From User Cognition to User Interaction Modalities in Consumer Behaviour

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has revolutionized science and commerce and has increased the innovation and the spread of a variety of virtual environments applications. These innovations are the result of the both technological development and cognitive studies. The chapter aims to underline the relationships between Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and consumer behaviour, focusing the attention on the 3-D virtual environments dedicated to electronic and Internet e-commerce (e-retail) services. We introduce how the 3-D interfaces can contribute to the successful impact of online retail. The importance of the relationship between customer and system concerns the effective potentiality of the user interface. If a user interface is ineffective, the system’s functionalities and usefulness will be limited and the users will be confused, frustrated, and annoyed, and therefore less likely to use the system again. Finally, we aim to outline the cognitive and technological aspects involved in the communication process between user and virtual e-retail system interface and directions for possible future research.