businesses operating in online virtual world environments. The study drawsmotivation from increasing anecdotal evidence reporting on high profile corporatebrands withdrawing from operations in Second Life - citing low visitor traffic astheir motivation. Early adopter corporations that established business operationsin Second Life did so anticipating benefits from the new technology akin to thequantum leap made when they embraced the World Wide Web. Whiledisappointingly low visitor numbers left many virtual world operations looking likedesolate ghost towns, there are businesses enjoying active repeat customers.Drawing on Oldenburg’s Theory of Third Place, this study seeks to quantify thereasons for high customer retention in successful virtual communities. To thiseffect, a questionnaire is developed and administered by a team of avatarresearchers who interviewed over 250 avatars in Second Life. Website stickinessmeasures are reviewed and applied to virtual world sites. Conclusions are drawnand future research directions proposed