Influence of Social Media Advertising and Influencer Marketing on Gen Z Fashion E-Commerce Purchasing Decisions in West Coast Region The Gambia: Impulsive Buying as Mediator

This research examines the impact of social media advertising and influencer marketing on Gen Z fashion e-commerce purchasing behavior in the West Coast Region, The Gambia with impulsive buying as a mediating variable. A quantitative causal-comparative research design was used with data obtained through questionnaires from 130 Gen Z participants. Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was the method of analysis applied in SmartPLS 4. This study is built on the S-O-R (Stimulus–Organism–Response) model, which describes an external marketing stimulus that leads to an internal psychological response and an effect on consumer behavior. The results show that both social media advertising and influencer marketing strongly impact Gen Z consumers’ purchase intention. Besides, impulsive buying behavior mediates these relationships, implying that exposure to digital marketing content can lead to impulsive purchases. These findings emphasize the role of engaging social media content and influencer partnerships to guide fashion e-commerce consumer decisions. This study provides key implications for marketers and companies in designing a focused digital strategy to successfully reach Gen Z consumers in The Gambia and similar emerging markets.