From screen to shopping bags: Decoding Gen Z's path through metaverse experience toward actual phygital fashion products in retail fashion

The evolving concept of the metaverse opens new avenues for retailing by seamlessly integrating physical and virtual platforms to enrich consumers’ experiences and interactions. In particular, the fashion industry uses the metaverse as an innovative marketing tool to attract and engage consumers by providing immersive experiences. However, owing to a limited number of empirical studies on the influence of the metaverse on actual purchase behavior among consumers in the fashion retailing context, this study unveils the determinants and outcomes of metaverse experiences on actual purchase behavior among Generation Z consumers by employing the stimulus−organism−response theory and telepresence theory. This longitudinal study was conducted in two phases: Study 1 (n = 497) and Study 2 (n = 337), using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) for data analysis. Following PLS-SEM, the findings of Study 1 showed that technological stimuli (telepresence and interactivity) and psychological stimuli (entertainment and personalization) significantly influenced cognitive and affective trust, respectively. Moreover, cognitive and affective trust drove consumers' willingness to buy phygital fashion products. By contrast, Study 2 showed that willingness to buy strongly predicted actual purchase behavior, validating the conversion pathway from metaverse stimuli to real purchasing actions. Additionally, fsQCA revealed multiple configurational paths underlying high and low purchasing behavior among Generation Z consumers toward phygital fashion products. Overall, the findings advance theory by bridging the intention–action gap in metaverse consumer research and demonstrate that trust functions as a key mediating mechanism. Practically, the study offers actionable insights for managers seeking to design immersive, trust-enhancing strategies that drive real purchases in virtual retail environments.