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This study develops a comprehensive research model and investigates the significant factors affecting positive marketing outcomes in the Metaverse through perceived social benefits and trust.

The authors propose a new research model based on social exchange theory (SET) and examine the impact of cost and reward factors. Using 327 survey samples collected from current Metaverse users in South Korea, dual-stage analysis using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and an artificial neural network (ANN) were employed to test the study’s hypotheses.

The results showed that perceived social benefit and trust had significant mediating effects on marketing outcomes, such as loyalty to the seller, product/service attitude, and purchase intention. All antecedents, except perceived performance risk, had a crucial impact on the two mediators. The most interesting finding of this study is the positive influence of knowledge-seeking efforts on perceived social benefits.

This study is the first empirical research to examine the effectiveness of marketing in the Metaverse. It also proposes a new theoretical model based on SET to investigate users’ behavioral intentions regarding marketing in the Metaverse, and confirms its explanatory power. Moreover, the results of this study also offer suggestions to brands on how to market to consumers in the Metaverse.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated research model that can explain current users' continuance intention regarding the adoption of virtual reality (VR).

This study builds a new research model based on the perceived value theory. The model and the hypotheses formulated are tested using partial least squares analysis with 295 respondents.

Both utilitarian value and hedonic value have positive impacts on VR users' continuance intention. Among the four constructs reflecting VR device and service-related attributes, content quality and ease of use have significant impacts on the utilitarian value and hedonic value. Visual attractiveness is positively associated with hedonic value while portability affected only utilitarian value.

To increase users' retention of VR, VR service providers should focus developing high-quality VR content, and VR device manufacturers should consider both ease of use and visual attractiveness of VR devices.

This study is the first empirical study to investigate user adoption of VR devices and services synthetically, as most of prior studies related to VR adoption mainly focused on VR devices or specific services.