Can consumers’ gamified, personalized, and engaging experiences with VR fashion apps increase in-app purchase intention by fulfilling needs?

Abstract While the development of virtual reality (VR) apps is trending among fashion retailers to cope with COVID-19 pandemic and promote consumers’ online shopping, less understood about whether way these new VR increase in-app purchase. This study was designed address this issue by applying self-determination theory within context Taobao Life, a 3D avatar-based game-featured world on app. Specifically, we investigated (1) extent which app provides consumers sense gamified experience (H1: challenge, H2: achievement), personalized (H3: avatar customization, H4: identification), engaging (H5: social presence, H6: support) fulfills their competence, autonomy, relatedness needs; (2) intrinsic needs fulfill determine positive consumer behavioral intentions (H7: intention continue use apps, H8: make purchase), (3) leads purchase (H9). We tested above empirically conducting an survey via Dynata, dataset 251 responses analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings our research provide theoretical practical implications that can be applied in retail business.