Volume 02, Issue 8
Published on: August 2026
SOCIAL MEDIA AS A DRIVER OF ONLINE BUYING BEHAVIOUR AMONG RURAL CONSUMERS: A STUDY OF CHANDWAD AND LASALGAON
Dr. Smita V. Samudre
Assistant Professor - Department of M.B.A, Late Sau. K. B. Jain College of Engineering, Chandwad, Maharashtra
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Abstract
The rapid expansion of smartphones, affordable internet services, and digital platforms has transformed consumer behaviour in India. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube have moved beyond their traditional role of communication and entertainment and have increasingly become important channels for product discovery, advertising, consumer interaction, and online purchasing. This transformation is particularly significant in rural and semi-urban areas, where consumers are gradually becoming part of the digital marketplace.
The present study, titled “Impact of Social Media on Online Buying Behaviour in Rural India: A Study of Chandwad and Lasalgaon,” examines the role of social media in influencing online buying behaviour among consumers in Chandwad and Lasalgaon of Nashik District, Maharashtra. The study focuses on social media usage patterns, preferred platforms, online purchasing behaviour, payment preferences, influence of advertisements and reviews, consumer trust, and barriers to online shopping.
The study adopts a descriptive research design and is based primarily on primary data collected through a structured questionnaire. A survey of 300 respondents was considered for the analysis. Respondents were selected through convenience and purposive sampling. Secondary information was obtained from books, research papers, journals, reports, and online sources relating to social media, digital marketing, consumer behaviour, and rural e-commerce. The collected data were analysed using frequency, percentage analysis, tables, and Tableical representations.
The findings reveal that WhatsApp is the most widely used platform among the respondents, followed by Instagram and YouTube. Approximately 80% of respondents reported purchasing products online during the previous six months. Cash on Delivery (COD) remains the most preferred payment method, although UPI-based payments are increasingly being adopted. Product quality, fake products or misleading advertisements, delivery delays, and trust concerns were identified as major challenges. The study also indicates that social media advertisements, peer recommendations, product reviews, influencer content, and promotional offers contribute significantly to product awareness and purchase intention.
The study concludes that social media is emerging as an important driver of online buying behaviour in rural and semi-urban markets. However, the continued growth of rural e-commerce depends on strengthening consumer trust, improving product authenticity, ensuring reliable delivery, increasing digital payment confidence, and providing digital literacy and awareness in local languages. The findings can be useful for e-commerce companies, local entrepreneurs, marketers, policymakers, and researchers interested in understanding the development of India's rural digital economy.
The present study, titled “Impact of Social Media on Online Buying Behaviour in Rural India: A Study of Chandwad and Lasalgaon,” examines the role of social media in influencing online buying behaviour among consumers in Chandwad and Lasalgaon of Nashik District, Maharashtra. The study focuses on social media usage patterns, preferred platforms, online purchasing behaviour, payment preferences, influence of advertisements and reviews, consumer trust, and barriers to online shopping.
The study adopts a descriptive research design and is based primarily on primary data collected through a structured questionnaire. A survey of 300 respondents was considered for the analysis. Respondents were selected through convenience and purposive sampling. Secondary information was obtained from books, research papers, journals, reports, and online sources relating to social media, digital marketing, consumer behaviour, and rural e-commerce. The collected data were analysed using frequency, percentage analysis, tables, and Tableical representations.
The findings reveal that WhatsApp is the most widely used platform among the respondents, followed by Instagram and YouTube. Approximately 80% of respondents reported purchasing products online during the previous six months. Cash on Delivery (COD) remains the most preferred payment method, although UPI-based payments are increasingly being adopted. Product quality, fake products or misleading advertisements, delivery delays, and trust concerns were identified as major challenges. The study also indicates that social media advertisements, peer recommendations, product reviews, influencer content, and promotional offers contribute significantly to product awareness and purchase intention.
The study concludes that social media is emerging as an important driver of online buying behaviour in rural and semi-urban markets. However, the continued growth of rural e-commerce depends on strengthening consumer trust, improving product authenticity, ensuring reliable delivery, increasing digital payment confidence, and providing digital literacy and awareness in local languages. The findings can be useful for e-commerce companies, local entrepreneurs, marketers, policymakers, and researchers interested in understanding the development of India's rural digital economy.
How to Cite this Paper
Samudre, S. V. (2026). Social Media as a Driver of Online Buying Behaviour among Rural Consumers: A Study of Chandwad and Lasalgaon. International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, <i>02</i>(8), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i8.247
Samudre, Smita. "Social Media as a Driver of Online Buying Behaviour among Rural Consumers: A Study of Chandwad and Lasalgaon." International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, vol. 02, no. 8, 2026, pp. 1-13. doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i8.247.
Samudre, Smita. "Social Media as a Driver of Online Buying Behaviour among Rural Consumers: A Study of Chandwad and Lasalgaon." International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management 02, no. 8 (2026): 1-13. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i8.247.
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- •Published on: Aug 28 2026
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