The use of Instagram to promote fashion mobile shopping in Lebanon

Abstract

Shopping through Instagram has recently become a trend in the Lebanese market lately with hundreds of Instagram pages dedicated to selling goods and having them delivered to consumers' addresses. The purpose of this study is to analyze this new trend and find out if it is taking over the traditional online shopping through regular retail websites. One of the objectives of this thesis is to fill the gap of previous literature that did not provide an in depth investigation of the Instagram shopping trend in Lebanon. The theories that will frame the study are the shopping preference theory, which builds on the psychological foundation of the consumers' shopping behavior, the uses and gratification theory, which focuses on the consumer's use of the media and finally the online shopping consumer behavior theory. The empirical data was collected through a survey and it was distributed among 200 respondents by hand and online. The main reasons shoppers preferred Instagram shopping over regular online shopping are: first financial security, due to the option of payment upon delivery; second, Instagram provides shoppers with the information they are interested in; and third, the platform provides the consumers with "shoppable photos" therefore, they are shopping for lifestyles and inspiration. Moreover, the study shows that Instagram shopping provides the shoppers with personal satisfaction by affecting their personal identity. Finally, entertainment factor plays a crucial role as consumers are not only shopping; they are also interacting with other shoppers and using this platform for entertainment.