The role of privacy and emotion in ARBS continuing use intention

Purpose Today, contactless businesses are becoming part of the “new normal” in daily life. Augmented reality-based services (ARBS) thus provide a mechanism for contactless commerce, offering customers access to sensory experiences, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, privacy can be a key concern when consumers decide whether to continue using ARBS. Thus, drawing on the Appraisal Tendency Framework (ATF), the study aims to examine how augmentation quality (Aug-Q), discrete emotions (joy and frustration) and privacy perceptions influence users' ARBS continuing use intention. Design/methodology/approach A survey methodology with a well-designed online questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using a structural equation model with Amos v. 22.0 software. Findings This study demonstrated that Aug-Q had a significant positive impact on joy and a significant negative impact on frustration. Additionally, joy was positively associated with the perception of privacy benefits and ARBS continuing use intention, while frustration was negatively associated with the perception of privacy benefits and ARBS continuing use intention. The results also indicate that (perceived privacy risks) PPR–benefits predict the likelihood of ARBS continuing use intention. Originality/value This study enhances understanding of users' ARBS continuing use intention from an integrative perspective based on the ATF, thus identifying the Aug-Q-induced emotions that subsequently influence privacy trade-offs and predict users' ARBS continuing use intention. The results provide evidence that privacy and emotions can be key determinants when consumers decide whether to continue using ARBS. The findings of this research may be beneficial for commercial companies in preventing the loss of ARBS users.