Shopping on Social Networking Web Sites

ABSTRACT

Assuming that shopping is a business area into which U.S. social networks can expand, this study explores whether and how factors affecting shopping attitudes on social networking sites may differ according to product type. This study focuses on two types of items that social networking sites carry: real and virtual. It reveals that shopping services have different target consumers and factors according to product type. Age, usefulness, ease of use, security, and fit are critical in establishing favorable attitudes toward shopping for real items. For virtual items, gender, social networking site experience, ease of use, and fit influence the attitudes.

Keywords:

• Social networking Web sites
• online shopping
• virtual
• real
• technology acceptance model

Additional information

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jiyoung Cha (Ph.D., University of Florida) is an assistant professor in the Department of Radio, Television, and Film at the University of North Texas. Her research interests include the relationship between the media and the audience and the interaction between emerging new media and traditional media from management and marketing perspectives. She received her Ph.D. in mass communication with a minor in marketing from the University of Florida and her master’s degree in Television, Radio, and Film at the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. E-mail: [email protected].