THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL COMMERCE ON ONLINE PURCHASE INTENTION

Main Abstract

The convergence of social media and electronic commerce has produced social commerce, where shopping activities including product discovery, peer consultation, and purchase completion occur directly within social media environments rather than on dedicated e-commerce websites. Features such as shoppable posts, in-app checkout, live shopping streams, and socially embedded reviews have transformed platforms into commercial marketplaces. However, the mechanisms through which social commerce features translate into online purchase intention, distinct from social media marketing or e-commerce generally, remain incompletely understood, particularly in emerging markets. This study examined the effect of social commerce on online purchase intention among selected online consumers. Objectives were to assess extent of engagement with social commerce features, determine effect of social commerce on purchase intention, examine influence of social support on consumer trust, and evaluate moderating role of perceived risk. Descriptive survey design was adopted. Data were obtained from 384 online consumers determined using Cochran formula for infinite populations via purposive and convenience sampling. A structured five-point Likert scale questionnaire was validated and pilot-tested, yielding Cronbach's Alpha above 0.70 for all constructs. Analysis used descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including Chi-square and simple/multiple linear regression with SPSS version 26. Findings revealed moderate-to-high engagement with social commerce features, a statistically significant positive effect of social commerce on online purchase intention, significant positive influence of social support on consumer trust in social commerce platforms, and significant moderation by perceived risk such that positive effect of engagement on purchase intention weakened substantially among consumers reporting higher transactional risk. The study concluded that social commerce is a significant and increasingly central driver of purchase intention, whose effectiveness rests on social support and trust but remains constrained by residual risk perception. Recommendations include strengthening visible trust signals such as verified seller badges and buyer protection guarantees, cultivating community-based informational and emotional support, and investing in secure transparent payment infrastructure.

Background to the Study

Social commerce, defined by Liang et al. as shopping activities conducted directly within social media environments, represents a distinct evolution from e-commerce. Traditional e-commerce positions the consumer as an individual transacting with a firm, while social commerce embeds the transaction within a network of peers, user-generated content, and interactive community features. This distinction is theoretically important because it introduces social support theory and social presence theory into purchase decision models.

Three mechanisms are central. First, social support includes informational support, where peers provide product advice, usage tips, and authentic reviews, and emotional support, where community encouragement reduces purchase anxiety. Second, social presence captures perceived human warmth and sociability, amplified by live commerce where sellers demonstrate products in real time, answer questions, and combine entertainment with persuasion. Third, trust transfer occurs when trust in peers or influencers transfers to trust in sellers and platforms, lowering perceived risk. Recent meta-analyses show trust has a stronger effect on behaviour than risk in social media platforms, though risk remains significant.

In Nigeria, social commerce lowers entry barriers for micro-sellers who lack websites but have social followings. Instagram and WhatsApp storefronts, Facebook Marketplace listings, and TikTok Shop live sessions enable direct selling with cash-on-delivery, bank transfer, or in-app checkout. Yet structural differences from dedicated e-commerce sites persist in buyer protection, payment security, and regulatory oversight, sustaining risk perceptions. Understanding how these competing forces interact within a single integrated model is critical for both theory and practice. For context on platform governance and consumer protection, see FTC guidance on social media marketing and FTC consumer protection resources. Students can compare approaches in e-commerce project topics on SCHOLARNESTHUB.

Statement of the Problem

Despite rapid growth in shoppable posts, in-app checkout, and live shopping tools, it remains unclear precisely which social commerce dimensions most strongly drive purchase intention. Brands have invested heavily without clear empirical ranking of whether social support, social presence, or review visibility matters most. This uncertainty is compounded by persistent concerns about security and legitimacy of transactions within social media environments that lack standardized buyer protection and payment infrastructure compared to Jumia or Amazon. While social support theoretically builds trust, perceived transactional risk may still suppress intention, particularly in emerging markets like Nigeria where fraud experiences are relatively common. Limited studies integrate social commerce engagement, social support, trust, and perceived risk moderation within one model for Nigerian consumers. This study addresses that gap by testing these relationships simultaneously among online consumers who actively engage with shopping features on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of social commerce on online purchase intention among selected online consumers.

·         To assess the extent of consumer engagement with social commerce features.

·         To determine the effect of social commerce on online purchase intention.

·         To examine the influence of social support (informational and emotional) on consumer trust in social commerce platforms.

·         To evaluate the moderating role of perceived risk on the relationship between social commerce engagement and online purchase intention.

Research Questions

1. What is the extent of consumer engagement with social commerce features?

2. What effect does social commerce have on online purchase intention?

3. What influence does social support have on consumer trust in social commerce platforms?

4. What moderating role does perceived risk play in the relationship between social commerce engagement and online purchase intention?

Research Hypotheses

H01: Social commerce has no significant effect on online purchase intention.
H02: Social support does not significantly influence consumer trust in social commerce platforms.
H03: There is no significant relationship between social presence and consumer trust in social commerce platforms.
H04: Perceived risk does not significantly moderate the relationship between social commerce engagement and online purchase intention.

