Revolutionizing retail: The transformative power of service robots on shopping dynamics

The retail sector is witnessing a significant transition as Retail Service Robots (RSRs) become more widely deployed. This paper investigates the factors influencing customer acceptance of RSRs based on their interaction experiences with these robots. While existing literature predominantly examines human-robot interaction (HRI) from a technological perspective, there is a lack of focus on the social dimensions of interacting with physical robots. Through this study we are trying to fill this gap by looking into the factors that influence customer acceptance and rejection of RSRs. A qualitative study addressed this gap, gathering data from 38 participants through open-ended essays. We identified 15 dimensions clustered into two primary themes: reasons for and against RSRs customer acceptance. Reasons for consumer acceptance of RSRs include conversational agility, performance expectancy, immersion, perceived anthropomorphism, interactivity, authenticity, intimacy, and homophily. Conversely, reasons against consumer acceptance encompass vulnerability, technological complexity, exhaustion, stiff kinesics, technology readiness, social anxiety, and privacy concerns. The implication of our study extends RSRs literature by exploring crucial factors for RSRs adoption. This study also provides actionable insights for retail managers and service robot developers to build a favourable environment for RSRs adoption.