Behavioural mechanisms of social media influence on consumer purchase decisions

The rapid proliferation of social media networks has fundamentally altered the way consumers deal with brands, search for information, evaluate alternatives, and make purchase decisions. In emerging economies such as India, the widespread adoption of smartphones and affordable internet access has further accelerated this transformation. This study investigates the impact of social media networks on consumer buying behaviour and post-purchase responses, with a specific focus on behavioural influencing factors such as motivation, perception, learning, and attitude. Primary data were collected from 384 consumers using a structured questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were employed to examine the relationships between social media usage and consumer behavioural outcomes. The findings reveal that social media significantly influences consumer decision-making across pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase stages. The study contributes to the growing body of social media marketing literature by providing empirical evidence from an Indian context and offers actionable managerial implications for firms seeking to leverage social media platforms strategically.