When $20K Necklaces Sell in the Metaverse: How Roblox is Shaping Gen Z’s Shopping Behavior

Winnie Burke shares how digital identity, virtual try-ons, and Shopify integrations are reshaping the purchase journey—on and off the platform.

We’re not living in the metaverse. Not yet. But if you ask Winnie Burke, Head of Fashion & Retail Partnerships at Roblox, the foundations are already in place—and the next generation of consumers is building on them daily.

Speaking at Shoptalk 2025, Burke painted a picture of a retail future driven not by storefronts or screens, but by identity—how people see themselves in virtual environments, and how that translates to real-world buying.

It’s not hypothetical. It’s happening. And it’s reshaping how brands approach product development, commerce, and marketing.

$20,000 for a Digital Necklace? That Happened.

Burke pointed to a standout collaboration between Adidas and a Roblox creator, where a one-of-a-kind virtual necklace sold for the equivalent of $20,000 USD. “That moment showed what’s possible when digital identity meets brand expression,” Burke noted. “It was a breakthrough—for the platform, for the creator, and for Adidas.”

For some brands, platforms like Roblox are still seen as experimental. But increasingly, they’re being used as low-risk R&D environments: a way to test visual concepts, gauge demand, and surface affinity—before a single physical SKU is produced.

Virtual Self-Expression is the New Purchase Funnel

Roblox’s 70M+ daily users aren’t just engaging—they’re signaling. From avatar customization to branded spaces, the platform has become a living feedback loop for brand relevance, category fit, and creative resonance—particularly with Gen Z.

Burke emphasized the opportunity for brands to co-create with users, not just market to them. That means tapping creators, tracking virtual engagement, and embracing digital-first product strategies that begin in virtual space and end at checkout.

From Digital Item to Physical Purchase (or the Reverse)

One of the biggest announcements in Burke’s session was Roblox’s move to connect digital and physical shopping journeys—with a Shopify integration currently in beta, and general availability planned for Q2. “We’re working to enable the path to purchase—where a digital item leads to a physical product, or vice versa,” Burke said. “Sometimes, our community actually finds the physical version of the digital item more compelling.”

That feedback loop could open new doors—not just for global brands, but for Roblox’s own creator ecosystem. With the right infrastructure, user-generated IP could drive real-world merchandising.

Burke was clear: this won’t be an overnight shift. Behavior will need to be trained. But the mechanics are being built now—and the early signals are strong.

For measurement specialists, this evolution creates new challenges—and new opportunities.

Sam Carter, CEO of Fospha, sees it as a step-change moment: “What Roblox is building isn’t just a platform for engagement—it’s a live testing ground for product affinity. As commerce becomes more immersive and multidimensional, brands will need to evolve how they measure outcomes. Connecting digital expression to physical conversion is where the next unlock lies.”

What Roblox is Teaching Retail

🎮 Digital identity is no longer a sideshow—it’s central to how Gen Z explores, expresses, and buys
💸 Virtual items are now monetizable, testable, and sometimes more valuable than their physical counterparts
🛍️ Platforms like Roblox are becoming both brand incubators and commerce pipelines
🔗 Shopify integrations signal a future where purchase intent is platform-native
📊 Measurement must evolve—linking virtual activity to physical action in real time

The metaverse may not be here in full. But Roblox is already proving that the line between brand, avatar, and basket is thinner than we think. The smartest brands won’t wait to cross it.

Disclaimer: The above podcast episode was generated using AI based on an interview transcript. While the content remains true to the original conversation, the voices, tone, and delivery were synthesized and do not represent actual recordings of the speakers. This AI-generated format is intended to enhance accessibility and provide an alternative way to engage with the discuss

Independently Created. Not affiliated with Shoptalk.

ClickZ is a Contentive publication in the Events division