The evolution of shopping: a systematic review of social commerce and consumer insights

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine and develop an understanding of Social Commerce (S-Commerce) by analysing articles and propose a framework by identifying the factors influencing consumer decisions in S-Commerce. Design/methodology/approach The “Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Reviews” report protocol and the theories, contexts and methods (TCM)–antecedents, decisions and outcomes (ADO) framework is used in this study to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) of 110 articles. Findings The literature review reveals that the majority of research is conducted on the Asian Countries. In addition, the theories that have been studied the most in the literature are social support theory and Stimulus–Organism–Response. Partial least square-structured equation modelling and structured equation modelling have become the most used methods of analysis. The study identified ADO and bifurcated antecedents into three dimensions. This paper also analysed the changes in the research pattern in this domain in the pre- and post-COVID era. Originality/value This paper uses a “framework-based SLR” approach to provide a thorough understanding of S-Commerce. The TCM framework provides clarity regarding insights derived from the literature. In addition, the paper proposes a framework based on the relationships between variables using ADO. The study provides a novel contribution by discussing the trends in S-Commerce research in the pre- and post-pandemic eras. The review also highlights significant research gaps and provides future directions for further research.