"I think [the metaverse] is a win-win for any company in retail. And even if it just turns out to be a fad, there’s not a lot of reputation damage in just trying something weird out like giving some customers an NFT in a sweepstake, for instance."

Frank Chaparro, director at crypto information services firm The Block, commenting to CNBC for its recent report, “Walmart Is Quietly Preparing to Enter the Metaverse.” According to Chaparro, many retailers are still reeling from being late to e-commerce, so they don’t want to miss out on any opportunities in the metaverse.