Virtual worlds are common in gaming, but Palo Alto-based IMVU isn't just for entertainment. It's a place where users do what's hard to do these days in a down economy - shop.

"In the economic downturn, more users are spending money to make their experience more interesting. In fact, it's up 75 percent to $1.5 million a month," CEO Cary Rosenzweig said.

Anyone can join this virtual world for free but if you want to shop you'll need "credits." One real dollar buys 1,000 IMVU Credits. "It's great value for real world money. You can buy things for 50 cents to outfit an avatar," he said.

A new outfit, accessories, ocean side villa, and virtual pet, purchased within 10 minutes cost 2,000 credits or $2 in real life. Believe it or not, users are indulging in this form of virtual consumerism and spending on average up to an hour a day and $30 a month building virtual lives in a world where the economy is booming and friendships are built on credits.

Rosenzweig said, "25 percent of items purchased are gifts for someone else. It's relationship building and people are making friends on IMVU."

And all of this means big bucks - real bucks - for the developers creating these imaginary goods. They can charge credits and sell them for cash. Rosenzweig estimates the top 10 developers on the site making everything from imaginary tattoos to customized avatars make about $100,000 a year.

Shayne Shiells is known as "VISNOVA" in the IMVU world. He sells virtual people for about $7 each. "People can't grasp the concept of how people can make money doing this, but it's not just me. There are people who create clothes, jewelry, everything," Shiells said.

Shiells won't say how much he makes, other than to say, "It's lucrative." He quit his job as a contractor in an Australian vineyard to create avatars full time. And the irony is he attributes his success to playing the game and learning what people want. He has never been a graphic designer.

IMVU Credits has 35 million registered users and about 1.5 million "active" users. They are looking to escape reality and live in a world where there's no recession.