A Meta-Analysis of Online Presence in Metaverse Social Commerce: Examining the Impact of User Interaction and Experience Design on Consumer Decision-Making

Although prior studies acknowledge the influence of online presence in Metaverse social commerce, they often lack clear categorisation and theoretical depth.This study proposes a conceptual framework grounded in Social Presence Theory and Uses and Gratifications Theory to systematically examine how online presence—categorised into User Interaction (Social, Emotional) and Experience Design (Telepresence, Spatial, Physical, Cognitive, and Self)—affects consumer decision-making process(interactivity, user experience, purchase intention, and final decisions). It further investigates the moderating effects of Cultural Context (Individualism Index, Uncertainty Avoidance) and Individual Characteristics (Gender, Generation). A meta-analysis of 52 studies (59 independent effect sizes) using a random-effects model reveals that both User Interaction and Experience Design significantly influence decision-making. Notably, only Individual Characteristics (Gender, Generation) significantly moderated Emotional Presence, Physical Presence, Spatial Presence, and Self Presence. This study links online presence to consumer decision-making and offers recommendations for Metaverse retailers, and consumers to enhance interactions and purchasing.