Navigating the Digital Marketplace: A Qualitative Study of Generation Y's Retail and Social Commerce Preferences in South Africa

This study explores Generation Y's social commerce and retail preferences in South Africa, including online behaviors, product types, social commerce platforms, and optimal retail formats. Using qualitative focus groups comprised of participants selected via purposive sampling, the study determines a strong preference of Generation Y consumers for the convenience of online shopping as opposed to shopping at traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Instagram and Facebook Marketplace emerge as the dominant social commerce platforms, backed by their visual nature and influencer culture. Electronics, fashion, beauty products, books and homeware are the most popular product categories. Trustworthiness and reliability emerged as major concerns among participants, playing a decisive role in their purchase intention. This study addresses a significant literature void by placing these behaviors in South Africa's unique digital landscape, which is defined by economic disparity and varying levels of digital accessibility. The outcomes provide practical insights for retailers that want to develop and enhance their operations on social commerce platforms and drive plans to increase sales by attracting Generation Y within the rapidly growing digital market.