How the Presence of Employee Avatars Affects Metaverse Shopping Behavior: “Can I Help You Buy Condoms?” Virtual Sales Promotions in Embarrassing Shopping Settings

TY - JOUR

T1 - How the Presence of Employee Avatars Affects Metaverse Shopping Behavior

T2 - “Can I Help You Buy Condoms?” Virtual Sales Promotions in Embarrassing Shopping Settings

AU - Frank, Darius-Aurel

AU - Dipalma, Jason

AU - Steinmann, Sascha

AU - Otterbring, Tobias

PY - 2024/9/1

Y1 - 2024/9/1

N2 - Brands are increasingly using the metaverse to promote sales of products and services, but the social influence of avatars in that context is largely unknown. Grounded in social impact theory and impression management literature, this research investigates the impact of retail store employee avatar presence on consumer behavior. Two between-subjects studies from laboratory and online settings uncover consumers’ aversive responses to employee avatar presence—living (human) and nonliving (robot)—on several key outcomes. This negative effect only emerges in embarrassing shopping settings, such as the purchase of condoms and adult diapers, but not in ordinary (nonembarrassing) settings.

AB - Brands are increasingly using the metaverse to promote sales of products and services, but the social influence of avatars in that context is largely unknown. Grounded in social impact theory and impression management literature, this research investigates the impact of retail store employee avatar presence on consumer behavior. Two between-subjects studies from laboratory and online settings uncover consumers’ aversive responses to employee avatar presence—living (human) and nonliving (robot)—on several key outcomes. This negative effect only emerges in embarrassing shopping settings, such as the purchase of condoms and adult diapers, but not in ordinary (nonembarrassing) settings.

KW - Metaverse

KW - avatars

KW - embarrassment

KW - sales promotions

KW - social presence

KW - virtual reality

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85204344703&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.2501/JAR-2024-017

DO - 10.2501/JAR-2024-017

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0021-8499

VL - 64

SP - 335

EP - 352

JO - Journal of Advertising Research

JF - Journal of Advertising Research

IS - 3

ER -