From Data to Experience: Enhancing Parents’ Purchasing Behavior in the Infant and Child Clothing Sector through Metaverse Stores

Subject Areas : Marketing

Mohsen Rahmani ¹ , Mehdi Zakipour ^{2 *} , Ahmad Rahchamani ³ , Mohsen Torabian ⁴

1 - Department of Business Management, Qa .c., Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.
2 - Department of Business Management, Qa .c., Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.
3 - Department of Business Management, Qa .c., Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.
4 - Department of Mathematics, Qa .c., Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.

Received: 2025-07-31 Accepted : 2025-09-22 Published : 2025-11-23

Keywords: Metaverse Stores, Parental Purchasing Behavior, Digital Multisensory Shopping Experience, and Infant & Child Apparel.,

Abstract :

With the rise of immersive technologies such as virtual reality, metaverse stores have emerged as novel and interactive platforms for shaping consumer behavior, particularly in the domain of infant and child apparel shopping. This study, employing a mixed-methods approach and a three-stage taxonomy framework, aimed to identify, model, and validate the constructs influencing parental purchasing behavior in such environments. In the qualitative phase, a constructivist grounded theory method was used to analyze 25 semi-structured interviews with parents and experts. This led to the development of a four-level conceptual model comprising Technological Trust, Sensory-Emotional Experience, Cognitive Empowerment, and Intelligent Support. In the quantitative phase, the proposed model was tested through a quasi-experimental study involving 100 parents (divided into control and experimental groups), who engaged in a shopping experience via the Spatial platform using Apple Vision Pro headsets. The results indicated that shopping in metaverse stores significantly enhances sensory-cognitive-emotional experiences, increases cognitive empowerment, and strengthens intelligent support. These findings validate the proposed theoretical model and underscore the potential of immersive technologies in improving consumer behavior and promoting the sustainable development of child-oriented retail environments.

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