The Impact of Instagram on the Consumption Behavior of Female Students at Sultan Qaboos University

Abstract

With the advent of Internet, and it atracts of global scene. Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin appeared and it made a quantum leap in the field of communication. Instagram is one of the interactive networks that includes a large number of users from all over the world, and due to the services provided by instegram, it opened the horizons for merchants by presenting and marketing their goods through the network, and they use various persuasive methods to urge target individuals to buy goods and services, which change the consumer behavior of society as a whole. This study aimed to identify the impact of social network (Instagram) in influencing consumer behavior among female students in Sultan Qaboos University . Also , it aimed to identify their attitudes towards advertisements on Instagram, and to know the reasons for preferring electronic shopping through the platform instead of traditional shopping, as well as identifying the significance of the differences in the role of Instagram in influencing the consumer behavior of female students due to the variables of age, academic specialization, family income, number of its members, social status and type of housing. The research was based on the media survey method, and the research community consisted of female students from Sultan Qaboos University (College of Economics - College of Science) with a number of 2741 students. The research was applied to a random sample of university students ranging in age from 19-24 years. The questionnaire was used as a tool to collect the information.