The use of social media in pre-purchase and post-purchase activities: A generational comparison

In today's conditions compared to past years, the consumer purchasing decision process has become both more complex and more difficult. This is not only due to the increase in the number of options available to consumers but also because the types of products and services in the need category have changed over time. Additionally, the proliferation of information types and sources used in the decision-making process, alongside experiences shared through word-of-mouth (WOM) both in face-to-face interactions and online platforms, has made purchasing decisions more sophisticated and trustworthy. In this study, the social media usage of individuals from Generation Y and Generation Z and its impact on their purchasing behavior are examined, and an intergenerational comparison is made. In the context of the research, among the topics investigated are the use of social media-sourced information by customers during the product purchasing process, the determination of which stage of the decision-making process such information is used most intensively, and whether there are differences in the use of social media before and after shopping. Through this study, the social media usage of individuals from Generation Y and Generation Z living in Ankara as consumers and the effects of this usage on their purchasing behavior are evaluated, considering the usage habits of different social media platforms. In the context of the research, an online survey was conducted. A convenience sampling approach was adopted to determine the participants. Analyses were carried out based on a total of 301 surveys, which formed the basis for the overall analyses. The data collection process was carried out between February 25 and May 20, 2024. The research findings indicate that there are various differences between Generation Y and Generation Z in the context of social media usage habits and behaviors. Compared to Generation Z, Generation Y spends more time on the internet, uses media sharing sites like YouTube, Instagram, Flickr, etc., more frequently, uses recommendation and review sites like IMDb, TripAdvisor, etc., more often, and pays attention to the high quality and resolution of product/service images before purchasing from social media. On the other hand, compared to Generation Y, Generation Z uses forums and dictionaries like Forumdonanımhaber, Ekşisözlük, etc., more often, uses wikis like Wikipedia, etc., more frequently, uses social bookmarking sites like Pinterest, etc., more often, is more influenced by social bookmarking sites like Pinterest in their purchasing behaviors, and comments more on the profiles of friends they are connected with on social media about the products/services they have purchased. It is expected that the research findings will be guiding for future studies in the context of consumer behaviors.