Why It Matters…

Understanding the psychological path to purchase enables messaging, retail strategy, and product positioning that aligns with what users truly value, not what companies assume they do.

Objective

Uncover how first-time VR buyers evaluate products, compare ecosystems, and decide what to purchase, to inform go-to-market positioning and buyer journey design.

Research Method

Multi-phase mixed methods workstream, including a comprehensive heuristic evaluation and in-depth interviews with new VR users.

Data Analytic Approach

• behavioral coding of user hardware selection behaviors

• qual metrics for VR hardware decision-making

• thematic analysis of hardware selection motivations

Results

• Defined the primary decision drivers in VR hardware selection.

• Identified opportunity areas within user education, go-to-market strategy, and retail demo experiences

• Mapped high-impact messaging moments across the buyer journey.