Online Shoppers’ Social Media Usage and Shopping Behavior

Social media includes various contact methods such as social networking, user-sponsored blogs, multimedia sites, company-sponsored websites, collaborative websites, podcasts, etc. Most online shoppers indicate that they visit e- retail websites on a social networking site and that website visiting affects consumer purchase intention. The purpose of this study is to examine how attitudes toward product messages on social media sites affect impulsive shopping behavior and hedonic shopping value.Uses and Gratifications theory is utilized as the theoretical basis for investigating consumer social media needs that include entertainment, interaction, and information needs. Based on previous research, the following hypotheses have been developed in order to measure the relationships between social media needs, attitudes toward product messages on social media, impulsive shopping behavior and hedonic shopping value:H1: Entertainment, information, and interaction needs have a positive relationship with attitudes toward product messages on social media.H2: There is a positive relationship between attitudes toward product messages on social media and hedonic shopping value.H3: There is a positive relationship between hedonic shopping value and impulsive shopping behavior.Data were collected via a web-survey method among college students. A total of 146 participants responded to the survey. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is used to assess the dimensionality of the variables. Then, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is used to test the overall validity of the measurement theory. CFA results of the overall model analyses indicate that the χ2 for the measurement model is 295.667 (p = .000) with 215 degrees of freedom. The fit indexes are Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = .96, Normed Fit Index (NFI) = .86, Root Mean Squared Error (RMSEA) = .051, and Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = .95.A structural model is used to analyze and test the hypotheses. The structural model is adequate with χ2 = 309.031 (p = .000) with 222 degrees of freedom. The fit indexes are Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = .96, Normed Fit Index (NFI) = .86, Root mean Squared Error (RMSEA) = .052, and Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = .95. All hypotheses are tested and the SEM structural path results indicate that all relationships are significant except the one between entertainment and attitude toward product messages. Thus, H2 and H3 are supported. H1 is partially supported. Findings suggest that interaction and information needs affect attitude toward product messages on social media. Further, attitude influenced hedonic shopping value and impulsive shopping behavior.The results of this study imply that attitude toward product messages on social media are strongly related to social media needs such as interaction and information, but not entertainment need. Active interaction and useful information on social media create positive perceptions toward product messages on social media. Also, the positive relationship between attitude toward social media marketing messages and online shoppers’ impulsive shopping behavior increases consumers’ hedonic shopping values. As a managerial implication, marketers should understand how consumers want to interact and what kind of information they want to obtain from social media sites. Providing instant feedback is a key to make social media a viable communication channel.In conclusion, this is an exploratory study that attempts to examine online shopping values within the relationships between social media needs and marketing messages. The conceptual model is supported theoretically with measurement validity and reliability. For future research, social media usage in marketing practices needs more research in terms of consumer behavior, perspective, lifestyle, and new technology adoption. Consumer trust levels should be examined in connection with social media sites, messages, sources, and brand familiarity.