Social Media's Impact on Consumer Decision-Making in Chennai's Online Marketplaces

Abstract

Purpose: The study aims to investigate the influence of social media on consumer decision making in Chennai’s online platforms. The article discusses the impact of the increasingly ubiquitous social media platforms on purchase behaviour, preferences, and aggregate buying decisions of consumers residing in a digitally progressing city.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative research design was used, based on in-depth interviews with users of online marketplaces in Chennai. The data was complemented with social media exchange analysis. Thematic coding was employed to code the data and key patterns and decision influences were identified.

Findings: It is found that social media influence es consumer s’ perceptions of products, affectively capture consumer s to recognize with brand s, and triggers impulse purchasing. Influencers and peer reviews were also identified as key influencers in consumer decision making in the online markets.

Originality/Value: The present study is original in its own way because the scope of the study is restricted to the social media and consumer behaviour analysis in the context of Chennai based online market place which is one obtains in the city, which blends together traditional and modern consumer patterns.