The Use of Instagram in Impulsive Fashion Purchases amongst Kazakhstani Centennials

Abstract

The proliferation of digital technologies has made a huge impact on the development of consumers' behavior and purchasing habits. If to consider the rising presence and the role of centennials in the market, it is highly important to comprehend their preferences and consuming behavior. The primary purpose of this article is to examine the increasing role and impact of Instagram on the impulsive purchase of fashion items in the context of generation Z in Kazakhstan and to identify what kind of stimuli may affect the spontaneous decisions of centennials on buying apparel items. The methodology comprises six focus groups with 39 participants and an online survey which involved 106 centennials. The research was conducted in Almaty city among the population Z aged 18 and 22. The results indicate a prominent influence of Instagram in the everyday activities of respondents; moreover, it showed a positive correlation between this platform and the motivations of centennials to buy impulsively. The following results were obtained: 1) activities of fashion brands and friends' recommendations on Instagram act as stimuli on young consumers from generation Z; 2) activities of fashion brands and friends are likely to trigger positive reactions among centennials; 3) positive emotions derived from Instagram mainly can influence on centennials' impulsive purchases of fashion items. The outcome of this research can be helpful in the marketing departments of companies to understand the centennials' consuming habits and their use of social networks.