Purchase Intention Determinants for Social Networking Sites During the Post-Pandemic Period: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Aim/Purpose: Social networking sites (SNS) have become essential platforms not only for socializing, but also for conducting business operations such as buying and selling. Therefore, it is important to examine the factors that influence customers' intention to purchase on these platforms. In the post-pandemic period, advancements in technology and the increasing use of social networking sites have led to a surge in shopping on social media platforms. This research study aimed to investigate the determinants of the intention to purchase products and services on SNS during the post-pandemic period. Social media has become an indispensable technology in daily life, with Facebook emerging as a dominant platform for exploring, comparing, buying, and selling products and services anytime, anywhere. Introduction/Background: The emergence of social media technology has changed the ways and methods of conducting business, most notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media technology supports a new environment and functions that businesses can use to grow and interact with their customers regularly without having a physical location or direct contact. Social media platforms have emerged as popular channels for online shopping, magnifying interactions between online sellers and buyers. They provide businesses with a new avenue to showcase, present, and sell their products and services, so understanding social media marketing has become crucial. There are about 54 million people in Myanmar, and 41.5 million of them are Internet users. Almost all Internet users also use social media platforms, and notably, 14.5 million of them are active on the Facebook platform. Social commerce is a new form of e-commerce that takes place on social media platforms, facilitating social activities like communication, contribution, interaction, and sharing throughout the buying and selling process. Methodology: A deductive, cross-sectional, quantitative research method was employed in this study, involving 332 Facebook users from Myanmar. A non-probability convenience sampling method was employed, and a survey questionnaire was created using a Google Form to save time and costs; this was an effective way to gather data from a large number of respondents. A 5-point Likert scale was used to measure all construct variables except for the demographic variables. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the collected data, and data analysis was performed in AMOS software. Findings: All the constructs were examined using confirmatory factor analysis for validity and reliability. The Average Variance Extracted and Composite Reliability values for each construct demonstrated how effectively the indicators converged to represent the underlying constructs. According to the hypotheses testing results, two hypotheses (H3, H5) were accepted, while three hypotheses (H1, H2, H4) were rejected. Therefore, among the five determinants (Social Influence, Word-of-Mouth, Perceived Ease of Use, Trust, and Perceived Enjoyment), only two (Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Enjoyment) were statistically significant for the intention to purchase products and services on social networking sites. Contribution/Impact on Society: Enjoyment was more important than Ease of Use for social media users when shopping online. Social Influence and Word-of-Mouth did not effectively encourage social media users to make purchases on social networking sites. In addition, Trust was not necessary, especially for users with online shopping experience. Sellers on SNS platforms should recognize that customers favor buying products and services on these platforms because of their ease of use and adaptability. These platforms help users discover the products and services that they may need, and customers find the purchasing process straightforward to learn. Online retailers should develop a simple and transparent purchasing process, making product details, price comparisons, order placement, payment options, and shipping methods easily accessible and user-friendly. This study's findings indicate that Perceived Enjoyment influenced purchase intention more than Perceived Ease of Use. Therefore, e-retailers should prioritize creating engaging and enjoyable content rather than focusing solely on simplifying the purchasing process. Recommendations: This research study should be replicated on other social networking sites, such as TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Instagram, with additional factors and a larger sample size. Conducting similar research in different regions, cultures, and circumstances is also recommended. Moreover, this study was carried out solely in Myanmar, indicating that the research model used may not be applicable to other countries, as online shopping behaviors may vary considerably across different social media platforms. Research Limitations: A primary limitation of this study was its focus on only five factors as antecedents of the intention to purchase products and services through SNS platforms. This study excluded other potential constructs that may influence purchasing intentions. Furthermore, all respondents were Facebook users with previous online shopping experience, which may not reflect the behavior of users on other SNS platforms. Although the sample of Facebook users was relevant given their prevalence in Myanmar's social media scene, the findings were limited by concerns about representativeness. Future Research: The current research model could be extended with additional constructs, and a longitudinal study could be conducted since users' behavior changes over time. Similar research studies should be conducted in other contexts such as mobile commerce, e-commerce, and online commerce.