A STUDY ON METAVERSE USERS' VIRTUAL PRODUCTS PURCHASE INTENTION: SECOND LIFE EXAMPLE

Abstract

Metaverse is seen as the 'internet of the future'. It attracts the attention of both the business community and academia with the developments that have caused its name to be mentioned frequently in recent times. In order to understand this concept, the foundation of which has been laid long ago, and to understand the purchasing intentions of its users, the Second Life, which is one of the first examples, has been examined. In the thesis, which aims to determine the intention of Metaverse users to purchase virtual products within the framework of the Second Life virtual world, an online survey was applied to consumers in Second Life. In the conducted study, 267 valid data were collected through convenience and judgement sampling method. Analyzes were made with the SPSS program. Validity and reliability analyze of the extended Technology Acceptance Model with attitude scale in the literature regarding the virtual product purchase intentions of Metaverse users were made. As a result of the factor analysis carried out in this direction, seven dimensions were determined. These sub-dimensions are perceived social presence, perceived ease of use, attitude, enjoyment, trust, telepresence and perceived usefulness, and their relationships are examined. Various descriptive statistics, reliability and validity analyzes, multiple regression analyzes were used in the analysis of the data. According to the results of the hypothesis tests, it was not determined that perceived social presence had a positive effect on perceived usefulness in SL. Other hypotheses put forward were supported. Key words: metaverse, second life, virtual worlds, technology acceptance model.