u0026ndash;R) framework by embedding identity-based mechanisms into the model, thereby acknowledging the pivotal role of psychological congruence in shaping emotional and behavioral responses in immersive digital environments. While previous studies have largely emphasized technological interactivity or user engagement as direct predictors of consumer behavior, the present model moves a step further by demonstrating how internalized self-identity can condition the effectiveness of virtual brand stimuli. This finding underscores the importance of designing AR experiences that not only engage users functionally but also resonate with their self-concept, ultimately fostering deeper emotional attachment and stronger behavioral intentions. It offers a comprehensive theoretical lens for understanding the psychological underpinnings of impulse-driven purchasing in digitally mediated, identity-relevant contexts.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"6. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study offers new insights into how Augmented Reality (AR) functions within immersive commerce environments by revealing the psychological and experiential mechanisms that drive impulsive purchasing behavior. Departing from earlier research that emphasizes AR\u0026rsquo;s utility in enhancing interactivity or product visualization, this study positions AR as a strategic enabler of virtual brand experience (H1) and virtual brand authenticity (H2). These findings show that AR contributes not only to user engagement but also to the construction of immersive and emotionally meaningful brand narratives in virtual settings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, the results highlight the critical role of user experience in shaping both brand experience (H3) and brand authenticity (H4). This supports and extends earlier work by Brakus et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) and Poushneh \u0026amp; Vasquez-Parraga (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), who emphasized the importance of sensory and affective responses in brand engagement. High-quality AR interactions\u0026mdash;marked by enjoyment, ease of use, and relevance\u0026mdash;lead to deeper emotional engagement and a stronger sense of trust. These dynamics further contribute to the development of authentic virtual brand experiences (H5), which in turn significantly influence impulsive buying urges (H6) and behaviors (H7, H9). These results complement findings by Verhagen and van Dolen (2011), who argue that immersive environments can intensify emotional triggers that drive impulsive buying. Notably, virtual brand experience also has a direct effect on impulsive buying behavior, underscoring the power of immersive, memorable interactions to trigger spontaneous purchasing without requiring intermediary emotional cues.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother key contribution of this study is the introduction of self-image congruence (H11a and H11b) as a moderating factor. While identity alignment has been examined in conventional marketing contexts (Sirgy et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e), its application in AR-driven commerce remains underexplored. When users perceive that a virtual brand reflects their own identity, they are more likely to form emotional connections and make impulse-driven decisions. This identity alignment offers a valuable lens to explore how immersive technologies influence consumer behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOverall, the findings suggest that AR-driven brand interactions are not only technologically immersive but also psychologically rich. This positions AR as a powerful medium for creating identity-relevant, emotionally resonant brand experiences that shape real-time consumer behavior within virtual shopping spaces.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"7. Conclusion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e7.1. Theory and managerial management\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study advances theoretical knowledge on augmented reality (AR) by introducing and empirically validating two new pathways (H1, H2) that demonstrate how AR directly enhances virtual brand experience and perceived brand authenticity. These relationships contribute novel insights to the Stimulus\u0026ndash;Organism\u0026ndash;Response (S\u0026ndash;O\u0026ndash;R) framework by positioning AR not merely as a technological feature but as a psychological stimulus that directly shapes how consumers emotionally and cognitively relate to virtual brands.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn particular, H1 and H2 uncover the unique and previously underexplored roles of AR in influencing brand perceptions in virtual spaces. These direct links reinforce the transformative nature of AR as a key enabler of experiential branding in immersive environments. Moreover, the study identifies self-image congruence as a moderating variable (H11a, H11b)\u0026mdash;a critical theoretical extension. By incorporating identity alignment as a moderating factor between brand experience/authenticity and impulsive buying urge, the model acknowledges the psychological mechanisms that link virtual experiences to behavioral responses. This provides deeper understanding of how personal identity influences decision-making in AR-enhanced contexts, thus enriching current theories of self-congruity and immersive commerce.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom a managerial standpoint, these findings emphasize the strategic necessity of designing AR features not just for interactivity and immersion, but for authenticity and identity resonance. Brands should craft AR applications that deliver emotionally engaging and personally relevant virtual brand experiences, as these factors now prove instrumental in triggering both impulsive buying urge and behavior. In particular, marketers should consider personalization strategies that enhance self-image congruence, such as allowing users to customize virtual products or see themselves reflected in brand narratives. These tactics can elevate both emotional connection and purchase conversion in AR-driven shopping environments, offering a significant edge in the competitive digital landscape.