Selling on Instagram: Factors that Determine the Adoption of Instagram Commerce

Abstract

The relevance of social networks in recent years has been demonstrated at the business level. However, selling through social networks and more specifically on Instagram constitutes an emerging field of knowledge. Instagram commerce is part of the new means of social commerce, in which various companies all over the world sell their products and services, and Instagram is the second most preferred social media platform globally. The aim of this research is twofold: on the one hand, to demonstrate the influence of social networks on the purchasing decisions of individuals by focusing more on Instagram commerce, and on the other hand, to analyze the factors that drive purchases in the context of the development of sales in social businesses, more specifically, on Instagram in Palestine. For this purpose, an experimental situation was developed in which users answered a survey after watching a video. From this survey, the present study obtained 200 valid responses. The research model is evaluated through structural equation modeling (SEM). Results reveal the huge impact of social networks on consumer purchase intention. In this sense, there are several factors that mediate the growth of sales in social commerce, particularly on Instagram. The research has important implications for the theory and practice of Instagram commerce.