E-commerce and the Shaping of Sports Consumers' Behavior: A Sociological Approach to Consumption Culture and Sports Identity in the Digital Age
Subject Areas : Sociological studies of sportslobat Manshae 1 , Elham Moshkelgosha 2 , Javad shahvali kohshouri 3
1 - Department of physical education, Mobarakeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mobarakeh, Isfahan, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Education, Mobarakeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mobarakeh, Isfahan, Iran.
3 - Sport medicine reserch centre, Najafabad Branch,Islamic Azad Uniersity, Najafabad,Iran.
Keywords: E-commerce, sports identity, consumption culture, social media, thematic analysis,
Abstract :
Objective: Objective: This study aims to examine the role of e-commerce in shaping the behavior of sports consumers from a sociological perspective, focusing on the impact of digital culture on identity and consumer behavior. The research seeks to identify key themes related to consumption culture and social interactions in the digital age.
Methodology: Data were collected from YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook platforms and analyzed using corpus-based thematic analysis. The content from Persian-speaking Iranian social media users, comprising over 50,000 words, was extracted and examined with AntConc software (version 4.2.4). Frequent lexemes and word collocations were analyzed, and themes were identified and categorized based on Braun and Clarke’s (2006) model.
Results Five main themes were identified: "The Impact of Sports Identity on Digital Consumption Patterns," "The Power of Online Advertising in Shaping Consumer Choices," "Sports Consumerism and Social Culture," "The Role of Social Media in Promoting Sports Identity," and "Social Messages and Encouraging Sports Participation." The findings revealed that digital interactions play a key role in reinforcing users’ social identities and that sports consumerism has become an integral part of social culture.
Conclusion: E-commerce and social media have evolved beyond economic tools to become platforms for creating social identity and fostering cultural participation. This study suggests that digital marketing and policies focused on social identity can positively impact promoting active lifestyles and encouraging sports participation.
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