The influence of social media on consumer spending behaviour among young adults in Durban, KwaZulu- Natal.

Abstract

This study has examined the significant impact of social media on consumer spending behaviour among young adults in KwaZulu-Natal. It shows that social platforms are no longer passive communication tools but have become highly active digital marketplaces that blur the line between content consumption and commercial action. Findings indicate that daily social media engagement, especially among Gen Z (those born between 1996 and 2010), increases impulsive purchasing, aspirational spending, and emotional responses to curated influencer content. The use of integrated shopping features, such as Instagram Checkout and TikTok Shop, further reduces barriers to spending. Thematic analysis identified six key factors shaping these behaviours: habitual platform use, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), influencer trust, platform-specific influence, ad recall, and budgeting challenges. These themes highlight the importance of psychological, social, and technological aspects in understanding youth consumerism in digital contexts. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the impact of social media on consumer spending behaviour among young adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was distributed online using non-probability sampling (convenience and snowball), yielding 158 valid responses from participants aged 18–29. The instrument comprised primarily 5-point Likert-scale items measuring social media usage intensity, engagement with brand and influencer content, FOMO, peer influence, platform preferences, ad recall, impulsive and trend-driven spending, and budgeting challenges. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means) to profile usage and spending patterns, and inferential statistics, including chi-square tests and Pearson correlations, to examine associations between social media engagement variables and consumer spending behaviours. Factor analysis and reliability testing (Cronbach’s alpha) were applied to validate multi-item scales. The results show that high daily engagement with social media is significantly associated with increased impulsive purchasing, aspirational spending and emotionally driven responses to curated influencer and promotional content. Integrated shopping features (e.g., Instagram Checkout, TikTok Shop) were perceived as reducing friction in the purchase process, facilitating rapid conversions from exposure to transaction. The analysis further identified six key dimensions underpinning these behaviours: habitual platform use, FOMO-related emotional triggers, influencer trust, platform-specific influence patterns, digital advertising recall, and budgeting difficulties. These findings highlight the combined psychological, social, and technological drivers of youth consumerism in digital environments and underscore the challenges they pose for financial discipline among financially vulnerable groups. The study contributes empirical evidence to digital consumer psychology and social commerce literature in an emergingmarket context and offers practical insights for marketers, regulators, and educators. Recommendations include promoting more ethical, transparent digital marketing practices and developing targeted digital and financial literacy interventions for young consumers in regions such as KwaZulu-Natal. In conclusion, the research confirms that social media plays a significant role in shaping spending habits among young South African adults. The digital environment encourages both intentional and reactive purchasing through emotional, social, and algorithmic influences. The blending of entertainment and commerce creates challenges for financial discipline, especially for youth lacking financial literacy. Practically, this study offers marketers insights into customising content strategies and emphasises the need for regulators and educators to address the growing gap between digital convenience and consumer awareness. Theoretically, it adds to the literature on digital consumer psychology and media-driven decision-making. Future research should include longitudinal studies of spending patterns, examine platform-specific psychological effects, and explore interventions to improve digital budgeting skills in developing regions such as KwaZulu-Natal.