Gender-Based Buying Habits in Facebook and WhatsApp Social Commerce Groups

Facebook and WhatsApp groups have become increasingly popular as a channel of social commerce, offering consumers convenience, immediacy, and peer-to-peer interaction. These platforms integrate social and commercial functions, shaping shopping behaviors that are often absent in structured online retail environments. By focusing on gender-based comparisons, the study provides valuable insight into how men and women engage differently in social commerce environments. Understanding these distinctions enables businesses and marketers to tailor their strategies for promoting and selling products on Facebook and WhatsApp groups in ways that reflect gender-based shopping motivations and habits. The purpose of the study was to determine whether gender differences exist in price consciousness, buying impulsiveness, hedonic motivation, and the habit of purchasing from Facebook and WhatsApp groups. The study adopted a descriptive research design and utilized a survey method to collect data from 412 consumers. Statistically significant differences were identified between male and female consumers in relation to their habit of purchasing from Facebook or WhatsApp groups. This purchasing habit was more pronounced among male consumers. No significant gender differences were found in relation to price consciousness, buying impulsiveness, or hedonic motivation. The regression analysis indicated that, for male consumers, buying impulsiveness and hedonic motivation influence their habit of purchasing from Facebook and WhatsApp groups. In contrast, for female consumers, price consciousness and hedonic motivation drive their purchasing habits from these platforms.