I decided to focus my research at the rise of media convergence and era of digitalization. I wanted to perform a study which focused on young adults shopping habits and whether the preferred e-commerce, or alternatively purchasing items in stores physically. The progression of media convergence has had a monumental impact in terms of affecting an audiences shopping habit, which is the coalesce of traditional media forms and new emerging online media (Dwyer, 2010). There are multiple factors which have been the catalyst of ecommerce success, with the Covid-19 pandemic being a huge component causing the closures of many physical stores. The technology-based revolution, with some stating it is the 3rd industrial revolution (Dosi, & Galambos, L, 2013).

 

 

The constant bombardment of advertisements on social media platforms such as Instagram has participated in the growth of e-commerce. The wave of the profession of ‘Instagram influencers’, could potentially be perceived to be detrimental to those who engage with the platform in multiple ways, such as reduced self-esteem and overconsumption of materialistic goods. Influences strategically market products to make the audience feel as though they need to purchase these products as it will give value to their life, promoting Although these influencers impact may seem insignificant, once investigated it could be shown that their behaviours have a detrimental impact within society. it may see minute and the majority of which are paid to look and act perfect daily on social media, has also no doubt caused detrimental effects on how young people. Their higher, desirable status allows them to be able to capitalise on any product.

 

I have been able to contemplate theories applicable to my own investigation amongst researching the effects of the rise in eCommerce, and the digitalisation of purchasing materialistic products. I decided that I wanted to locate further research into why people engage with online shopping and materialistic goods more than ever before. There is an unmountable level of pressure being pushed onto social media users to purchase materialist goods, with the Covid-19 global pandemic escalating this massively. A government survey was conducted to gain an insight into how residents within the UK have adapted their media habits during the pandemic. The survey established that there has been a massive increase in screen time, recording a 60 percent increase in internet use during the COVID-19 pandemic which 50 percent of the time was spent engaging on social media (Beech, 2020). This subsequently has had massive effects on wellbeing. It was discovered that anxiety levels within the UK population rose to the highest there has been in decades. as there has been an increase in people using their devices and social media platforms as a main source of entertainment. Katz, Blumler & Gurevitch (1974) conducted a study which assessed how people use media to gratify specific wants and needs. The study concluded that people use media forms to fulfil five needs which are 

• Cognitive needs – knowledge and understanding.

• Affective needs – aesthetic, pleasurable and emotional needs.

• Integrative needs – Confidence, stability, status.

• Social needs – contact with others.

• Escapism – escape, tension release etc.

 

These five needs can be reflected still today in 2022 with modern media forms and is applicable to my own research project assessing if my target audience engage with online shopping and endorse materialistic goods in order to achieve fulfilment within oneself. 

 

I also wanted to explore the authenticity of social media, especially influencers amongst these platforms. They have such a monumental impact on people’s lives. An investigation was undertaken focusing on this subject by documentary creator Blindboy (2019) who created a false drink containing cyanide and reached out to influencers to see if would promote it in exchange for a fee, and not consider what the ingredients of this product would subsequently lead to. One of the participants, Lauren Goodger who has over a million followers accepted the opportunity which explicitly highlights a massive disregard for her fan’s wellbeing. Watching this documentary reiterated to me that people are exposed to these false advertisements constantly upon social media platforms. 

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Bibliography

 

BBC Three - Blindboy Un-destroys the World, Series 1, Why Are We So Anxious? (2019, December 17). [Video]. BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07txjh4

Beech, M. (2020, March 26). COVID-19 Pushes Up Internet Use 70% And Streaming More Than 12%, First Figures Reveal. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2020/03/25/covid-19-pushes-up-internet-use-70-streaming-more-than-12-first-figures-reveal/?sh=402831813104

 

Dosi, & Galambos, L. (2013). The third industrial revolution in global business (Dosi & L. Galambos, Eds.). Cambridge University Press.

 

Dwyer, Tim. Media Convergence, McGraw-Hill Education, 2010. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/shu/detail.action?docID=557091.

KATZ, BLUMLER, J. G., & GUREVITCH, M. (1973). USES AND GRATIFICATIONS RESEARCH. Public Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509–523. https://doi.org/10.1086/268109