Seniors continue to signify an essential and rapidly increasing percentage of the population in numerous developed economies that can accept a more influential place in shopping using social networking sites given their buying power and wealth (Kim et al., 2016b). According to the prior studies, this research identifies individuals that are aged 50 years and older as senior citizens (Anderson and Langmeyer, 1982; Kim et al., 2016a,b). A constant and advanced sequence of useful understandings of how social networking sites (SNSs) will be able to utilize to promote products and services, for the success of businesses via advertising, sales development, and connections with consumers has initiated an increase in SNSs (Yadav et al., 2015). The increasing significance of technologies in advertising has created a massive curiosity in the educational and industrial world in cultivating desirable encounters to present to online customers. To create these experiences, it is essential to analyze states related to flow. This state is an ideal psychological capability, linked with enjoyment in conducting a task, and forecasting online customer behavior. In electronic businesses, the flow and the optimistic attitudes it produces, boost intent to purchase, endorse online sites, and maintain usage. Consequently, in e-commerce companies, flow state is vital and would be studied to recognize the customer behavior and to enhance the interactions between customers and the company in virtual settings. Furthermore, online situations have features that enable flow, for instance, their level of communication. More precisely, the e-commerce environment allows customers to focus and lose the trail of time in the course of their collaborations, letting them appreciate the flow activities (Barta et al., 2021). Corresponding to the earlier research, flow experience produces a constructive emotional state for senior citizens that can demonstrate pleasure, fulfillment, and profound life, and allows adaptable and innovative thinking motivating to a sense of emotional strength. Senior citizens usually experience flow once they get involved in the behaviors possessing suitable degrees of skills and abilities. The relaxation pursuits of senior citizens are significantly associated with their experiences produced whenever they are in a state of flow. Furthermore, retirement is adversely associated with their experience of flow (Heo et al., 2010). Senior citizens with greater degrees of flow are linked in conjunction with a greater psychological state that is related to the constructive influences, for instance, being livelier, more excited, having positive attitudes, and a feeling of life fulfillment (Kim et al., 2017). Based on the existing studies, this research anticipates that use of SNSs and flow experiences are significantly correlated with senior citizens. Thus, this study utilizes the antecedents of measuring consumer flow experience from Barta et al. (2021) study as feedback, concentration, enjoyment, and time distortion experienced by the senior citizens while using social media for shopping.

The outstanding growth of SNSs has converted an online social communication platform to a virtual social electronic commerce and offered chances for several electronic retailers to connect with online customers and perform business activities with them. This swift development of social networking sites has significantly enhanced the number of social networking sites customers on sites, namely, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. SNSs present online customers with a variety of convenient buying opportunities for products and useful methods of cooperating with more customers. SNSs must turn out to be a vital platform for merchandise search among the customers. Moreover, as SNSs have developed globally, marketing initiatives are considered more essential. Therefore, individuals have been allowed by SNSs to alter their buying activities and the means that they use to communicate with businesses (Hyun et al., 2021). Earlier scholars have built numerous theoretical frameworks integrating a variety of factors to display the tendency of customer activities in the societal marketplace that suggest the concept change in the path of identifying recent activities of SNSs customers and their social purchasing events. Conveyed the significance of customers of SNSs and their online social spending behaviors, numerous studies have a scarce correlation between flow and perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) of SNSs for purchasing. Hence, it can be inferred that buying intention on SNSs centered on flow theory and technology acceptance model has obtained less awareness in the perspective of social business. Additionally, analyzing the impact of the correlation between flow experiences of customers and technological attitudes on the outcome of customers to shop using SNSs is important as numerous previous research have observed the part of the flow in traditional electronic commerce (Mahnke et al., 2015; Su et al., 2016). According to Yusuf and Busalim (2018), distinctions between traditional e-commerce and social commerce exist. This indicates that although there is growing attention in researching electronic commerce, social commerce deserves its theory creation to distinguish it from electronic commerce theories.

The existing research considers customers of SNSs may display a distinct type of buying flow experience in SNSs comparative to conventional websites. The necessary constructs, for instance, PU and PEOU of technology, develop views of customers toward innovative technology. The current research identifies PEOU as an idea that SNS usage needs less intense work, and PU implies the idea that SNS usage is under the associated shopping requirements. The recognition and use intent of innovative technological products, comprising online buying and social networking site use, are mostly impacted by these belief components in the technology acceptance model (TAM) (Chen Y.-M. et al., 2018). SNSs have turned out to be an outstanding platform for buying. Consequently, examining the antecedents of users of SNS flow and possible consequences can be further pertinent to the existing and upcoming trends in research. Nevertheless, the number of research studying flow experience and the use of SNSs for shopping are yet deficient. Though earlier studies show that flow state of users is a crucial component in online buying (Su et al., 2016), buying via SNSs involves a unique theoretical viewpoint. Since, studies focusing on flow experience social media shopping are significantly less, incorporating the theory of flow with TAM and analyzing flow on social shopping intention can develop a frame of understanding of why individuals choose to utilize SNSs to shop (Hyun et al., 2021).

