Social media has become a significant force in shaping consumer decision-making, influencing how individuals evaluate products, engage with brands, and respond to them after purchase. The discussion begins by examining the impact of influencer marketing, particularly how aspirational content and materialistic attitudes can drive imitation and lead to impulsive or unsatisfying purchases. It then analyses the rise oflivestream shopping, which offers real-time interaction but may also prompt scepticism when persuasive tactics emerge. The essay further explores growing trust in peer-generated reviews alongside the risks of misinformation. Finally, it considers how social media shapes post-purchase behaviour, including reassurance seeking and cognitive dissonance.
As social media has grown, influencers have emerged as a significant source of information regarding current trends and product evaluations (Dinh et al., 2023). According to Statista (2025), the global influencer marketing market reached $24 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $32.55 billion in 2025, highlighting its increasing impact on customer decision-making and brand strategies. Exposure to influencers’ content can subtly encourage followers to imitate their behaviour and develop materialistic attitudes, which may lead to purchasing the products they promote (Dinh et al., 2023). Ruvio et al. (2013) note that, in the context of consumer behaviour, mimicking consumption patterns is generally carried out through a conscious, intentional process rather than spontaneously. Individuals are aware of their actions, and their motivation often stems from a desire to resemble other consumers or emulate a role model whose behaviour they perceive as aspirational (Ruvio et al.,2013).Materialism plays a significant role in shaping consumer behaviour, especially in the context of influencer marketing (Dinh et al., 2023).
From Inspiration to Impulse
Such influence is largely due to the fact that they perceive the promoted products as tools to enhance their social image and strengthen their emotional connection to the influencer’s personality (Mehmood et al., 2025), which, in turn, can lead to impulsive buying and dissatisfaction if expectations are not met.
While influencer marketing continues to shape consumer behaviour through aspirational content and materialistic appeal, another emerging trend is transforming how customers interact with brands in real time. Livestream shopping is becoming a popular strategy among UK brands, combining entertainment, direct interaction, and online retail into one engaging format (Mintel, 2025). Inspired by its success in China, companies are testing this approach to strengthen customer relationships and increase sales (Mintel, 2025). China has established itself as the leading global e-commerce market, characterised by its vast consumer base and exceptionally fast-paced development (Song et al., 2024). This may suggest that UK brands look to China as an example when adopting livestream shopping strategies, given its proven effectiveness in a highly competitive market. According to research on forms of “shoppertainment” generating the most consumer interest in Europe, including the UK, livestreaming on e-commerce platforms ranked highest at 59%, followed closely by livestreaming on social media at 53% (Statista, 2025). Live-stream shopping further humanises brands by showcasing the real people behind them, something static logos cannot easily convey (Mintel, 2025).
One potential drawback of livestream shopping arises when consumers recognise the persuasive techniques used by streamers (Song et al., 2024). This awareness can lead to increased scepticism and caution, ultimately decreasing the chances of them proceeding with a purchase (Song et al., 2024).
Trusting the Crowd: The Growing Power of Peer Reviews
While livestream shopping focuses on interaction between brands and consumers, another significant trend centres on connections among customers themselves.Businesses are increasingly recognising the value of customer-to-customer interaction as a way to strengthen customer engagement(Sury et al., 2024). This shift is driven by growing trust in authentic opinions shared on social media (Sury et al., 2024). According to Mintel (2024), around36% of surveyed consumers trust evaluations on social media more than reviews on retailer websites, largely due to inconsistencies across retail platforms.Threads (60%) and TikTok (59%) rank as the most trusted sources, highlighting a clear move toward social media, particularly among younger generations who increasingly rely on these platforms for purchase decisions (Mintel, 2024).
The Dark Side of Social Proof: Misinformation and Bias
However, this reliance on peer-generated content can also lead to misinformation or biased recommendations, as social media lacks the same level of verification found on official retail platforms. For instance, Borges do Nascimento et al. (2022) argue that social media platforms frequently host health-related misinformation, especially regarding vaccines and medical treatments.
Building on this reliance on peer-generated content, it is important to consider how social media continues to shape consumer behaviour even after the purchase has been made. Post-purchase behaviour describes how consumers respond after buying a product, largely influenced by the gap between their expectations and the product’s actual performance (Armstrong et al.,2019). When expectations exceed reality, dissatisfaction may occur, and consumers often share these experiences withpeers both face-to-face and online, potentially harming the brand (Armstrong et al.,2019). On social media, this could appear as negative reviews, yet satisfied customers might also post positive feedback, which not only reinforces their own purchase decision but can also encourage others to make a purchase. Furthermore, as Armstrong et al. (2019) explain, cognitive dissonance refers to the discomfort caused by post-purchase conflict. Consumers experiencing this discomfort may seek reassurance through social media, where favourable reviews could help validate their decision. Interestingly, research suggests that materialistic consumers, previously discussed in relation to influencer marketing, are particularly prone to negative emotions afterspending, even on products designed to provide pleasure (Brown et al., 2016).
Consumer decision-making is increasingly shaped by the pervasive influence of social media. As shown in this essay, influencers help brands promote and sell products, benefiting companies, but sometimes leading to overconsumption or dissatisfaction. When consumers recognise persuasive tactics used by influencers or livestream hosts, scepticism can grow and reduce purchase intentions. Peer-generated reviews often seem more trustworthy than retailer platforms, yet the risk of misleading information, including health-related misinformation, underscores the need for caution. Social media also shapes post-purchase behaviour, as reassurance seeking may ease concerns or intensify cognitive dissonance.Overall, social media’s powerful yet complex influence highlights the need for critical evaluation in purchasing decisions and greater caution from brands when using social media marketing.
Betty Novotna, University of Portsmouth
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