Investigating the moderating role of AI-enabled services on flow and awe experience

Interactive technology is rapidly transforming the modern e-tail landscape by applying reality-enhancing technologies, i.e., augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality-led sensory, emotional and cognitive mechanisms. These wide-ranging AI-enabled services improve user interface and enhance customers’ experience in the online shopping environment. The current study integrated the flow dimensions and the broaden-and-build theory to investigate the moderating influence of AI-enabled service quality on flow dimensions and customers' awe experience. The model examined the role of online flow dimensions, i.e., perceived control, concentration, and cognitive enjoyment, in using AI-enabled services to enhance customers’ awe experience in the Indian fashion e-tailing context. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze and validate a sample of 739 online fashion retail shoppers. The findings posited that individuals are encouraged by the (1) concentration and (2) cognitive enjoyment facilitated by online flow, and in the case of (3) perceived control, the effect size was small. Further, the moderating role of AI-enabled service in deepening and positively influencing the awe experience with perceived control, concentration, and cognitive enjoyment was also established. • Investigate the awe experience for online fashion retail. • Conceptual model provides insights on AI-enabled services. • AI-enabled services lead to positive emotions, e.g., awe experience. • AI-enabled service quality augments the influence of online flow dimensions. • Operationalizes perceived control, concentration, and cognitive enjoyment.