Purpose - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the chatbot's characteristics (ease of use, social presence, playfulness, usefulness) on service value, customer satisfaction and reuse intention when consumers purchased fashion products in the mobile shopping environments.
Research design, data, and methodology – Data were collected from Korean consumers from ages 20 to 59 who have experienced using chatbot in a mobile shopping for fashion products. After a pilot survey to 53 customers, the preliminary questionnaire was revised for the final test, and the final questionnaire was administered to 1500 customers. Out of these, 300 were collected. After deleting 48 incomplete ones, 252 questionnaires were used in the statistical analysis. Frequency analysis and exploratory factor analysis using SPSS 23.0 and confirmatory factor analysis and structure equation analysis using AMOS 18.0 were employed for data analyses.
Results - First, four factors were extracted for the chatbot's characteristics: ease of use, social presence, playfulness and usefulness. Second, regarding the effect of chatbot's characteristics on service value when purchasing fashion products in the mobile shopping environment, ease of use, playfulness and usefulness of chatbot significantly affected service value. Social presence did not have significant effects on service value. Third, in terms of the effect of the chatbot's characteristics on customer satisfaction when purchasing fashion products in the mobile shopping environment, social presence, playfulness and usefulness of chatbot significantly had an effect on customer satisfaction. Ease of use did not have a significant effect on customer satisfaction. Fourth, service value of chatbot when purchasing fashion products in mobile shopping environment was found to have an effect on customer satisfaction with chatbot. Fifth, service value of chatbot on reuse intention when purchasing fashion products in the mobile shopping environment was found to have an effect on reuse intention of chatbot. Sixth, customer satisfaction with chatbot had a significant impact on the reuse intention of the chatbot when purchasing fashion products in the mobile shopping environment.
Conclusions - The present study provide dimensions on the chatbot’s characteristics and these may provide helpful data for further studies in this area and for marketers as well.