How Does The Social Media Platform Tiktok Influence The Intention To Buy Snacks: An Empirical Study Of The Vietnamese Youth Generation

The study was conducted to identify the factors influencing the behaviour of buying street food through TikTok among the young generation in Ho Chi Minh City. Through surveying 459 consumers and filtering the appropriate survey samples for the study, 434 suitable samples were obtained: describing the variables of the scale, testing Cronbach's Alpha, and conducting regression analysis. The factors surveyed showed that five factors affect the behavior of buying snacks and other products through TikTok among the youth: perception of usefulness, credibility, interest, price expectations, and reference group. Therefore, the study also proposes solutions for food businesses on TikTok to attract customers better. At the same time, some solutions for TikTok users to use the application more efficiently are also suggested.


Introduction
Since the 18th century, the internet has facilitated the connection between people regardless of their location on Earth.Social media platforms are ideal places to share moments, relieve stress, and engage in advertising (Chao et al., 2022;Uzir et al., 2020).In addition to traditional social media platforms like Facebook, Zalo, Instagram, and Telegram, the emergence of TikTok marks a higher development in media communication (Ray et al., 2021;Suhariyanti & Prabowo, 2023).TikTok is a social media platform that originated from a company in China.It is the international version of the Douyin platform.Compared to Douyin, TikTok has more users due to its comprehensive range of usage and no age limit (Ray et al., 2021).TikTok is a place for entertainment, exploring, and sharing users' joyful moments and an ideal place for online shopping (Ray et al., 2021).TikTok is an audio-visual platform that attracts users through short videos and images combined with various trending music genres (Zong, 2023).
The food and beverage category is one of the three categories that receive the attention and love of TikTok users in Vietnam (Luong et al., 2023).Among the food-related topics, the street food topic is the most viewed by users (Luong et al., 2023).Videos sharing moments or reviewing experiences after using a service and shopping have become a trend (Zong, 2023).Watching these videos before making a purchase decision helps customers have a more intuitive view of the product (Wang et al., 2022).Therefore, promoting activities to the young generation -a group that can create new trends for the community -is crucial for businesses (Redjeki & Affandi, 2021).
Previous studies researched customer behaviors in the context of social media platforms (Chao et al., 2022;Molinillo et al., 2021;Stojanovic et al., 2018;Uzir et al., 2020).A positive effect of the intensity of social media use on brand awareness.Results also suggest that brand awareness influences other dimensions of brand equity and highlight the influence of the destination's affective image on the intention to communicate WOM (Stojanovic et al., 2018).The findings showed that product quality and quality of service have positive effects on the perceived value of customer satisfaction; quality of service affects, but product quality does not affect, customers' perceived value (Uzir et al., 2020).Customer's perceived value has a mixed mediating effect on the quality of service and perceived value on customer satisfaction relationship and product quality and perceived value on customer satisfaction relationship.Importantly, the positive impact of product quality, quality of service, and customer's perceived value is more significant on customers with higher social media use (Uzir et al., 2020).Social media technology readiness and perceived value significantly and positively affected purchase intention (Chao et al., 2022).The study extends the understanding in the social commerce context of the antecedents of customer perceived value and behavioral intentions; and the moderating effects of age, gender, and frequency of social commerce use on the model relationships (Molinillo et al., 2021).
Although there have been many studies on social media and brand value (Gürhan-Canli et al., 2016;Keller, 2016;Schivinski & Dabrowski, 2015), however, there is still a lack of comprehensive research on social media, brand value, and purchasing intention of TikTok.Social media is a vital source of knowledge that influences customers' purchasing decisions (Abu-Rumman & Alhadid, 2014;Godey et al., 2016).Previous studies found a significant relationship between social entertainment and social interaction with brand value and purchasing intention of buyers (Abu-Rumman & Alhadid, 2014;Godey et al., 2016).The factors affecting the choice to purchase online based on the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) include perceived enjoyment, reliability, usefulness, company reputation, social influence, and perceived risk (Moshrefjavadi et al., 2012).Furthermore, previous studies have contributed to a deeper understanding of communication in social media (Schweidel & Moe, 2014;Smith et al., 2012;Swaminathan, 2016), but few studies analyze the interaction of consumers with brands on different social media (Anderl et al., 2016).Given the large scale of use of social media, there is a lack of research analyzing the influence of multiple social media on perceived values (Chen & Lin, 2019;Uzir et al., 2020).
The study continues to choose the direction of social media's influence on consumer shopping needs.However, the new point of our topic is to focus on analyzing the impact of the TikTok platform on the intention to purchase snacks of the young generation in Vietnam.The purpose of the topic is to summarize what will be achieved after completing the study, including finding factors that influence the intention to use TikTok for shopping for the young generation.To achieve the general objective, this research is conducted to solve the following objectives: Establishing a theoretical foundation related to the shopping behavior of the young generation; Identifying factors in TikTok that affect the awareness of the use and purchasing behavior of the young generation; Concluding the impact of factors influencing the intention to use.From there, conclude and propose solutions for businesses to attract TikTok users and direct the potential development of shopping forms for the young generation.

