Predicting Brand Loyalty and Purchasing Decision-Making Styles Based on the use of Virtual Networks in Consumers in Tehran

This study investigates the predictive relationship between virtual network usage and both brand loyalty and purchasing decision-making styles among consumers in Tehran. 

The study population comprised customers visiting Ofogh Kourosh chain stores in Tehran during the first half of 1402 (Iranian calendar year, equivalent to March–September 2023). Participants were selected using a combination of convenience and purposive sampling methods. This research adopted a descriptive-correlational design, with data analyzed using SmartPLS software. Data collection utilized two researcher-developed questionnaires by Saffarinia (1403)—one assessing brand loyalty and the other virtual network usage—alongside the Consumer Purchasing Decision-Making Styles questionnaire by Sproles and Kendall (1986). Descriptive statistics summarized the data, while inferential statistics, including regression analysis, were employed to test the research hypotheses. 

The findings revealed that virtual social network usage significantly predicts both brand loyalty and purchasing decision-making styles (p < 0.05). 

These results underscore the influential role of virtual networks in shaping brand loyalty and consumer purchasing styles, emphasizing the critical importance of digital communication in contemporary marketing and business strategies. This study contributes to the expanding literature on social networks’ impact on consumer behavior and highlights their distinctive significance in modern marketing contexts.