This research covers at least four research gaps. First, it covers the antecedents responsible for generating or affecting the flow experience of senior online shoppers while using social media. Second, it analyzes the correlation between the flow experience and SNS buying intention of senior shoppers. Third, it explores the correlation between flow experience and the TAM model. Finally, it analyzes the relationship between the TAM model and social media purchase intention. The current study can benefit researchers to increase a greater understanding of social buying behavior of customers and support experts to improve their existing SNSs marketing plans and articulate SNS tactical options for upcoming operations by exploring the novel mechanism of the theoretical framework comprising the antecedents of flow, flow theory, and TAM.

Based on the analysis of the specific literature on theory of flow and information systems, a research framework is proposed (Figure 1). The framework recommends that four antecedents affect customers to have flow encounters. Furthermore, it depicts the impact of flow on TAM and in turn depicts the impact of TAM on social media purchase intention. Flow experience is described by a great series of activities, in which a person is focused on a particular task and appreciates the action which the individual is performing, leads to customer gratification. This optimistic understanding affects the earlier held beliefs of customers to be, however, if met, makes the individual gratified. The satisfaction produced makes the customer intend to replicate the experience and additionally reinforces the great encounters an individual has had browsing on the internet.

The evaluation and measurement of the partial least squares (PLS) were done in two phases. The reliability and validity of the framework were analyzed in the first phase, whereas the path coefficients were analyzed in the second phase of the data analysis. The reliability and validity of the constructs and their relationships were tested during the two phases (Anderson and Gerbing, 1988; Hulland, 1999). PLS is known as one of the best tools to empirically examine the relationships between the variables and manage the measurement constructs at the same time (Petter et al., 2007). Additionally, PLS is ideal in handling the constructs with irregular distribution because of the easy-to-use parameters of PLS for measuring the randomness and normality of constructs. PLS possesses the advantages of measuring dynamic prediction frameworks (Chin and Newsted, 1999). Hence, PLS was found to be more suitable in measuring and analyzing the construct relationships for this research study.

Based on the integrated theoretical framework of antecedents of flow and TAM, this paper investigates the way flow experiences drive the intention to engage in SNSs shopping. Thus, the findings are noteworthy. According to the findings, all the antecedents were found to be in a significant relationship with the flow. The results of the hypothesis were somewhat like a study conducted by Barta et al. (2021). However, concentration was not found to be in a significant relationship with flow experience. This implies that enjoyment, time distortion, and feedback are more significant constructs in generating the optimal flow experience as compared to concentration.

Furthermore, the significant effect of flow on the SNSs for purchasing specifies that customers believe social media purchasing is an entertaining and enjoyable experience. This suggests that as the degrees of flow of customers rise, the intent for social media shopping is expected to be significantly optimistic. Moreover, the results are also in line with the previous studies (Gao and Bai, 2014; Ozkara et al., 2017; Chen et al., 2018; Rahman et al., 2020). Additionally, the outcomes show that flow boosts the usefulness and ease of use of social media shopping. The findings are somewhat similar to a recent study by Hyun et al. (2021). Their positive impacts likewise describe the total concentration in a buying activity and enjoyment of pleasurable attributes of the communication with shopping platforms on SNSs, for instance, unrelated stimuli are removed whenever social media users are having a complete engagement with SNSs. It is noted that compared to the ease of use, the usefulness of SNSs used for shopping is in a much more significant relationship with the flow, which indicates that the flow reduces adverse cognition for SNSs and improves the usefulness of SNSs used for shopping whenever users are experiencing flow.

In addition, this study discovers that usefulness and ease of use have a significant impact on social media purchase intention. Although analyzing these relations is not innovative; however, less information is available regarding the influence of these two constructs, when the antecedents and theory of flow are incorporated with the technology acceptance model to analyze the social media purchase conducts. Furthermore, this research study broadens the use and implementation of earlier theories to social media purchasing. Moreover, the outcome that indicates a significant impact of PU on the social media purchase intention is consistent with earlier researches (e.g., Shen, 2012; Yahia et al., 2018; Cutshall et al., 2020), and a positive association between PEOU and social media purchase intention is similar to a recent research (Hyun et al., 2021). The essential position of usefulness can suggest that customers consider that utilizing SNSs for purchasing is beneficial since it lets them explore products and buy at the same spot. This arrangement improves purchase efficiency. Though social media is deemed useful for shopping, once customers frequently make use of it, they get acquainted with it and do not think its ease of use is an essential component.

