Autonomous technology in the marketplace: The impact of enjoyment on consumer responses

Abstract

The implementation of AI technologies in smart retailing raises privacy concerns due to their reliance on consumer data. This study examines how technology enjoyment influences consumers' willingness to share personal information and investigates the role of perceived autonomy of technology and psychological needs in shaping enjoyment. Through a survey and two single-factor experiments (n = 809) manipulating different smart retailing technologies (e.g., interactive kiosks, mobile apps, and robots), we confirm that technology enjoyment increases consumers' willingness to disclose personal data. Risk perceptions and perceived technology autonomy help explain these findings. Moreover, perceived competence associated with the use of technology positively influences how much consumers enjoy the experience. Our research underscores the pivotal role of enjoyment in mitigating risk perceptions and driving self-disclosure behavior in physical retail settings. We emphasize the importance for marketers and policymakers to recognize the potential unintended consequences of enjoyable technological experiences on consumer privacy. By focusing on enjoyment's buffering effect on risk perceptions and its correlation with technology autonomy, we enhance our understanding of consumer behavior in smart retail environments. • Technology enjoyment increases consumers' willingness to disclose personal data. • Risk perceptions and perceived technology autonomy help explain these findings. • The needs of personal autonomy, competence, and relatedness are antecedents of perceived enjoyment. • Less autonomous technologies enhance competence perceptions and higher enjoyment levels.