Privacy Concerns, Perceived Intrusiveness, and Privacy Controls: An Analysis of Virtual Try-On Apps

Virtual try-on apps, through augmented reality technology and facial recognition technology, allow consumers to virtually try products on their own images. In this article, we examine consumers’ responses to virtual try-on apps as well as the brand sponsors of these apps. Results from Study 1 demonstrate that when users have high levels of privacy concerns, they tend to generate higher levels of perceived intrusiveness and more negative app attitudes when viewing themselves trying a product in a virtual try-on app (self-viewing) than when viewing professional models wearing the product (other viewing). Results from Study 2 indicate that regardless of users’ levels of privacy concerns, giving users controls over the privacy settings reduces their perceived intrusiveness of virtual try-on apps, which in turn leads to more positive app attitudes, positive brand attitudes, and increased purchase intentions.