Potenziale und Anwendungsfälle des Metaverse für das Konsument*innen Marketing

Abstract

This master's thesis investigates the potential and challenges of the metaverse for consumer marketing. A combination of qualitative expert interviews and a quantitative consumer survey provides a comprehensive picture of current and future developments in the field of virtual stores. The term virtual store is used in this study to standardize the company or brand presence in the metaverse. In addition to the classic virtual online store, the term also includes a virtual stadium, a virtual auditorium or a virtual movie theater, for example. This is because consumers can consume products such as education, a live event or movies there. The work aims to analyze the potentials and challenges of virtual stores in the metaverse and to validate concrete use cases through consumer surveys. An overview of the Metaverse is provided, defining the term and explaining the essential characteristics and technologies that enable the Metaverse, such as immersion, synchronicity, persistence, and interoperability. The general potentials of digital media in marketing are discussed, with a particular focus on the specific potentials and challenges of the Metaverse in consumer marketing. Experts from the interviews highlight the possibilities of creating immersive experiences, new forms of interaction, and innovative product presentations as relevant, while technical limitations, data privacy, and the lack of qualified personnel are identified as major challenges. The use cases of virtual stores in the Metaverse, identified as relevant from the expert interviews, were validated and interpreted through a quantitative questionnaire of potential consumers. The results of the study show that use cases in the areas of fashion, automotive industry, architecture, and home planning are particularly well-received by consumers. In contrast, the acceptance of purely virtual products, such as digital fashion for avatars, remains low. The potential for virtual sports courses, educational offerings, and virtual sports or stadium visits is also considered low. In conclusion, it becomes clear that despite its nascent technology, the Metaverse offers significant opportunities for companies, especially in terms of creating immersive shopping experiences and improving customer loyalty. However, successfully integrating the Metaverse into existing marketing strategies requires careful consideration of the identified potentials and challenges.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	German (Austria)
Awarding Institution	Johannes Kepler University Linz
Supervisor	Johann Höller (Supervisor)