Exploring Consumer Switching Behaviour to Social Commerce: A Study on Generation X in Malaysia

Abstract. Malaysia’s social commerce landscape is expanding rapidly, with Generation X serving as a critical demographic in this transition. Grounded in the Push-Pull-Mooring (PPM) theory, this study investigates the factors influencing their adoption of social commerce. A survey of 100 Malaysian participants aged 42–58 identified trust as the most significant determinant (β =0.281), while concerns regarding performance risks negatively impacted perceived ease of use. Perceived enjoyment, media usefulness, and product informativeness were found to have positive correlations with performance risk concerns. These findings highlight the complex interplay of push factors (dissatisfaction), pull factors (platform appeal), and mooring factors (commitment, herd behavior) in shaping Generation X’s engagement with social commerce. This study contributes to the literature by addressing a research gap in social commerce adoption among Generation X, a demographic often overlooked in favor of younger consumers. By employing the PPM framework, the research provides a structured analysis of consumer switching behavior, emphasizing trust as a critical enabler and performance risk as a significant barrier. The findings underscore the necessity for businesses to enhance transparency and reliability to foster trust while leveraging enjoyment, media usefulness, and informativeness to optimize user engagement. These insights offer practical implications for businesses seeking to refine strategies targeting Generation X consumers in Malaysia’s evolving social commerce ecosystem. Keywords: Social commerce; generation x; push-pull-mooring theory; trust; performance risk; Malaysia; consumer behavior