Relação entre os avatares digitais e a intenção de compra de estudantes de graduação em Administração

Abstract

The use of the Internet as the main form of communication has changed the ways of interaction and expanded the connection between advertisers and consumers. There has also been a significant change in consumer behavior that has had to adapt to new ways of buying that have emerged due to technological advances. In this context, the popularization of social networking platforms generates alternatives to traditional ads and promotes new social actors such as digital avatars, digital entities with anthropomorphic appearance, controlled by a human or software, which have the ability to interact. Given this scenario, the objective of this research is to identify the relationship between digital avatars and purchase intention in an online retail from the perception of Administration undergraduate students at the Federal University of Ceara as consumers. Nine interviews were conducted with Business Administration students, chosen by convenience, and the data obtained was analyzed through content analysis. The research showed that digital avatars are directly linked to consumers' perception of risk and are important elements for brand humanization. It was also possible to verify the attraction to the website, where it demonstrates that the constant digital presence facilitates the relationship with the customer.