Excessive Social Networking Sites Usage and Online Compulsive Game Buying: The Mediating Role of Consumer Materialism (With Special Reference to Undergraduates in Sri Lanka)

Consumer compulsive buying is an important area of attention in Consumer Behaviour research. The study was designed to determine the predictors of online compulsive game buying apart from existing studies as an extension of knowledge and the context. Furthermore, this study also gathered insights from social comparison theory and empty self-theory. An online survey was conducted and gathered data from 165 undergraduates in Sri Lanka using convenience sampling. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS and SPSS software and the findings represented that, there exists a positive relationship among the variables and there is a full mediation effect of consumer materialism which goes in line with the previous literature in certain aspects. Furthermore, the implications of this study presented would be beneficial for marketers, policymakers, and practitioners in the field of consumer behavior.