How does a photo holding a product move the needle in terms of that product's consumer perception? More than you'd think. Tod speaks to a researcher who studied this effect.

There are many advantages of e-commerce for the consumer — they can shop from home, it’s easier to compare products from different stores. But there’s always been one big disadvantage: They can’t touch anything. Sometimes, holding a product in your hand, is as much a part of the buying process as holding your credit card there.

But if we can’t give them a good feeling by letting them touch the product, can we get at least half-way there?

That’s what Andrea Luangrath set out to discover. She is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa. She her colleagues have published a fascinating research study in the Journal of Marketing Research called “The Vicarious Haptic Effect in Digital Marketing and Virtual Reality.”

GO PREMIUM!

Get these exclusive benefits when you upgrade:

✅ Listen ad-free

✅ Back catalog of 20+ marketing science interviews

✅ Get the show earlier than the free version

✅ “Skip to story” audio chapters

✅ Member-only monthly livestreams with Tod

And a lot more! Check it out: todayindigital.com/premium

✨ Already Premium? Update Credit Card • Cancel

MORE

🆘 Need help with your social media? Check us out: engageQ digital

📞 Need marketing advice? Leave us a voicemail and we’ll get an expert to help you free!