Unrestrained buying behavior in the metaverse: exploring the moderating role of technostress and self-control

Purpose The metaverse is reshaping the fashion industry, offering new insights into innovation diffusion. This study aims to examine how perceived innovation characteristics influence unrestrained buying behavior, using flow as a mediator. By integrating innovation diffusion and flow theory, it explores how technostress and self-control moderate the impact of innovation characteristics on flow. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted using multistage sampling to examine unrestrained purchase behavior. Data from 457 Asian consumers were collected via surveys and analyzed using SPSS 22.0, AMOS V.24 and MACRO PROCESS. Findings This study indicates that although the metaverse website’s perceived characteristics of innovation increase user flow and encourage unrestrained buying behavior, technostress and self-control weaken the relationship between how users perceive innovation (in terms of its benefits like relative advantage and compatibility) and their ability to experience flow. However, when it comes to complexity, both technostress and self-control do not significantly moderate the relationship between complexity and flow. Practical implications This study reveals how metaverse innovation is reshaping Asian consumers’ views of the fashion industry. It helps marketers and advertisers understand the metaverse’s impact on unrestrained buying behavior and its growing importance for the fashion sector. Originality/value This study offers a framework for understanding how Asian consumers’ adoption of metaverse technology is transforming the fashion industry. It adds to the literature by assessing innovation attributes and their impact on unrestrained purchasing in virtual worlds.