Social network media in the process of buying decision as a tool of gathering information: A research on consumer electronics market

The rise of Web 2.0 tools and emerging internet technologies means that the image of the traditional consumer is being replaced with an active, permanently connected, consumer who uses the internet to find information about brands and to share opinions and shopping experiences with other consumers – a consumer who can be classified as a prosumer. In this context it is important to reveal how consumers use social media within their purchasing decision process. The present work describes an on-line survey conducted in Turkey, aimed at identifying which aspects most influence users' intention to use social media and user generated content as an information source in their purchasing decisions. A structural equation model was constructed based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), in which the intended use of social media for gathering information in purchasing decisions depends on six variables: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, network externalities, aptitude, social influence and attitude. The results show that the intended use of social media for gathering information in purchasing decisions is influenced by its perceived usefulness and by the attitude towards social media. In contrast, the social influence does not have such direct influence.