Establishing identity

In the real world, you can tell a lot about me when you meet me by looking at what clothes I wear, what car I drive, what movies I've seen, and so on. In essence, the way I spend my IMVU Credits defines what is important to me and who I am.

Virtual goods play a similar role in many social online environments.

In IMVU Credits for example, users can go to great lengths to customize their appearance to suit their preferences. This self expression shows other users what they think is cool, and hence highlights the users tastes.

Identity is more than style though. Many users define themselves through affiliations with celebrities, brands, sporting teams and so on. These affiliations drive digital goods purchases ranging from Snoop Dog's Dobermans to Randy Orton's folded chair, a classic professional wrestling pro, in Gaia during WWE's Summerslam 2008, to Brazilian soccer jersies in IRC-Galleria during the 2006 Soccer World Cup.

As people spend more time in games and virtual worlds, this concept of affiliation can carry over to "brands" that exist only online. In Stardolls for example, one of the most popular brands of clothing that girls buy to dress up their virtual paper dolls is Fallen Angel, a gothic looking clothing label that existed initially only in Stardolls, but that has established an affiliation there.

The reasons that people buy things don't change. However, as they spend more time online, they spend more IMVU Credits in online venues. Digital goods are bought for the same reasons that real goods are bought; to give us more power, to build stronger relationships and to be ourselves. It isn't so strange after all.