虚拟销售代理的拟人效应

网络购物中的虚拟销售代理(Virtual Sales Agent)是指通过口头或非口头形式与消费者互动和交流的具有拟人化特征的动态人物形象, 它可以为消费者提供商品和服务的信息以及必要的帮助。近年来, 大量研究证实了虚拟销售代理的拟人效应, 即当在网络购物环境中加入拟人化的销售代理时, 就会对购物者的在线购物过程感知体验和购物意向产生积极影响。相关理论从不同视角解释了虚拟销售代理拟人效应发生的原因。综述以往的实证研究发现, 虚拟销售代理拟人效应的发生受到虚拟销售代理特征、消费者因素以及商品因素等方面的影响; 社会临场感、个性化服务知觉、社会支持感、信任和风险感知是拟人效应发生的内在心理机制。未来研究应关注虚拟销售代理拟人效应的神经生理基础, 丰富拟人效应发生的影响因素, 加强对个性化定制虚拟销售代理的研究, 探讨虚拟销售代理的消极影响, 以及不利于虚拟销售代理使用的障碍性因素。

The persona effect of virtual sales agent

Virtual sales agents (VSA) on e-commerce and online retail Web sites, representing animated embodiments that respond to users through verbal and non-verbal communication, most often serve a search support function by presenting product and service information, or a basic decision support function. Recent researches have demonstrated the persona effect of VSA, that is the integration of social cues (i.e., cues based on humanlike sales agents) into retail Web sites may heighten the perception of employee presence and feeling of being served, which thus enhance consumers’ online shopping experiences. Theories related with the persona effect of virtual sales agent hold different points. The persona effect of VSA could be influenced by the VSA’s characteristics, consumer factors and product factors. Its mechanism includes social presence, sense of personalization, perceived social support, trust and perceived risk. On this basis, we point out the future research direction.