Significance of the Study

For marketing practitioners and brand managers, findings clarify which social commerce features, whether community support mechanisms, review systems, or live commerce, most strongly drive purchase intention, enabling smarter allocation toward channel development and influencer collaboration. For platform operators and social commerce technology providers, insight into trust and risk factors informs feature design such as verified badges, buyer protection, and secure checkout. For policymakers and consumer protection bodies, evidence on residual risk perceptions guides future guidance for social media transactions. Academically, the study extends social support, social presence, and trust theories to social commerce in an emerging market, offering a reference for future digital marketing research. Comparative models can be found in digital marketing project topics on SCHOLARNESTHUB.

Scope of the Study

The study focuses on online consumers who have engaged with shopping features embedded within social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Geographical scope covers selected online consumers within Nigeria, conceptual scope is restricted to constructs of social commerce engagement, social support, social presence, consumer trust, perceived risk, and online purchase intention. The study adopts cross-sectional survey design, capturing perceptions at one point in time, with sample of 384 determined via Cochran formula.

Limitations of the Study

Reliance on self-reported perceptions introduces possibility of response bias. Cross-sectional design cannot capture rapid evolution of social commerce features such as live commerce algorithms. Time and resource constraints limited geographical and sampling scope, potentially limiting generalizability beyond studied population. These were mitigated through careful instrument design, pilot testing achieving Cronbach's Alpha above 0.70, and sufficiently large sample for statistically reliable inference.

Operational Definition of Terms

Social Commerce: A subset of electronic commerce where shopping activities including discovery, evaluation, and purchase are conducted directly within social media platforms and environments.

Online Purchase Intention: A consumer's stated willingness or plan to complete a purchase transaction through an online or digitally mediated channel.

Social Support: The informational and emotional assistance a consumer perceives receiving from other users within a social commerce community, including advice, encouragement, and shared experiences.

Social Presence: Extent to which a consumer perceives human warmth, sociability, and personal connection while interacting within a digital commerce environment, amplified by live video and real-time interaction.

Perceived Risk: Consumer's subjective assessment of potential negative consequences including financial loss, product non-delivery, or fraud associated with a given online transaction. See FTC consumer protection

Live Commerce: Social commerce format where sellers or influencers showcase and sell products in real time through live-streamed video, combining entertainment, persuasion, and immediate purchase facilitation.

User-Generated Content (UGC): Content including reviews, ratings, comments, photos, and unboxing videos created and shared by consumers rather than brands, critical for trust building.

Short Conclusion

Social commerce is no longer peripheral to e-commerce in Nigeria; it is increasingly central to how consumers discover and decide to buy. This study's findings confirm moderate-to-high engagement with shoppable posts and live streams, a significant positive effect on purchase intention, and a critical pathway where social support builds trust which then drives intention. However, perceived transactional risk significantly weakens this positive relationship, indicating that trust gains remain fragile without visible safety infrastructure. Platforms and brands should therefore strengthen verified seller badges, buyer protection guarantees, escrow-style payment, and transparent return policies, while actively cultivating community features that enable informational and emotional support. For students and researchers, this integrated model provides a template adaptable to other emerging markets. Further resources on implementation are available in marketing strategy guides on SCHOLARNESTHUB.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is social commerce and how is it different from e-commerce?

A: Social commerce occurs directly within social media platforms like Instagram Shopping, Facebook Marketplace, and TikTok Shop, where discovery, peer consultation, and checkout happen in the same environment, unlike traditional e-commerce on dedicated websites.

Q: How does social commerce affect online purchase intention?

A: This study of 384 consumers found social commerce has a statistically significant positive effect on purchase intention, driven by social support and trust built through peer interaction.

Q: What role does social support play in social commerce trust?

A: Informational support such as reviews and advice, and emotional support such as encouragement, significantly increase consumer trust in sellers and platforms.

Q: What is live commerce and why is it important?

A: Live commerce is real-time video selling where sellers demonstrate products, answer questions, and enable immediate purchase, combining entertainment and persuasion to boost intention.

Q: Does perceived risk reduce social commerce purchases?

A: Yes, perceived risk moderates the relationship: among consumers reporting higher risk of fraud or non-delivery, the positive effect of social commerce engagement on purchase intention weakens substantially.

Q: How was this study conducted?

A: Descriptive survey of 384 online consumers using Cochran formula, purposive and convenience sampling, validated Likert-scale questionnaire with Cronbach's Alpha above 0.70, analyzed with descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and regression in SPSS 26.

Q: Which trust signals work best in Nigerian social commerce?

A: Verified seller badges, buyer protection guarantees, visible user-generated reviews with photos, and secure transparent payment infrastructure were recommended.

Q: What is social presence in social commerce?

A: Perceived human warmth and sociability while shopping online, heightened by live interaction, influencer presence, and community features.

Q: Can social commerce replace traditional e-commerce websites?

A: In Nigeria many micro-sellers bypass websites entirely, but social commerce and dedicated e-commerce often coexist, with social platforms driving discovery and traditional sites handling fulfilment.

Q: What should brands prioritize to increase social commerce sales?

A: Cultivate community-based informational and emotional support, invest in live commerce capabilities, display strong trust signals, and reduce perceived risk through secure payment options.