1.4. INTERVIEW TOPIC GUIDE

Objective #3: To assess and explain consumer perception towards online purchasing and the AR technology associated with digital try-ons

Wider Context Questions:

1. How often do you shop or view items from luxury brands? 2. When was the last time you bought from a luxury brand? § Was it online or in-store? § What made this experience enjoyable for you? § What part of the experience made it informative about the product or brand? 3. What kinds of AR technology are you aware of? 4. Which brands are you aware of that use AR technology? 5. What is your preferred shopping outlet: online, offline, or both? Why? 6. How often do you shop online? What’s the reason for that frequency? § Just browsing or actually purchasing?

Sub-objectives/Research Objective Questions:

*While you’re using the technology walk me through what you’re going through*

Enhanced Entertainment (Hedonic)

1. How did you feel while using the try-on technology? 2. What are some pros and cons of using this Virtual-Try On technology? 3. Which of these is most important in your purchasing decision of a product? And why?

Information (Utilitarian)

4. Did you learn anything about the brand or the product? 5. In what ways do you think the Virtual Try-On technology was informative? And why?

Experience with the Technology

6. What did you like about your experience? And why? 7. What did you dislike about your experience? And why?

Product Risk

8. How accurate do you think the VTO technology was in depicting the items? Why?

Purchase Intention

9. What factors influence your decision to purchase luxury online? 10. Would you purchase the items you viewed today? And why? 11. If not, what was missing from your experience that would influence your decision? 12. Would you purchase from a brand that uses VTO technology? And why? 13. How has this influenced your opinion of the brands? And why? 14. How has using this technology affected your opinions of online purchasing?

Wrap Up Questions:

15. What do you think is the greatest barrier for consumers using e-commerce to purchase their items online? 16. What do you think should be done to enhance online purchasing experience? 17. Do you have opinions on VTO technology within the fashion industry? 18. Anything else you’d like to add?

Information and Consent Form for Interview Participants

Title of the report:

Interviewee name and contact details: Hosting Institution:

The Influence of Virtual Try-On Technology on Luxury Consumer Purchase Intention Akanksha Goyal Akankshagoyal13@yahoo.com University of the Arts – London College of Fashion

Background and Rationale

My Researching Consumer Behaviour report discusses Virtual Try-On technology and its effect on luxury consumer’s purchasing decision through perceived entertainment, information richness, and perceived product risk. The interviewees will be asked to download the DressX application, experience and try on the virtual items, and give their opinions on this technology.

Aim of this research

As a luxury consumer, this interviewee will give me primary insight into consumer perceptions towards purchasing luxury online and their experience with the augmented reality VTO technology.

FAQ

How much time will be involved?

Approximately 20-30 minutes

How will the data and information collected be used?

I will use it in my research report as primary research into the mind of a luxury consumer.

Will the outcomes of the research be published?

They will informally be published to TurnItIn

Will my name or the name of my company appear in the research report?

Yes

Consent

“I have read the Information Sheet and have had the details of the study explained to me. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I understand that I may ask further questions at any time. I understand I have the right to withdraw from the study at any time and to decline to answer any particular questions. I agree to provide information to the researcher on the understanding that my name will not be used without my permission. (The information will be used only for this research and publications arising from this research project.)

I agree/do not agree to the interview being taped. My name can be mentioned in this research study The name of the organisation I work for can be mentioned in this research study

Agree Not Agree

Agree Agree Agree

I understand that I have the right to ask for the audio/video tape to be turned off at any time during the interview. I agree to participate in this study under the conditions set out in the Information Sheet.

Name: Akanksha Goyal

Signed:

Date: 20 Jan. 22

Emily Freund: What's your name, age, and occupation? Akanksha Goyal: My name is Akanksha Goyal, and I'm 21 years old and I'm a student/graphic designer

Emily Freund: How often do you shop or view items from luxury brands? Akanksha Goyal: I view items on a daily basis, but I shop perhaps twice a month.

Emily Freund: When was the last time you bought from a luxury brand? Akanksha Goyal: Two weeks ago?

Emily Freund: Was it online or in store? Akanksha Goyal: Online

Emily Freund: And what made this experience enjoyable for you? Akanksha Goyal: The prices, online prices were much better than in store prices.

Emily Freund: What part of the experience of shopping online made it informative about the product or brand? What did you learn? Akanksha Goyal: So, the description part of the website was really good. Where they do the composition, which tells me if the textiles are going to be good. Some websites that I shop from often would give me matching items that will help me style it or even put up like a runway video so I can see a 360 [view], see how an item would look in its movement.

