The Influence of Aesthetics and Apparent Usability on Jewelry Design Preference

Over the last two decades scholars have studied the relationship between product usability and consumer purchase intentions. It has been established that perceived usability is valuable for predicting intentions to purchase water bottles, kitchen appliances, smart devices, etc., but there has been little research on the role of usability in jewelry purchase decisions. Product aesthetics is also an important factor in consumers’ purchasing decisions; aesthetics creates attraction, evokes emotions and satisfaction in shoppers. This article aims to investigate the role of aesthetics and usability in jewelry purchasing decisions in India. A survey of 194 potential jewelry customers was undertaken, with respondents asked for their opinions on six product concepts for handmade glass pendants. Our results show that aesthetics, usability and willingness to purchase handmade glass pendants are strongly and significantly related to each other. When correlation and multiple regression analysis were performed on the survey data, it was found that both usability and aesthetics positively influence purchase intention. This study finds that aesthetics and apparent usability are both valuable predictors for purchase intention of glass pendants. Keywords: Aesthetics, Craft, Design, Apparent usability, Craft cluster