EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE ON PURCHASE DECISIONS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF APPLE CONSUMERS IN INDONESIA FINAL PROJECT By Rebecca Siahaan 19021119 Undergraduate Program School of Business and Management Institut Teknologi Bandung 2024 This page is intentionally left blank 2 EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE ON PURCHASE DECISIONS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF APPLE CONSUMERS IN INDONESIA Rebecca Siahaan ID No: 19021119 Undergraduate Program Management Study School of Business and Management Institut Teknologi Bandung 2024 Supervisor: Ilham Fauzan Putra ABSTRACT The increasing adoption of social media has significantly transformed consumer purchasing behavior, particularly among Gen Z and millennials in Indonesia. Social media platforms serve as critical channels for brand engagement, product discovery, discussions, and reviews, shaping how consumers perceive and interact with brands. Despite extensive research on social media's role in general consumer behavior, its specific impact on premium brand purchases, such as Apple, remains underexplored. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating how social media influences purchasing decisions for Apple products in Indonesia through the lens of emotional, social, and functional values. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with Indonesian Apple users, complemented by a literature review of relevant academic sources. The findings reveal that emotional value emerges through brand storytelling and aspirational messaging, fostering deeper consumer-brand connections. Social value is driven by peer influence, online communities, and the prestige associated with Apple products, reinforcing brand desirability. Functional value is shaped by product reviews, user-generated content, and expert opinions, which provide consumers with reliable information before making a purchase. The study highlights that the interplay of these values significantly influences 3 consumer trust, brand loyalty, and purchase intent. Additionally, it underscores the importance of social media as a powerful tool for premium brand positioning. The insights from this research provide practical implications for technology companies, marketers, and advertisers, emphasizing the need to craft social media strategies that enhance emotional engagement, social validation, and product credibility. By leveraging these elements effectively, brands can strengthen consumer relationships and drive higher conversion rates in the competitive digital marketplace. Keywords: Social media influence, emotional value, social value, functional value, purchasing decision, Apple products. 4 MENGEKSPLORASI PENGARUH PENGGUNAAN MEDIA SOSIAL TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN: STUDI KUALITATIF PADA KONSUMEN APPLE DI INDONESIA Rebecca Siahaan ID No: 19021119 Program Studi Sarjana Manajemen Sekolah Bisnis dan Manajemen Institut Teknologi Bandung 2024 Pembimbing: Ilham Fauzan Putra ABSTRAKSI Peningkatan adopsi media sosial telah secara signifikan mengubah perilaku pembelian konsumen, terutama di kalangan Gen Z dan milenial di Indonesia. Platform media sosial berfungsi sebagai saluran utama untuk interaksi merek, penemuan produk, diskusi, dan ulasan, yang membentuk cara konsumen memahami dan berinteraksi dengan merek. Meskipun telah banyak penelitian mengenai peran media sosial dalam perilaku konsumen secara umum, dampaknya terhadap pembelian merek premium seperti Apple masih kurang dieksplorasi. Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengisi kesenjangan tersebut dengan meneliti bagaimana media sosial mempengaruhi keputusan pembelian produk Apple di Indonesia melalui perspektif nilai emosional, sosial, dan fungsional. Menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, wawancara mendalam dilakukan dengan pengguna Apple di Indonesia, yang dilengkapi dengan tinjauan literatur dari sumber akademik yang relevan. Temuan penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai emosional muncul melalui storytelling merek dan pesan aspiratif yang memperkuat hubungan emosional antara konsumen dan merek. Nilai sosial didorong oleh pengaruh teman sebaya, komunitas online, dan prestige yang melekat pada produk Apple, sehingga meningkatkan daya tarik merek.