Face value? Customer views of appropriate formats for Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) in online retailing

Although the motivational benefits of Embodied Conversational Agents in other areas have been demonstrated their potential for relationship building within e-tailing has been little utilized. In this exploratory paper we consider customer perceptions of what types of ECA are appropriate to retailing websites using data from semi-structured interviews with 30 Internet shoppers. Extrapolating the findings from the advertising literature concerning match-up between endorser and brand, product or retailer we find this will be an important element in the acceptability and viability of ECAs on retail websites. It is apparent that great care has to be taken in matching not only the physical characteristics of the ECA to perceptions of the brand, product or retailer but also to the goals and motivations of potential customers of a website. We also find that introducing customer interaction into the 'match-up' mix introduces a new level of complexity, that of matching customer expectations. It is this level of service that may be most difficult for technology and organizations to meet.