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec25\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e7.2. Limitations and Future Research\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study are subject to several limitations, which offer directions for future research. First, the sample was geographically limited to five cities in Vietnam - two in the South, two in Central, and only one in the North. This uneven distribution may introduce regional and cultural biases, potentially limiting the generalizability of the results to broader contexts. To improve external validity, future research should aim to include a more diverse and geographically representative sample from various parts of Vietnam. Such an approach would yield a more comprehensive understanding of how impulsive buying behavior is perceived and expressed across different regions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSecond, although the study examines both impulsive buying urge and behavior, it relies solely on self-reported data without the inclusion of actual behavioral evidence. The absence of objective data such as transaction records, clickstream paths, or time spent engaging with AR features limits the ecological validity of the model. Future research could benefit from incorporating such behavioral metrics to provide more robust support for the real-world impact of augmented reality on consumer behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMoreover, this research opens new possibilities for examining post-purchase outcomes related to AR-induced impulsive buying. Future studies may investigate how such purchases are evaluated over time in terms of customer satisfaction, regret, or brand loyalty, offering deeper insights into the long-term implications of AR-driven shopping experiences for marketers and brand strategists.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany thanks to all the participants, the main investigators and the research team.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research did not receive any specifc grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-proft sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeclaration interests statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthics approval for the research was granted by Ho Chi Minh Banking University and Publication Ethics Committee on 1.09.2024, under decision number\u0026nbsp;HREC61.\u0026nbsp;All procedures involving human participants followed the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committees and aligned with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its amendments.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eC\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eonsent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe provided detailed information to the participants about the purpose, scope and expectations of the study before they participated in the study. We explained the aims of the study, the information requested from the participants, the data collection process and the method of using the data in a clear and understandable language. Before the research survey questionnaire, the participants received a consent form between September 1, 2024 and September 1, 2025, having read and understood the research’s purpose. \u0026nbsp;We informed the participants that participation in the study was completely voluntary and that they had the right to withdraw from the study at any stage. We obtained written informed consent forms from the participants. These forms indicate that the participants accepted the terms of the study and approved the use of their data for the purposes of the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors’ contributions\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll authors made substantial contributions to the conceptualization of the work and developed the interview guides Van Dat Tran: Data collection; analysis; methodology; writing original draft; Tuan Dat Nguyen: Review and editing: Ngoc Oanh Tran : Data collection; analysis: Ngoc Oanh Tran; Data collection; analysis. Tuan Dat Nguyen: Date collection; translation. Ngoc Oanh Tran: Data collection; translation Ngoc Anh Thu Tran: Data collection. Van Dat Tran: Supervision and review Van Dat Tran: Review and editing; Van Dat Tran: Data collection; methodology; supervision; review and editing.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAzuma RT. (1997). A survey of augmented reality. Presence: Teleoperators \u0026amp; Virtual Environments, 6(4), 355\u0026ndash;385. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1162/pres.1997.6.4.355\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1162/pres.1997.6.4.355\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlock LG, Morwitz VG. Shopping lists as an external memory aid for grocery shopping: Influences on list creation and list reliance. 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J Hospitality Tourism Technol. 2016;7(3):230\u0026ndash;53. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-09-2015-0036\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1108/JHTT-09-2015-0036\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Augmented reality (AR), user experience, brand authenticity, virtual world brand experience, impulsive buying behavior, virtual environments, immersive marketing, self-image congruence","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7929302/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7929302/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eBased on a synthesis of foundational theories, research constructs, and relevant academic literature, this study develops a research model examining the relationship between augmented reality (AR)-based brand experience factors and consumers\u0026rsquo; impulsive buying behavior in Vietnam. A mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, was employed. The qualitative phase refined and contextualized the measurement scales, forming the basis for the preliminary survey and official quantitative research. The main survey was conducted with 553 respondents who had prior experience using AR features in shopping, particularly in the fashion, cosmetics, and electronics sectors. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) indicate that AR-related attributes such as interactivity and immersion positively influence consumers\u0026rsquo; perceptions of virtual brand authenticity and brand experience. These factors subsequently affect their urge to buy impulsively and their actual impulsive buying behavior. Furthermore, self-image congruence plays a moderating role in the relationship between emotional engagement and impulsive actions. The findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for enhancing consumer engagement through AR marketing strategies.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Exploring effects of Augmented Reality to Impulsive Buying through Virtual World Brand Experience and Virtual World Brand Authenticity","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-02 14:10:47","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7929302/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"6b4d9856-3727-468a-b6b6-9e7666876b07","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 2nd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-12T08:40:03+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-02 14:10:47","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7929302","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7929302","identity":"rs-7929302","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}