Comparing Key Drivers of Consumer Purchase Choices: An Empirical Analysis of Rednote and Douyin

Abstract

With the rapid advancement of various communication tools today, different types of social media have also emerged, and consumers' decision-making paths have undergone a dramatic transformation. This paper aims to highlight how contemporary social media influences consumer purchasing decisions through multiple factors—cognitive, emotional, behavioral, brand-related, and social—by comparing the pathways through which Rednote and Douyin impact consumer purchasing decisions. Thus, it can be concluded that the interaction of multiple factors determines whether consumers will purchase a product. Finally, this article concludes by offering marketing recommendations to relevant enterprises, promoting their healthy development and enabling them to implement effective brand marketing strategies. Methodologically, the study adopts a comparative mixed-methods design, integrating behavioral platform analytics with a user survey to map the conversion funnel and test mediation by cognition, emotion, and social interaction. The analysis clarifies platform-specific strengths—discovery on Rednote versus impulsive conversion on Douyin—and identifies actionable levers for segmentation and creative optimization.