The effects of social media usage on e-commerce: Comparison of generation X, Y, Z

The increasing usage of social media by people day by day and spending time on social media tools lead them to be exposed to some influencers. In today's conditions, individuals using social media are informed about a product/service without realizing it, and this situation actually turns into a secret or direct marketing strategy for companies. There are many studies from past to present about how much individuals exposed to these influencers are affected by social media and how it affects their purchasing behavior as a behavior. However, as stated in the literature, the habits of individuals on the use of social media and e-commerce sites have increased after the Pandemic in 2022. It is the main purpose of this study to investigate whether the widespread use of social media today is effective in purchasing behaviors through e-commerce sites and to determine the intergenerational differences. In the study, not only generational groups but also differences in gender, income level, education status, monthly income, and time spent on social media were examined. The survey results applied to 456 people aged 18 and over were tested with the help of the SPSS statistics program. The findings show that there are differences between generational groups and other groups in the use of social media on e-commerce sites. All findings are detailed in the research of the findings section, and in the conclusion section, they are discussed again and guidance is provided for future studies.