The influence of digital presentation formats on consumer experience and decision making in real estate
Date Issued
April 2026
Author(s)
Gkalianidou, Mairi
Advisor
Abstract
This master’s thesis investigates how digital property presentation formats influence consumer experience and decision-making support in the context of residential real estate. While existing literature has primarily focused on technological advancements or fully immersive virtual reality, limited attention has been given to widely used, non-headset formats and their comparative effectiveness. Drawing on flow theory and consumer decision-making framework, this study examines how 3D renders and 360-degree virtual tours influence perceived immersion, flow experience, and decision-making support. A quasi-experimental design (N=150) was employed using independent samples t-tests, mediation, and moderation analyses. The findings indicate that 360-degree virtual tours significantly outperform renders across all dimensions. Flow experience emerged as a significant mediator between presentation format and decision-making support, whereas perceived immersion did not, highlighting that cognitive and emotional absorption is more critical than the mere sense of presence. No moderating effects of gender or prior experience were observed, suggesting the robustness of the findings across user groups. The originality of this study lies in demonstrating that the effectiveness of digital property presentations is not driven solely by immersion, but by the ability to generate flow experiences that meaningfully support consumer decision-making. Practically, the findings suggest that 360-degree virtual tours can be strategically integrated into digital marketing and sales processes to enhance engagement, improve buyer understanding, strengthen purchase intention, and reduce reliance on physical property viewings.
Affiliation
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