Who will buy smart glasses? Empirical results of two pre-market-entry studies on the role of personality in individual awareness and intended adoption of Google Glass wearables

• We introduce smart glasses to the consumer literature.
• We investigate the direct and moderating role of personality.
• We show that personality plays a significant role smart glass use (intention).
• We provide pre-market entry knowledge about smart glasses.

Recent market studies reveal that augmented reality (AR) devices, such as smart glasses, will substantially influence the media landscape. Yet, little is known about the intended adoption of smart glasses, particularly: Who are the early adopters of such wearables? We contribute to the growing body of research that investigates the role of personality in predicting media usage by analyzing smart glasses, such as Google Glass or Microsoft Hololens. First, we integrate AR devices into the current evolution of media and technologies. Then, we draw on the Big Five Model of human personality and present the results from two studies that investigate the direct and moderating effects of human personality on the awareness and innovation adoption of smart glasses. Our results show that open and emotionally stable consumers tend to be more aware of Google Glass. Consumers who perceive the potential for high functional benefits and social conformity of smart glasses are more likely to adopt such wearables. The strength of these effects is moderated by consumers’ individual personality, particularly by their levels of openness to experience, extraversion and neuroticism. This article concludes with a discussion of theoretical and managerial implications for research on technology adoption, and with suggestions for avenues for future research.