Immersive VR fashion shopping: when and how mental imagery shapes consumer information processing

Virtual reality (VR) technologies are transforming fashion retailing by allowing consumers to engage with products and stores in immersive ways. Yet little is known about how consumers process information in these environments, particularly for hedonic products such as fashion. This research examines whether consumers rely on mental imagery or discursive processing when evaluating fashion products and stores in VR contexts. Study 1 investigates three-dimensional (3D) product presentations and shows that the effects of VR media type (immersive vs. non-immersive) on product diagnosticity depend on product type (hedonic vs. utilitarian). Specifically, immersive VR enhances diagnosticity for hedonic products through imagery-based processing, but it disrupts discursive processing for utilitarian products. Study 2 explores VR fashion store environments to further examine how mental imagery processing in immersive VR retail settings depends on consumer shopping motivation (browsing vs. searching). Results demonstrate that the sense of telepresence generated by immersive VR experience activates both product- and store-related imagery processing, which in turn increases fashion store visit satisfaction. Interestingly, the mediating role of product-related imagery appears only for consumers with browsing motivation, whereas store-related imagery mediates the effect regardless of motivation. These findings advance understanding of consumer information processing in VR by revealing when and how mental imagery dominates over discursive reasoning. Beyond theoretical contributions, the research offers actionable insights for fashion retailers and brands seeking to design immersive VR shopping experiences that align with consumers’ goals and product types.