Despite the rapid development of metaverse industry, the adoption rate of metaverse products is still very low. While prior studies mainly focused on investigating the motivators of metaverse adoption, this study explores the barriers affecting consumer intention to use metaverse products, utilizing the framework of innovation resistance theory (IRT).
Through a survey conducted in China, we examined the effects of variables such as usage barrier, value barrier, risk barrier, tradition barrier, image barrier, as well as the moderating effects of individuals’ innovativeness. Three hundred and seventy seven valid questionnaires were collected and hierarchical regression method was conducted to analyze the data.
Our findings reveal that usage and value barriers, as well as tradition barrier, significantly negatively influence consumer intention to use metaverse products. However, risk and image barrier do not exhibit a significant impact. Additionally, we discovered that individuals’ innovativeness positively influences consumer intention, indicating that users with higher innovativeness are more inclined to engage with metaverse products. Furthermore, innovativeness acts as a positive moderator, weakening the negative impact of tradition barrier on usage intention.
The study extends IRT by incorporating the role of individual innovativeness, providing a more holistic understanding of the factors that impede the widespread use of metaverse products. The findings are crucial for developing strategies to mitigate the negative influences of potential barriers, ultimately promoting the diffusion of metaverse products.