Although the senior market signifies an enormous, rapidly expanding segment, fewer investigations have been done on this segment following a theoretical model devised for determining the social media purchase intention. This research has several contributions. First, the findings have theoretical implications for the research related to flow. Essential variations were noted regarding the flow antecedents. This research incorporates antecedents of flow experience with flow theory and the TAM to analyze the social media purchase intention of the customers. Thus, this research study expands the theory of flow in the social media buying perspective and combines it with the TAM. The results explain that flow can boost optimistic assessments of usefulness and ease of use. It highlights that experiencing flow while using SNSs will filter out the unrelated stimuli, making social media purchases useful and easy. It additionally demonstrates that flow raises the probability of social media purchase intention. It increases the use of TAM in social media shopping and surfaces the path for identifying existing factors of customer social media purchase intention.

Furthermore, this research validates the important role of PU in the social media purchase intention of senior citizens. Previously, most of the senior citizens believed that the internet and use of technology were irrelevant to their daily lives, and hence, there were a large number of “voluntary non-users” in senior citizens (Frissen, 2005; Barta et al., 2021). Hence, future studies can help senior citizens by communicating the benefits of the internet and social media usage to their daily lives. Moreover, according to the results of this study, PEOU is a significant factor in the social media purchase intention of senior citizens, therefore, future studies can target to incorporate the necessary features, for instance, larger fonts, bright colors, clear audio, and video applications in designing a friendly user interface for senior citizens. The user-friendly interface can reduce anxiety and in turn generate a flow experience in senior citizens.

The constantly expanding volume of the senior market segment makes this research to be a significant contribution in focusing the utilization of social media by this population for buying, hence, producing highly valuable knowledge for manufacturers, wholesalers, vendors, and a huge number of senior customers. Additionally, this study has important practical contributions.

The outcomes provide vital evidence for companies, particularly, for their social media sales management. Great organization of content in online context supports to improve customer loyalty by improving purchase intention; hence, proper online content can assist customers to experience flow. The current research additionally offers numerous valuable intuitions into SNSs business operators and sellers. As demonstrated in the findings, the flow has a significant impact on the usefulness, PEOU, and social media purchase intention. These findings advise managers regarding two factors. First, flow is the basis for growing optimistic views of technology and its implementation concerning social media shopping. Second, PU and ease of use play as the key elements that boost social media purchase intention. From these significant results, marketers must believe this as a chance to merge technical expertise with flow attributes to build shopping features that generate complete experiences and improve opinions of social media shopping, which is simpler, more helpful, and attractive. Concerning the usefulness and ease of use, these two key components must be stressed if companies need to improve the social media shopping experience and efficiency of customers. Contrasting other conventional e-commerce platforms, SNSs for buying must be intended to lessen the effort, improve productivity, and boost a comfortable shopping experience.

Furthermore, practitioners are advised to consider the flow approach while designing the marketing strategies for each step of the purchasing process for senior citizens to reduce the anxiety involved in the purchase process. Customer frustration experienced because of any step of the purchase process can result in the flow experience disappearing (Herrando et al., 2018). Hence, to reduce the adverse impacts of other phases of the buying process, SNSs must implement strategies to make the customer informed regarding the likelihood of flow, provided the optimistic answers this state induces. Most of the time, customers in a state of flow are unaware of their experience. Hence, asking questions after their purchase can encourage the customer to remember the flow experience, which can enhance the constructive impacts of flow, and lessen the influence of adverse characteristics that might have arisen alongside the journey of the buyer, and finally boost the online reviews. Given that, online reviews are considered to be important in both online and offline purchases (Orús et al., 2019).

This study has limitations that must be noted considering future research. First, the research was conducted in just one country, so findings do not apply to other countries, and caution should be shown about understanding these findings because of this limitation. It is thus suggested that scholars perform similar research across different geographic areas all over the world to assess these results. This research was conducted in an emerging country, future studies can target developed economies. Furthermore, a cross-cultural comparison can be conducted between the findings from emerging and developed economies. Second, one would argue that flow can be viewed as a multi-dimensional construct while it is described as a single-dimensional construct in this research. Hence, there is a shortage of comprehensive knowledge of flow and its correlation with PU, ease of use, and purchase intention of SNSs. Upcoming research is supported to incorporate multi-dimensional flow constructs and analyze them. Finally, the research framework of this study is based on the flow antecedents and theory, and the TAM to describe the social media purchase intention of customers. It is considered that more theoretical models, such as self-determination theory, could be incorporated into future studies to enhance their utility in describing customer activities and marketing of social media shopping.

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

YX and AK: conceptualization. YW and AK: formal analysis. AK: investigation. YW and AK: methodology. YW and RZ: validation. YX, YW, AK, and RZ: writing–original draft and writing, reviewing, and editing. All the authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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