Creating Customer Experience and Enhancing User Engagement in Metaverse

Abstract

Driven by the proliferation of metaverse technology, many companies are pursing service expansion strategies to enhance their customer experience. However, given the rapid evolution, there is a lack of clear understanding of the current scope of the metaverse and the consequent implications for marketing practice and research. This study attempts to explain the mechanisms by which the technical factors of embedding, embodiment, and extension affect user engagement through customer experience based on situated cognition theory. We conducted qualitative research by creating a unity for research within the metaverse, gathering interviewees. The quantitative method was a survey of 305 people who had experienced the metaverse. The collected data was analyzed for causal relationships between variables using PLS-SEM. The results showed that metaverse embedding, embodiment and extension had significant effects on flow. flow influenced utilitarian and hedonic values, which in turn influenced user engagement. Also, there were differences between light and heavy users. Subsequently, we discuss how metaverseinduced changes marketing practice and to guide future academic studies and marketing initiatives.