Social Media and Compulsive Buying Psychological Triggers in the Emerging Urban Market A Case Study of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh India

Social media has indeed changed the way emerging consumers in urban markets in India discover products, evaluate them, and ultimately buy them. This paper attempts to examine the psychological triggers that may lead an individual to indulge in compulsive buying while interacting with social media in Bilaspur, a city witnessing rapid urbanization in the state of Chhattisgarh. Using the Stimulus Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework, dual-process theories of decision-making, and self-control perspectives, we chart out that platform stimuli (influencer endorsements, targeted ads, limited-time offers, algorithmic personalization, and social proof) activate internal states of fear of missing out (FOMO), social comparison, impulsivity, and instant gratification, which in turn drive compulsive buying intentions and behaviors. This paper suggests a mixed-method case study approach combining (i) qualitative interviews with Bilaspur residents between the ages of 18 and 45 and (ii) a structured survey based on validated scales (e.g. Compulsive Buying Scale, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, FOMO scale, and materialism measures). Anticipated findings suggest that social expectation of results considers social media intensity, vernacular content, and convenient payment methods (UPI, wallet cashbacks, or COD) that increase susceptibility factors, especially among young professionals, students, and gig workers with irregular or thrice times of self-regulation periods. Managerial and policy implications-a nudge for healthy digital consumption, choice architecture at a platform level, influencer disclosures, and consumer literacy, and limitations such as self-report biases and cross-sectional design-will be discussed.