Social Media Marketing and Actual Purchase Behavior Among Gen Z: The Mediating Role of Consumer Engagement and Purchase Intention with High Involvement Product Moderation
Keywords:
SMM; Consumer Engagement; Purchase Intention; Actual Purchase; High Involvement Product.Abstract
This research examines the process through which social media marketing drives Indonesian Gen Z consumers, leading them from initial engagement to purchase intention and finally to actual behavior, while also assessing how high involvement products alter this process. The study applied a quantitative method, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) implemented in AMOS 24 for data analysis, to analyze data collected from 350 online purchasers. This study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and a Modified TPB to examine the influence of digital interactions on the purchasing behavior of Generation Z. The findings indicate that social media marketing exerts a significant influence on both consumer engagement and purchase intention. Furthermore, consumer engagement serves as a mediating variable in this relationship. Purchase intention, in turn, is established as a direct antecedent of actual. This study expands TPB by adding social media marketing and consumer engagement as key behavioral predictors, providing a new moderated mediation framework to explain Gen Z’s online purchasing decisions. The study is limited by its focus on Gen Z in Indonesia, affecting the generalizability to other regions. Its cross-sectional design also prevents capturing behavioral changes over time. Future research could explore cultural factors and adopt a longitudinal approach. This research extends TPB by incorporating social media marketing and consumer engagement as key drivers of purchase intention and behavior, with high-involvement products acting as a moderator. These findings offer valuable strategic implications for marketers, providing a framework for refining social media strategies to effectively target Generation Z and shape their purchase decisions.
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