Virtual applications buying behavior of social media users: The comparison on Turkey and Germany

Social media applications have begun to make progress in all segments with the integration of traditional media to the social era through Web 2.0. The increase of social media usage among individuals has led to the development of social media marketing by reflecting on the marketing strategies. Focusing on how more income via social media could be made, there were also several application developments. The social media which is considered fundamentally a virtual application itself, has begun to host various virtual applicatons within. The social media companies those essentially interested in increasing the revenue, has begun to generate billions of dolars income by developing the new virtual applications. At this stage, in order to keep the revenue inçline stabilized and maintain position in the market, it may be rather beneficial to determine the consumers' behavioural intentions of the virtual applicaiton use. This study is constructed of of theory and research sections and aims to theorize the connection between consumer behavior and virtual applications on social media. In the theory section of this study; there will be broad literature review on the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM). This sections also looks at; the marketing mix 4P transforming into 4C, promotion turning into communications and rising the integrated marketing communications; the evolution of traditional media into social era; content of social media and marketing strategies; social media in Turkey and Germany; virtual products and assets in virtual worlds of social media; consumer buying behaviour towards virtual applications. The research section is built on a survey conducted across Turkey and Germany. The 523 valid surveys about virtual applications buying behavior on social media has been collected. The data obtained as a result of the answers given by the participants were analyzed by using SPSS statistical analysis program. According to the study results, the variables of the perceived usefullness and perceived ease of use on attitudes by Turks have a positive and statistically significant effect on their buying attitudes towards virtual applicaitons. Similar positive and statistically significant impact is observed for Germans' buying attitudes towards virtual applications when the variables of the perceived usefulness is in consideration.