Çelik, Kamil; Tas, Ahmet

Nowadays, social media influencers play a significant role in the world of marketing. Social media influencers reach large audiences by producing content on social media platforms, and they exert considerable impact on these audiences. The literature suggests that social media users form parasocial relationships, and these relationships develop based on the influencer's characteristics, such as attractiveness, expertise, credibility, and similarity. It has also been proven in various studies that social media influencers have a strong effect on increasing the purchasing intentions of their followers. In this study, the effects of social media influencers on parasocial relationships and the purchasing intentions of their followers were examined. The research was conducted among Instagram users in Turkey, and the data were collected using a survey method. The survey included statements aimed at measuring elements such as parasocial relationships, attractiveness, expertise, credibility, and similarity. Because of the data analysis, it was found that characteristics such as influencers' attractiveness and expertise strengthen parasocial relationships, and these relationships positively influence followers' purchasing intentions. Additionally, the perception of fairness also had a significant impact on these relationships. These findings suggest that social media influencers can be an effective tool in marketing strategies.

Çelik, Kamil; Taş, Ahmet

Akıllı telefon kullanıcılarının sayısının artmasıyla ilgili bir olgu olan teknoloji dünyasında mobil uygulamaların kullanımı giderek artmaktadır. Mobil uygulamaların ilk zamanlarında standart ihtiyaçların giderilmesi amaçlanmış ancak daha sonra hayatı kolaylaştırmaya ve pratikleştirmeye yönelik dönüşümler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Mobil uygulamalar aracılığıyla sosyal paylaşımlar yapılması, online bankacılık işlemlerinin gerçekleştirilmesi, oyun oynanması gibi mobil cihazın donanımında farklı amaçlar için kullanılması mümkün hale gelmiştir. Mobil uygulama pazarında bireylerin bir mobil uygulamayı kullanmaya devam etmesine veya kullanmayı bırakmasına sebep olan faktörleri ortaya çıkarmayı amaçlayan bu çalışma, iki teorik modeli ele alarak mobil uygulamaları kullanmaya devam etme niyetinin altında yatan faktörleri ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Bu modellerden ilki beklenti doğrulama modeli, ikincisi ise genişletilmiş birleşik teknoloji kabulü ve kullanımı teorisi olarak belirlenmiştir. Çalışmada demografik verilerin analizi, doğrulayıcı faktör analizi ve yapısal eşitlik modeli analiz R programıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışmanın korelasyon matrisini oluşturmak için SPSS 28 kullanılmıştır. Yapısal eşitlik modellemesi kullanılarak teorik çerçeve önerisini test etmek için anket yoluyla toplam 560 katılımcı çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgulara analiz edildiğinde, mobil uygulamaları kullanmaya devam etme niyetinin en önemli itici güçlerinin beklentiyi karşılama, memnuniyet, alışkanlık, performans beklentisi ve çaba beklentisi olduğu sonucu elde edilmiştir.

Çelik, Kamil; Taş, Ahmet

Consumers widely use mobile shopping applications created within the scope of mobile marketing. In this respect, determining the factors that affect consumers' continued use of mobile shopping applications will enable companies to develop these applications according to the needs of consumers. This study aims to examine the increasingly widespread mobile shopping phenomenon and the factors that motivate consumers to continue using mobile shopping. For this purpose, this study expands the technology acceptance model (TAM) and comprehensively discusses the factors affecting the intention to continue mobile shopping. Factors enabling the use of mobile shopping are perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, enjoyment, suitability to lifestyle, trust in applications, and attitude towards mobile shopping. In this context, a questionnaire was applied to 699 consumers. The obtained data were analyzed with the structural equation model using the R program. The factors of perceived ease of use, enjoyment, conformity to lifestyle, trust, and social norms have a significant and positive effect on attitude, but perceived usefulness has no significant effect on attitude. In addition, the attitude towards using mobile shopping applications has a significant and positive effect on the willingness to continue using these applications.

Çelik, Kamil; Taş, Ahmet

Purpose – The rapid development of technology and the widespread use of digital platforms have led\rto an increase in online shopping. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting the pre-purchase\rconsumer behavior of individuals who shop on Instagram.\rDesign/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was distributed to individuals who shopped on\rInstagram to test the determined hypotheses. The questionnaire was created through Google Forms and\rthe survey link was delivered to the participants via different electronic communication channels. The\rpurpose of the study and by whom it was carried out was stated in the questionnaire. The questionnaire\rstarted with demographic questions. And it included scales of pleasure, suitability for lifestyle,\rinformativeness, safety, and pre-purchase consumer behavior. The R program was used to reveal the\rdemographic information and conduct confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model\ranalysis. SPSS 22 program was used to create the correlation matrix of the scales and to perform the\rreliability analysis.\rFindings – The structural equation model analysis revealed the standard error, z-value, p-value,\rStandardized β values. As a result of the analysis, all hypotheses were supported. In addition, the β\rcoefficients and R2 values among the variables were also examined and it was concluded that prepurchase consumer behavior was explained by pleasure, suitability for lifestyle, informativeness, and\rsafety by 85.5% (R2 = 0.855), and by other variables by 14.5%.\rDiscussion – It was observed that most of the data obtained as a result of the analyzes supported the\rrelevant literature. However, some findings specific to this study were also obtained. In line with the\rresults of the analysis made in the research, various suggestions have been developed.