Perceived value
Perceived value is the primary factor in purchasing intent (Tunsakul, 2020).Factors such as a customer's knowledge of a product, its packaging and design, and authentication by a celebrity have an indirect relationship with purchase intention but a direct influence on a product's perceived value (Mainolfi et al., 2022).Customers often rely on their memory and personal knowledge when making purchasing decisions.Jayachandran et al. (2004) found that consumer comprehension of items was important in buying choices.Product perceived value is determined by a customer's reaction or evaluation of a product (Jayachandran et al., 2004;Mainolfi et al., 2022;Stylidis & Cherifi, 2018).The five components of perceived value are the perception of usefulness, interest, prestige, risk level, and predicted price (Tunsakul, 2020).

Reference group
A person's reference group comprises family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues with whom they engage daily.These organizations promote new habits and lifestyles by influencing attitudes and generating pressure to adhere to shared norms, which may influence product and brand decisions (Shi & Jiang, 2022;Singer, 2017).A reference group or person models others' attitudes or behaviors (Shi & Jiang, 2022).This is obvious in the buying process, as customers often discover their understanding of new items is inaccurate and deceptive.As a consequence, customers often seek product information before making a purchasing choice (Shi & Jiang, 2022).Consumers embrace reference group influence for its advantages, such as friendship, knowledge, and consent, despite possible costs such as time, money, and ruined relationships (Lu et al., 2022).

Purchase intention
Purchase intention is an important feature of consumer behavior that has been thoroughly researched in the context of numerous goods and services.It denotes a person's willingness to buy a product or service soon.Perceived value, social influence, trust, attitude, and subjective norms are all elements that impact purchase intention (Kotler & Gertner, 2002).Social media platforms have evolved as a powerful instrument for influencing purchase intention among customers, particularly the younger generation (Nguyen et al., 2020).Among the various social media platforms, TikTok has gained significant popularity among the Vietnamese youth generation (Pham et al., 2019).However, limited research has been conducted on the influence of TikTok on purchase intention, especially in the context of snack products (Pham et al., 2019).Therefore, this study investigates how TikTok influences the intention to buy snacks among Vietnamese youth.

Reference group and perceived values
According to the research by previous research reference group has been identified as a new factor that is appropriate along with four other factors, precisely "usefulness," "reliability," "risk," "reference group," and "safety," that have a positive impact on the intention to shop online of Generation Z consumers (Shi & Jiang, 2022;Singer, 2017).The authors aim to classify "reference group" as a new factor among the factors that influence the perceived value of young people (Lu et al., 2022).Therefore, they conducted research and analyzed data to conclude the positive impact of the reference group on the perceived value that is either protected or rejected.Thus, the authors propose the hypothesis: Hypothesis 1 (H1): Reference group positively impacts perceived value.

Perceived values and purchase intention
In the study of factors influencing the online shopping behavior of Vietnamese consumers, the authors have identified five factors that impact online shopping behavior (Oke et al., 2016), including (1) perceived benefits, (2) perceived enjoyment, (3) website design, (4) psychological factors, and (5) perceived risk.When choosing a product or service, consumers usually on their rational thinking to maximize the value of their purchase based on the cost, consider the type of product or service they need, the reason for buying it, when to buy it, and where to buy it (Oke et al., 2016;Tran et al., 2023).Consumer behavior results from environmental factors that influence the buyer's consciousness, characteristics, and decisionmaking process, leading to certain shopping decisions (Oke et al., 2016).In addition, utilitarian, hedonic, and social values have significant and positive impacts on satisfaction and purchase intention; practical value is the most salient factor influencing purchase intention, while hedonic value has the greatest effect on satisfaction (Gan & Wang, 2017).The findings show that the information quality, perceived reliability, and product diagnostic of food traceability systems affect consumer perceived value, and the perceived value and purchase intention are positively associated.In contrast, consumer expertise moderates the relationship between food traceability systems and consumer perceived value (Yuan et al., 2020).Therefore, based on the above evidence, the authors propose the hypothesis: Hypothesis 2 (H2): Perceived value positively impacts the intention to purchase snacks from young people on TikTok.