Emily Freund: What kinds of AR technology are you aware of? Akanksha Goyal: Apart from Instagram filters, not a lot.

Emily Freund: Which brands are you aware of that use AR technology? Akanksha Goyal: Balenciaga, I know uses it, Miu Miu used it recently with the 3D model girl.

Emily Freund: Do you think brands could benefit more from using AR? Akanksha Goyal: For products? Maybe not, since their luxury and I think a big part of luxury shopping is that in store experience and having that customer service and feeling the fabric, but on a more media, editorial way where they can interact with the advertisement, have Instagram filters. That's super fun to have.

Emily Freund: And what is your preferred shopping outlet: online, offline, both? Akanksha Goyal: Offline? I like to see the pieces in person.

Emily Freund: And how often do you shop offline or online? Akanksha Goyal: Online, I shop maybe once or twice a month for clothes. Offline, the same amount.

Emily Freund: And when you're shopping online, do you just browse, or do you actually purchase? Akanksha Goyal: Mostly browsing.

Emily Freund: So, what makes you actually purchase an item? Akanksha Goyal: I think seeing it in person and trying it on makes a huge difference. My personal belief is everything looks better online. So, I do not trust the product as much and I do not know how it's going to fit on my body personally. Second in person shopping I feel requires more effort because I have to leave my house and it has that more physical exertion. So, I go with a more task-oriented mind rather than online shopping where I'm just like browsing and adding things to my cart.

Emily Freund: Okay, I'm now going to ask you to try out this [DressX] app. And while you're using the technology, walk me through what you're going through and how you feel. You can pick any look you want. [DressX] recommend that you wear tighter clothing, so the technology works better. Okay, just walk me through what you're doing. Akanksha Goyal: So, I'm scrolling through the options and it's quite interesting to see all these other brands and more underground, sustainable brands perhaps featured here.

Emily Freund: What item have you chosen? Akanksha Goyal: So, I'm going to now try on the Biomechanical Dress from Alejandro Delgado.

Emily Freund: Tell me what you're thinking. Akanksha Goyal: I think the concept is nice. Perhaps it's what I'm currently wearing, I can't really see it look as nice. But it's cool because you get a fair idea of how it looks color wise. Maybe not the best for seeing fitting again, because it's not going to fit the way it's fitting on camera. I could see how influencers could be interested in this.

Emily Freund: Okay, thank you. Now, I'm going to ask you some questions on your experience, how did you feel while using the try-on technology? Akanksha Goyal: It was a fun experience. You know, good to do to pass time with friends, try on different things. The dresses that they have on is something you in person would see very rarely. So again, you are exposed to more trendy designs and high fashion designs that often you would not come in contact with, in that more augmented reality sense anywhere else.

Emily Freund: What are some pros and cons of using this Virtual Try-On technology? Akanksha Goyal: Pros would be depending on what your occupation is. If you are a designer, like a fashion designer, an AR/UI/UX designer and influencer, anyone working in the digital space, this is a new area they can explore where design and technology meet. Influencers could take a more sustainable route where they're not doing hauls and purchasing clothes that they only wear for an Instagram picture and then end up in landfills. Second, I feel like this thing could very well work with a concept like NFT, where you're buying this dress as an NFT. And it's only yours, which is a very new and up-and-coming thing. Cons would be for a regular normal day shopper, this is just a fun filter to try out, try on and explore. At the end of the day buying physical clothes and having them hanging in your closet is a very different experience than trying it on in a photo. Second, design wise, it does not look like a very realistic dress at the end of the day as well.

Emily Freund: Do you think as a graphic designer that virtual try-on technology could enter your field? Akanksha Goyal: It is in our field because graphic designers are the ones making the design for these clothes and rendering all of this and then working with people in UI and UX and these brands to launch them as a filter. So, it's very much integrated into our industry already.

Emily Freund: And based on your experience and your knowledge of graphic design, how do you think the graphic designers could improve this technology? Akanksha Goyal: I think the main thing that it's lacking is that designers need to work on is the texture of the fabric and the way it fits. If they improve upon how it's flowing and it looks a little more realistic with its movement, maybe it could reach out to a wider audience other than influencers and people could buy these more exotic looking dresses and it could take off.

Emily Freund: What is the most important factor when you are deciding to purchase an item? Akanksha Goyal: For me it is the sustainability and ethics and quality. I don't mind personally paying a higher price point for an item that I know is going to last me a long time and hasn't had a negative impact on its workers and the environment.

