THE ROLE OF ONLINE REVIEWS IN SHAPING CONSUMERTRUSTAND PURCHASE DECISIONS IN THE SMARTPHONEMARKET

Aim: This study examines the influence of social media on mobile phone purchasepreferences among male and female users, comparing their behavior and evaluatingtheimpact of advertisements and direct product experiences. Data was collected frombothprimary and secondary sources, including questionnaires, books, records, and articles. Theprimary data was gathered from Sunguvarchatram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with a samplesizeof 130 respondents. Surveys were conducted via Google Forms. Statistical analysis wasperformed using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS Version 26, employing One-Way ANOVA, One-Sample T-Test, and Pearson Correlation Analysis. Results and Discussion: The study identified significant differences in purchasing decisionsbased on information sources (F(4, 125) = 3.357, p = 0.012). A positive correlationwasobserved between direct product experience and perceived advertisement authenticity(r =0.255, p = 0.003). Media advertisements had a substantial impact on consumer behavior(mean difference = 2.054, t(129) = 25.288, p < 0.001). Overall, consumer satisfactionwithpurchases was high. Conclusion: The findings indicate that social media significantly influences mobile phonepurchase decisions, with varying effects depending on the source of information. Direct product experiences enhance the perceived authenticity of advertisements. The studyhighlights the crucial role of social media in shaping consumer preferences, as reflectedinhigh purchase satisfaction and the moderate impact of advertisements.