NAVIGATING THE VIRTUAL CART: CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND COMMERCE IN THE METAVERSE

Abstract

Purpose: The rapid evolution of spatial computing has initiated a paradigm shift from traditional, two-dimensional e-commerce to immersive, three-dimensional virtual commerce (v-commerce). This paper conceptualizes the foundational drivers, structural mechanics, and strategic implications of consumer behavior within the emerging metaverse marketplace.Methodology/Approach: Synthesizing Social Presence Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study provides a comprehensive conceptual framework analyzing how multi-sensory immersion, avatar-mediated identity expression, and decentralized economic frameworks alter consumer decision-making. Findings: The paper establishes that the metaverse fundamentally redefines digital consumer behavior by transforming standard transactions into identity-driven social expressions. It outlines how immersive experiential marketing stimuli (e.g., gamified storefronts, virtual try-ons) drive high emotional arousal and hedonic consumption patterns. Furthermore, the analysis maps the collapse of the traditional boundary between buyers and sellers via Play-to-Earn (P2E) and Create-to-Earn (C2E) models, re-contextualizing virtual consumers as active entrepreneurial producers within blockchain-secured economies. Research Implications: While presenting a robust conceptual blueprint for v-commerce engagement, the study highlights critical consumer inhibitors, including biometric data harvesting risks, infrastructural access barriers, and psychological virtual fatigue. Originality: This paper bridges the gap between conventional digital marketing theories and spatial mechanics. It provides actionable strategic imperatives for contemporary brands specifically detailing hybrid "phygital" retail systems, spatial analytics optimization, and community-centric governance via Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) to effectively future-proof enterprise models.