Exploring the influence of social media and materialism on impulsive real estate buying decisions among young immigrants in Canada

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of social media and materialism on impulsive buying decisions and real estate. Furthermore, the paper examines whether social media correlates with materialism and provides insights that will facilitate a better economic climate. Design/methodology/approach The data for the study was collected using an online survey circulated among young immigrants in Canada. A five-point Likert scale was used, followed by structure modeling to test the hypothesis. Findings The findings reveal how impulsive buying behaviors are influenced by materialism and social media among young immigrants. The data support two hypotheses since it confirms that social media affects the amount of materialistic wants possessed by respondents and that the higher their levels of materialism, the more likely they are to make impulsive buying decisions, especially when it comes to buying real estate. Research limitations/implications As the data was limited to Canada, the findings are limited to this region and could vary across geographic regions. The age group was not considered as a huge factor as minors do not always have the purchasing power in terms of housing. Practical implications Materialism, social media and impulsive buying may not always lead to purchasing a home spontaneously. However, one must still consider their financial situation before purchasing anything. The findings in this paper will help customers and consumers of social media to understand what truly drives impulsive buying, resulting in unnecessary purchases. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the factors affecting impulsive real estate buying decisions among young immigrants in Canada, including social media and materialism.