From Google to Social Media Search: How Gen Z Uses Social Media and AI Tools for Product Discovery and Purchase Decisions

• Lecan Ouyang

  Author

This study examines how Generation Z consumers search for product information across social media platforms, traditional search engines, shopping platforms, and AI tools. Drawing on an exploratory online survey of 91 Gen Z respondents, the study analyzes platform use, stages of product search, product categories, the perceived usefulness of different tools, credibility cues, and purchase influence. The findings show that Gen Z product search is multi-platform and task-oriented rather than centered on a single search engine. Social media plays a central role in product discovery, access to real-user experiences, visual demonstration, trend identification, comments, and creator recommendations. AI tools are used more often to summarize product options, compare advantages and disadvantages, and explain technical details, whereas Google and shopping platforms remain important for locating official information, comparing prices, checking availability, and making final purchase decisions. The study also finds that credibility in social media product search is shaped by visual evidence, positive comments, trustworthy creators, ordinary users, and recommendations from friends. These findings suggest that social media and AI tools are not simply replacing traditional search. Instead, they are reshaping it into a hybrid, multi-platform process in which Gen Z consumers switch among platforms according to the type of information, form of evidence, and level of credibility they need.

• JEBH000016.pdf