Metaverse customer experience: conditional mediation of avatar self-congruity, user similarity and well-becoming

Purpose As an immersive and interactive virtual environment, the metaverse is revolutionising customer experiences and interactions. This study aims to explore the effect of user–avatar self-congruity on customer experience, well-becoming and metaverse usage intentions. Design/methodology/approach Based on survey data from metaverse users in Australia, the authors use structural equation modelling to examine the effect of user–avatar self-congruity on customer well-becoming and metaverse usage intentions, and the mediating role of customer experience. The authors also use advanced conditional mediation analysis to determine whether these relationships are modified by metaverse user similarity. The authors confirm the findings using data from a post hoc qualitative study. Findings User–avatar congruity enhances customer experience, which in turn boosts customer well-becoming and metaverse usage intentions. However, these effects are weakened by perceived similarity with other metaverse users. Practical implications The authors offer insights for metaverse managers on the important role of avatar identity in providing users with a novel and stimulating experience, thereby enhancing both customer well-becoming and metaverse platform growth. Originality/value This study provides novel and groundbreaking insights into the negative moderating effect of metaverse user similarity on customer well-becoming and metaverse usage intentions. The authors demonstrate that the metaverse is not merely a virtual environment that parallels the real world but may also have a transformative effect on users’ real-world well-being.