Welcome to the virtual mall: What makes consumers click 'buy' in metaverse worlds?
Welcome to the virtual mall: What makes consumers click 'buy' in metaverse worlds?

Summary/Abstract: Research background: The trajectory of virtual shopping has evolved beyond two-dimensional interfaces toward highly immersive, three-dimensional environments. As the retail sector pivots into the metaverse, delineating the fundamental shifts in consumer behaviour becomes paramount. Traditional technology acceptance models frequently lack the granularity required to capture the sensory and psychological depth inherent in virtual reality, necessitating a more sophisticated theoretical approach to decode how users interact with high-fidelity digital storefronts. Purpose of the article: This research proposes a novel, multidimensional framework designed to capture the inherent complexity of consumer decision-making within immersive virtual shopping contexts. By synthesizing technological affordances with psychological evaluations, this investigation seeks to address a pivotal research question: To what extent do latent technological drivers and cognitive-perceptual factors interact to determine consumer adoption within 3D spatial retail? By answering this, the study unravels the mechanisms through which virtual store environments catalyse behavioural intentions. Methods: A structured online survey was administered across Romania employing a virtual snowball sampling technique, stratified by three distinct age cohorts: under 25, 25-44, and above 45. The proposed conceptual model was statistically validated through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), facilitated by SmartPLS version 4.0. This analytical approach was selected for its robustness in handling complex structural relationships and its efficiency in estimating path coefficients within multi-construct frameworks. Findings & value added: This research underscores that metaverse store perception is a foundational antecedent in shaping consumer experiences and behavioural outcomes within virtual shopping environments. A positive valuation of the storefront enhances key experiential attributes--specifically interactivity, social engagement, and environmental authenticity--which collectively serve as pivotal drivers for metaverse shopping adoption. Concurrently, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistants emerge as a critical mechanism for enhancing consumer uptake of metaverse shopping platforms. Conversely, contrary to some extant literature, avatar characteristics and social interaction demonstrate a negligible influence on consumers' behavioural intentions toward metaverse shopping. The study adopts the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework to elucidate how specific metaverse stimuli--namely, the technological and perceptual affordances of a virtual store--shape consumers' internal states and emotional evaluations (Organism), such as immersion-related affect and trust. The resulting behavioural response encompasses the propensity to engage in metaverse shopping and the subsequent intention to embrace virtual retail paradigms.

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