The virtual car was more of a clown car this year, with everyone from Walmart to PacSun delving into the metaverse.

It makes sense: e-commerce is the single most important economic factor driving growth in a market that research consultancy McKinsey valued at $5 trillion and Web3 shopping as a $2.6 trillion opportunity. With more than 400 million virtual world users, according to metaverse consultancy Metaversed, brands are taking advantage of the brave new world wide web. And while NFTs have lost some of their luster, luxury houses are still chasing the $22 million in one day Adidas hit late last year.

“Regarding the metaverse, if you remove the hype, keep one thing in mind: it’s going to be a shopping medium,” interactive advertising…