Sophie G Roussel
Sustainability has become a significant factor in shaping consumer shopping habits. Companies are implementing 3D store designs to provide a more immersive and interactive experience. Further study is needed to investigate whether a sustainable, green-focused 3D storefront shifts consumers’ satisfaction with online shopping and their intention to buy products from a sustainable store. This study seeks to fill the research gap by examining how sustainable 3D store design influences consumer shopping behavior. Specifically, three distinct 3D store mockups were developed using Visual Retailing (VR) technology. The same number of visually appealing features, products, and store layouts was used to make the three stores appear to be identical at first glance. All three stores were durable and visually appealing. Two 3D stores emphasized environmentally friendly construction and design, aiming to minimize textile waste and carbon footprint. Store A does not incorporate any sustainability elements in its store design. Store B was the green store which incorporated upcycled wood, recycled metal, and biodegradable decor for all fixtures. Store C was a circular fashion store which featured an upcycling section where customers could personalize or repair their garments. This study used a convenience sampling and recruited college students at Southern university in the U.S. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three different 3D fashion stores. After viewing the virtual store, participants were asked to read a consent form and complete an online survey in Qualtrics. All reliable and valid scale items were adapted from previous studies. Seven-point Likert scales ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (7) were used for all scale items. This study explored how the three 3D fashion store designs impact consumers’ perceptions, satisfaction, and purchase intention. The results of this study suggest to online fashion retailers how to incorporate sustainability into the online store design.