Factors Affecting Generation Y’s Consumer Conformity Behaviour in Social Networking Sites; with Special Reference to Retail Fashion Industry in Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The development of social networking platforms on the internet tremendously impacts to the facilitation of global social interconnections. Consumers are influenced by a variety of social networks in which Facebook plays a major role. Considering the rising Gen Y’s Social Networking Sites (SNS) involvement, modern fashion brands consider Facebook as a business take-off tool. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate factors influencing Gen Y consumer conformity behaviour in SNS in the context of the retail fashion industry in Sri Lanka. A deductive, cross-sectional research inquiry was carried out using five independent variables, which equipped a field survey of (N=214) respondents belonging to Gen Y from the Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Research instrument of 32 items used in which the responses were ranked based on a seven-point Likert scale. Findings carry practical implications in focusing on the influential factors on Gen Y consumer conformity behaviour in SNS in driving retail fashion industry.