Marketing Communication with Online Characters:

A Focus on the Effect of Avatars

Abstract

As more consumers shop online, avatars are being used to support consumer purchase behavior in many online shopping sites and virtual worlds. Previous studies have suggested that avatars have positive effects on consumers’ online shopping experience and are important for the successful operation of a website. Despite their increasing importance, findings from previous studies have not been organized to provide a systematic understanding of avatars. Therefore, in this paper, previous research on avatars is reviewed in terms of the effects of (1) the existence of avatars, (2) avatar design, and (3) avatar communication. Based on this review, this paper suggests that future research should (1) examine new moderation variables, (2) focus on avatars in social media, (3) examine new avatar design factors, and (4) simultaneously examine the effects of avatar design and communication.