The Effect of Online Customization on Consumers’ Happiness and Purchase Intention and the Mediating Roles of Autonomy, Competence, and Pride of Authorship

ABSTRACT

Advanced information communication technology and production technologies such as 3D printing have enhanced consumers’ personalized experiences. Customization as one of the noticeable personalization is attracting attention to both consumers and companies because of its significant leverage on transformation of production-consumption paradigm. This study aims to identify the effect of online customization experiences on consumers’ happiness and behavioral intention. The findings suggest that customization experiences have a positive effect on happiness, and autonomy, competence, and pride of authorship play a mediating role between the two variables. In addition, happiness has a positive effect on purchase intention, and an indirect effect of happiness between online customization experience and purchase intention was found. This study suggests that creative activities via computers can bring happiness to consumers and increase purchase intention. Therefore, practitioners need to consider maximizing autonomy, competence, and pride of authorship to enhance consumers’ happiness and purchase intention when consumers interact with computers.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (NRF-2016S1A2A2912526).

Notes on contributors

Ha Youn Kim

Ha Youn Kim, Ph.D., is a researcher at Seoul National University. Her key research interests lie in consumer psychology, retail technology, and consumer behavior. She has presented several research papers and published papers in national and international journals.

Yuri Lee

Yuri Lee, Ph.D., is a professor in Fashion Merchandising at Seoul National University. Her current research interests are in multidisciplinary areas including retail technology, use experience, and sustainability focusing on the fashion industry. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in numerous refereed journals and conference proceedings.