The Role of Digital Immersion in Shaping the Purchasing Behavior of Women in Saudi Arabia through TikTok and Instagram: A Field Study

This study aims to examine the relationship between the level of digital immersion in social media platforms—specifically TikTok and Instagram—and the purchasing behavior of women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a focus on distinguishing between emotionally driven and rational purchasing decisions. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, and data were collected from a sample of 241 Saudi women using an online questionnaire comprising three sections: demographic characteristics, measurement of digital immersion, and assessment of purchasing behavior. The internal consistency of the instrument’s items was verified using Cronbach’s alpha, and the reliability and statistical validity of the tool were confirmed. Descriptive findings revealed that a considerable proportion of participants spend more than three hours daily on TikTok and Instagram, with entertainment and following influencers being the main purposes of use. Hypothesis testing results indicated a moderate, statistically significant positive correlation between digital immersion and purchasing behavior, with a limited role of emotional factors in tilting purchasing decisions among highly immersed users. Furthermore, the relationship varied across age groups, being more pronounced among younger participants. The study concludes that digital immersion is one of the influential factors shaping the purchasing behavior of Saudi women, contributing to a greater tendency toward emotional purchasing decisions, particularly within the interactive environment of visual platforms. The findings recommend raising consumer awareness of the importance of balancing emotion and rationality in purchase decisions, and encourage digital marketing strategies to consider age-related differences in responsiveness to content.