THE UTILIZATION OF SOCIAL COMMERCE PLATFORM IN DEVELOPING ECONOMIES

Abstract

Thailand has experienced significant growth in the e-commerce sector, with a particular emphasis on social commerce. Social commerce platforms, which integrate social networking and online shopping, have gained substantial popularity among Thai consumers. This unique market landscape makes Thailand an interesting context to explore consumer behaviour within the realm of social commerce platform migration (Hirankasi & Klungjaturavet, 2021). This study specifically focuses on consumer behaviour related to the decision to migrate from one social commerce platform to another in Thailand. A qualitative research approach was adopted, employing in-depth interviews with nine key informants who had undergone such migration. Purposive sampling was utilized to select participants with firsthand experience in switching social commerce platforms. The collected qualitative data were then analyzed through content analysis using NVivo software. The study’s findings shed light on the factors influencing the choice of a social commerce platform. Notably, social support, motivation, and technology emerged as key drivers in consumers’ decision-making processes. Providers of social commerce platforms are encouraged to prioritize these aspects to enhance customer satisfaction and retention. By focusing on improving social support, motivating factors, and leveraging technological advancements, social commerce platforms and online shopping marketplaces can increase customer satisfaction and potentially attract more users to switch their social commerce platforms.