From Intelligence to Interaction: The Role of Chatbot Warmth, Anthropomorphism, and Personalization on Customer Experience in the Digital Era - A deeper insight into the online shopping behavior of Ho Chi Minh City residents

Abstract

This study explores the impact of chatbot features—warmth, anthropomorphism, and personalization—on customer experience in the online retail sector, focusing on Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. With the rapid growth of e-commerce in the region, driven by technological advancements and consumer behavior shifts, understanding how these features affect customer trust, comfort, engagement, and loyalty is critical. Grounded in theories like the Media Equation Theory (MET) and Expectancy Violations Theory (EVT), the research employs a quantitative approach, surveying 603 online shoppers with prior chatbot interaction experience. Data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS to assess the relationships among key variables. The findings reveal that chatbot warmth, anthropomorphism, and personalization significantly enhance customer trust and comfort, which in turn drive engagement and intention to recommend. Trust emerged as a pivotal mediator, linking these chatbot features to positive customer behaviors. The study also highlights the critical role of personalization in fostering tailored experiences that meet customer expectations in a highly competitive online retail landscape. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of human-chatbot interactions and offers practical insights for online retailers seeking to optimize chatbot design for improved customer retention and satisfaction. The results underscore the importance of human-like and empathetic chatbot interactions in enhancing customer loyalty, providing a roadmap for businesses to adapt AI-driven solutions to the evolving needs of Vietnam’s e-commerce market