Navigating the New Digital Frontier: An Analysis of Luxury Brand Strategies in the Metaverse

Authors

  • Siyue Wang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62051/ijgem.v8n3.03

Keywords:

Metaverse, Luxury brands, NFTs, Digital scarcity, Consumer identity, Web3

Abstract

This paper studies how luxury brands act in the metaverse. It utilizes a literature review and two semi-structured expert interviews. It details three stages of digital adoption: resistance, selective integration, and Web3 experiments. It explains how NFTs, virtual goods, and token-gated access create technical scarcity and visible status. It shows how young consumers use digital items to build identity and community. It also lists key risks: energy use, data privacy, and brand dilution. The findings outline key digital tools that help maintain core luxury values and point to unanswered questions about long-term brand equity and consumer behavior.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] Barrera, K. G., and D. Shah, “Marketing in the Metaverse: Conceptual Understanding, Framework, and Research Agenda,” Journal of Business Research, Vol. 155, p. 113420, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113420

[2] Bain & Company, “Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study: Fall–Winter 2017,” 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.bain.com/insights/luxury-goods-worldwide-market-study-fall-winter-2017/

[3] Bain & Company, “Covid-19 Crisis Pushes Luxury to Sharpest Fall Ever but Catalyses Industry’s Ability to Transform,” Nov. 18, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.bain.com/about/media-center/press-releases/2020/covid_19_crisis_pushes_luxury_to_sharpest_fall_ever_but_catalyses_industrys_ability_to_transform/

[4] South China Morning Post, “A Digital Gucci Bag Sold for US$4,000 on Gaming Platform Roblox,” Jun. 7, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/3136400/digital-gucci-bag-sold-roblox-platform

[5] Blockworks, “Tiffany & Co. Turns CryptoPunks into $12.5 Million Luxury Jewelry Sale,” Aug. 12, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://blockworks.co/news/tiffany-cryptopunks-nftiff

[6] Ko, E., J. P. Costello, and C. R. Taylor, “What Is a Luxury Brand? A New Definition and Review of the Literature,” Journal of Business Research, Vol. 99, pp. 405–413, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.08.023

[7] Wiedmann, K.-P., N. Hennigs, and A. Siebels, “Value-Based Segmentation of Luxury Consumption Behaviour,” Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 26, no. 7, pp. 625–651, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20292

[8] Ajitha, S., and V. J. Sivakumar, “Understanding the Effect of Personal and Social Value on Attitude and Usage Behavior of Luxury Cosmetic Brands,” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 39, pp. 103–113, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2017.07.009

[9] Hu, L., M. Olivieri, M. Giovannetti, and E. Cedrola, “The Retail Strategies of Luxury Fashion Firms in the Metaverse: Enhancing Brand Experiences,” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 84, p. 104202, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.104202

[10] Beuckels, E., and L. Hudders, “An Experimental Study to Investigate the Impact of Image Interactivity on the Perception of Luxury in an Online Shopping Context,” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 33, pp. 135–142, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.08.014

[11] Cho, M., and E. Cho, “Digital Luxury in the Metaverse: How Non-Fungible Tokens Shape Resistance to Negative Information and Brand Purchase Intention,” Journal of Consumer Behaviour, in press, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.70007

[12] Sung, E., O. Kwon, and K. Sohn, “NFT Luxury-Brand Marketing in the Metaverse: Leveraging Blockchain-Certified NFTs to Drive Consumer Behaviour,” Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 40, no. 11, pp. 2306–2325, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21854

[13] Chakraborty, A., V. Jain, and R. Belk, “Exploring Avatar Selves in the Metaverse: Consumer Co-Creation of Experiences,” Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 694–716, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2440

[14] Arya, V., R. Sambyal, A. Sharma, and Y. K. Dwivedi, “Brands Are Calling Your AVATAR in Metaverse: A Study to Explore XR-Based Gamification Marketing Activities and Consumer-Based Brand Equity in Virtual World,” Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 556–585, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2214

[15] Dwivedi, Y. K., L. Hughes, Y. Wang, A. A. Alalwan, S. J. Ahn, et al., “Metaverse Marketing: How the Metaverse Will Shape the Future of Consumer Research and Practice,” Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 750–776, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21767

[16] Bao, W., L. Hudders, S. Yu, and E. Beuckels, “Virtual Luxury in the Metaverse: NFT-Enabled Value Recreation in Luxury Brands,” International Journal of Research in Marketing, in press, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2024.01.002

[17] Jacobides, M. G., F. Candelon, L. Krayer, K. Round, and W. Chen, “Building Synthetic Worlds: Lessons from the Excessive Infatuation and Oversold Disillusionment with the Metaverse,” Industry & Innovation, Vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 105–129, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/13662716.2023.2279051

[18] Kapferer, J.-N., and V. Bastien, The Luxury Strategy, 2nd ed. Kogen Page, 2012.

[19] Bain & Company, “The Future of Luxury: Bouncing Back from Covid-19,” Jan. 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.bain.com/insights/the-future-of-luxury-bouncing-back-from-covid-19/

[20] Bain & Company, “Long Live Luxury: Converge to Expand Through Turbulence,” 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.bain.com/insights/long-live-luxury-converge-to-expand-through-turbulence/

[21] Jiang, Y., J. Liao, J. Chen, Y. Hu, and P. Du, “Motivation for Users’ Knowledge-Sharing Behaviour in Virtual Brand Communities: A Psychological Ownership Perspective,” Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 34, no. 10, pp. 2165–2183, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/13662716.2023.2279051

Downloads

Published

26-10-2025

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Wang, S. (2025). Navigating the New Digital Frontier: An Analysis of Luxury Brand Strategies in the Metaverse. International Journal of Global Economics and Management, 8(3), 26-32. https://doi.org/10.62051/ijgem.v8n3.03