Purpose – This research examined how to present clothing fabrics online so that consumers gain an accurate impression. Providing online shoppers with accurate product information will lead to fewer product returns, offering clear economic and ecological benefits. Design/methodology/approach – Two studies (N = 90 and N = 379) assessed the accuracy of fabric perception in different online presentation conditions. A base condition showing conventional information was compared to three conditions with additional information: scrunched fabric pictures; a video of a model wearing the dress or a video showing hands interacting with the fabric. ANOVA tests assessed the effect of the online condition on fabric perception discrepancies between the online-presented and actual dress. Findings – A video in which hands interact with fabric, stretching, shaking, and crunching it, improved an accurate online fabric perception, specifically for stiffness and stretchability. A model video improved perception accuracy for glossiness. Scrunched fabric pictures improved accurate glossiness and thickness perception but worsened weight and stiffness perception for specific dresses. Practical implications – These findings aid companies in making an informed decision on how to present fabrics with certain properties online in order to reduce product returns. Originality/value – Existing research on the effect of different types of product presentation mainly focused on heightening purchase intention. We focused on increasing actual fabric perception accuracy, which will aid in adopting a more sustainable retail strategy by preventing unnecessary returns.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of experiential augmentation on product evaluation by consumers. An important distinction is made between product-related experiential augmentation and experiential augmentation of the environment. Furthermore, the research examines how brand familiarity moderates the effect of experiential augmentation. Design/methodology/approach: In two experiments (N = 210 and N = 70), both product-related and environmental experiential augmentation were varied. Participants tasted and evaluated a new coffee product from either a well-known or a fictitious brand. Findings: The findings of the first experiment indicate that product-related experiential augmentation contributes positively to product evaluation for both an unfamiliar and a familiar brand. Experiential augmentation of the environment influences product evaluation negatively, but only in the absence of product-related experiential augmentation. The second experiment tests some possible explanations for this negative effect and shows that it occurs only in the case of a familiar brand. Practical implications: The findings offer implications for marketing managers seeking to positively influence consumer product evaluations through experiential augmentation. First, marketing managers are advised to make a distinction between product-related experiential augmentation and experiential augmentation of the evaluation environment, and, second, they should take brand familiarity into account when employing experiential augmentation of the environment. Originality/value: This research contributes to the literature by showing that product-related experiential augmentation and experiential augmentation of the environment differ in the impact they have on product evaluation and providing insight into the relationship between brand familiarity and experiential augmentation.