How Beauty Filters in AR Jewelry Try-on Affects Purchase Intention - Focusing on the Roles of Self-product Fit, Product Attitude, and Body Image -

Abstract

This study explores how beauty filters in augmented reality (AR) virtual try-on (VTO) systems affect consumers’ jewelry shopping decisions. It examines the influence of beauty filters on perceived self–product fit, product attitude, and purchase intention, and further investigates the moderating role of body image. An experiment was conducted with 108 female participants using existing AR try-on applications on Taobao. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted using AMOS to assess the validity of the measurement model. Following this, moderated serial mediation analysis was performed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS with body image included as the moderator. The results showed that unfiltered try-ons enhanced self–product fit, which, in turn, improved attitudes and boosted purchase intentions. This indirect effect was stronger for participants reporting higher body image satisfaction. These findings suggest that brands should exercise caution when applying beauty filters in virtual try-on systems, as they may weaken the sense of product fit, especially for users with a positive body image. Allowing users to adjust or disable filter intensity may improve user comfort and decision quality. This study demonstrates the psychological downsides of beauty filters in AR try-on and identified body image as a key moderating factor. This shifts attention from system-oriented technical features to user-centered psychological mechanisms, underscoring personalized design as a more effective solution. Methodologically, it enhances external validity through testing on an existing commercial AR try-on platform. These findings highlight the need for a user- centered design in AR retail, contributing to both consumer research and digital retail practices.