Emily Freund: Did you learn anything about the brand or the product during your experience? Akanksha Goyal: While using the app, I did discover new designer names, but I didn't get any background information as to where they're from, what type of designs they're into, like ready to wear, couture. And I think that would be interesting to have. If you're like trying on, right before you try on the dress, you get a little blurb.

Emily Freund: In what ways do you think the Virtual Try-on technology was informative, if at all? Akanksha Goyal: I wouldn't particularly say it was informative. I would say it was a fun experience.

Emily Freund: And why was it a fun experience? Akanksha Goyal: I think it was effortless. In one sense, you could go through all these dresses. And the way to use the app wasn't very difficult, either. They had very clear categories, dresses, jackets, and all of that, and to see and move around and see how the dress changes was quirky.

Emily Freund: What did you like about the experience? Akanksha Goyal: It made me laugh. Just because it was not a very serious experience for me, perhaps that's why.

Emily Freund: And what was your biggest dislike about this experience? Akanksha Goyal: I wouldn't say it's a dislike, but it just didn't look as good as I thought it would look. And I would want the dress to fit a little better. So maybe it would get a more WOW factor for me.

Emily Freund: So, you don't think the virtual Try-on technology was accurate in depicting the item? Akanksha Goyal: No, I don't think the feeling or the way it like looked on me is accurate.

Emily Freund: What factors influence your decision to purchase luxury online? Akanksha Goyal: Customer service. If I know I can return the item without any hassle, I will purchase it because I don't want to deal with customs and all of that.

Emily Freund: Would you purchase the item you viewed today? Akanksha Goyal: No. The items that I did try on were items that I would never purchase and browse. And I think that's a good part of having to use DressX, it gives you more information and exposes you to designers and clothes and designs you would normally not look for.

Emily Freund: What was missing from your experience that would influence your decision. Akanksha Goyal: Again, I would just say if it fit a little better, and it look more realistic. I think that would make online shopping much better. If I could try on a coat and know that it crops right above my hip, I would get that sense of security in online purchasing.

Emily Freund: Would you purchase from a brand that uses Virtual Try-on technology? Akanksha Goyal: Yes, I think Acne Studios is working on that you can post pictures of your body and then they Photoshop or put the item on you and see how it measures up.

Emily Freund: So, what part of Virtual Try-on technology would influence you to use that technology and then purchase, for example that Acne Studios [technology]? Akanksha Goyal: Maybe just a basic sense of dimensions of the clothing. Often online, you do not know how long or short or broad an item will look. And I think with coats and jackets, that's a good virtual experience; to know how long a long coat is actually going to be on you.

Emily Freund: And how has this influenced your opinion of the brand? Akanksha Goyal: I would think it's a more progressive, high-tech brand, as they're investing in new technology. And they're pushing online shopping more than in store shopping, could also be because of the pandemic. And I think more brands are adopting this idea.

Emily Freund: And how has using this technology affected your opinions of online purchasing?

Akanksha Goyal: I think shopping and fashion is moving towards a more online feel than in store, seeing the circumstances were in. And having VR technology would provide you with a safety net with the brand, and brands that offer that would be purchased from more.

Emily Freund: Why do you think those brands would be purchased more from if they use this technology? Akanksha Goyal: I think it provides maybe some sense of tangibility, and connection with the product rather than just browsing. And if you're serious about the product, you will look and try it on and maybe get like 50-60% of a sense of what this product is going to be.

Emily Freund: What do you think is the greatest barrier for consumers using E-commerce to purchase their items online? Akanksha Goyal: I would say just fraud in general, I think often people are wary of credit card fraud, the product being faulty. These are things that you cannot anticipate until you receive your product. And it's not an instant experience as going in store and buying and trying it on and knowing whether it's going to work out for you.

Emily Freund: What do you think should be done to enhance online purchasing experience? Akanksha Goyal: Again, customer service, having good return times, and accurate depiction of products. Often in online shopping, the pictures you see have been photoshopped or have been styled in a way where the product is altered. So, when you receive it, it doesn't look the same. And that makes you lose your trust in that brand and never shop from them again.

Emily Freund: Do you have opinions on Virtual Try-on technology within the fashion industry? Akanksha Goyal: I think it's a good step. It is something new that is being worked on. And it could possibly be the future of fashion. It's in a very newborn stage. And if Virtual Try-Ons take off, you have the best of both worlds where you are doing in person and online shopping at the same time. And I would do that if it became a more accurate technology.