Supervisors: Sascha Steinmann & Marco Hubert
Discussants: Birte Asmuβ & Carsten Bergenholtz

Abstract
The dawn of the metaverse introduces a transformative era in retail, propelling it beyond traditional storefronts into a vibrant, immersive virtual world. This digital realm, characterized by extended realities (XR) that could redefine the way we think about consumer experiences, offers novel dimensions to retailing through enhanced interactivity, personalization, and engagement. Immersion, one of the core foundations of the metaverse, shifts retailing from traditional transaction-based strategies to experience-based approaches. This transformation links customer journeys with social interactions and immersive engagements, creating a potential new retail paradigm that emphasizes co-creation and imaginative exploration between consumers and retailers. Understanding the implications of this digital revolution is crucial not only for high-concept retail scenarios but also for everyday consumer activities like grocery shopping, thus examining potential shifts in consumer behaviors and emerging retail models.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the opportunities and challenges that retailers may face while conducting business in the metaverse. The research has three key phases which will (a) explore the existing literature on consumer interactions involving metaverse retail environments, (b) uncover the nuanced preferences and behaviors that drive virtual shopping decisions, and (c) understand what one must do to optimize the interfaces and experiences that facilitate consumer decision-making in the metaverse. Together, these phases will help build the literature foundation of retailing in the metaverse.

Everyone is welcome!