Unveiling virtual interactive marketplaces: Shopping motivations in the Metaverse through the lens of uses and gratifications theory
Metaverse shopping; Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA); Personalization; PLS-SEM; Uses and gratifications
The emergence of Metaverse has transformed the consumer shopping experience. This novel e-commerce platform offers a fresh approach to shopping, with Generation Z primarily exploring this innovative technology. Our research examines shopping within the Metaverse by developing a model based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory and Metaverse-related factors. A total of 1220 Gen Z consumers were surveyed, and data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Further, analysis of collected data was done using PLS-SEM. The results reveal that information seeking, perceived enjoyment, escapism, social interaction, sense of immersion, and personalization influence the shopping intention in the Metaverse, and perceived risk negatively influences the shopping intention of consumers. Further, shopping intention influences the potential use of Metaverse for shopping, and this relationship is moderated by technological innovativeness. This investigation into the adoption of the Metaverse for retail purposes augments the current Metaverse research and enhances the uses and gratifications theory within the Metaverse domain. Metaverse e-commerce professionals, including managers and developers, can acquire valuable perspectives on consumer shopping tendencies in the Metaverse from this study. 2025 The Author(s)
All Open Access; Hybrid Gold Open Access
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115219 https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85216855867&doi=10.1016%2fj.jbusres.2025.115219&partnerID=40&md5=30fdb91fb8fb3535a49e8e7b55212c2d
Pillai R., Department of Management, Pune Institute of Business Management, Maharashtra, Pune, India; Sivathanu B., School of Business and Management, Christ University, Karnataka, Bengaluru, 560074, India; Rana N.P., Queen's Business School, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5EE, United Kingdom, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, India