Reference group and purchase intention
The reference group represents the group of reference people.A reference group is a group of people who influence the formation of customers' attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors toward a product, brand, or business (Lu et al., 2022).The reference group includes family, friends, relatives, colleagues, and public information.The opinions of the reference group have an impact on purchasing decisions.In addition, Shi and Jiang (2022) and Singer (2017) have identified that the acceptance of eWOM (electronic word-of-mouth) through subjective attitude and behavioral control perception, the impact of eWOM reliability, and quality has a positive effect on the online shopping intention of consumers (Lu et al., 2022).Therefore, based on the above evidence, the authors propose the hypothesis: Hypothesis 3 (H3): The reference group positively affects young people's purchasing intention on Tiktok for snack food.

Measurement
The research paper uses a questionnaire to collect information from TikTok users and the platform's impact on their intention to buy snacks.The questions were based on hypotheses and theoretical foundations adjusted from reference materials.The survey consisted of 45 questions, with ten questions related to TikTok user demographics.The remaining 35 questions were divided into three parts, measured using a 5-point Likert scale.Part 1 contained 26 questions about perceived values, including usefulness (Tunsakul, 2020), credibility (Ansari et al., 2011), interest (Moon & Kim, 2001), risk (Lee et al., 2001), and price expectation (Rita et al., 2019).Part 2 included four questions related to reference groups (Shi & Jiang, 2022;Singer, 2017).Part 3 contained five questions about purchase intention (Tunsakul, 2020).

Data collection and analysis
After completing the questionnaire and adjusting the Google Doc form to conduct the survey, we will proceed with data collection.The study will be shown with an expected sample size of N=400 young people studying or working in high schools, colleges, universities, and Ho Chi Minh City.After selecting the age group and determining the minimum sample size to be collected, the author group will conduct surveys through the following stages: First, the survey link created from the Google.docform will be sent to study groups in many schools in Ho Chi Minh City through Facebook Pages to obtain diverse opinions about the learning environment.Secondly, the survey was open from 22/03/2023 to 31/03/2023, and 459 samples were collected.The data was collected and filtered for valid examples for the research topic, resulting in 434 valid samples (25 invalid samples will be removed).The author group converted the data to SPSS 22.0 on 01/04/2023 for analysis.Statistic descriptive was used to analyze the data and provide frequency, percentage, descriptive analysis, reliability check, and regression analysis.

Demographic profiles
The author group analyze data on the demographic characteristics of participants, including gender, age, occupation, and monthly income, as well as some questions about the purpose of using TikTok: whether they use TikTok, frequency of TikTok use, intention to make purchases after watching advertising videos on TikTok, fields of interest on TikTok, monthly spending on snacks, and whether they buy snacks on TikTok.Among the 434 valid responses, the survey rate of females (65.7%) was higher than that of males (31.8%), and the age group that the study focused on was from 16 to 26 years old.Most participants were students (74.9%), and the remaining 25.1% were scattered across government office workers (3.7%), private company employees (6.5%), self-employed individuals (8.1%), and other occupations (3.5%).The highest proportion of monthly income was below 3 million VND (45.2%), followed by 3 to 6 million VND (36.6%) and above 6 million VND (18.2%).The highest proportion of monthly spending on snacks was from 200.000 to 700.000 VND (43.3%), followed by below 200.000VND (38.2%), from 800 to 1.5 million VND (15.9%), and above 1.5 million VND (2.5%).Regarding the daily TikTok usage time of survey participants, the majority used TikTok from 2 to 4 hours per day (45.2%),followed by less than 2 hours per day (39.9%) and above 4 hours per day (15%).The data shows the interest of young people in many aspects of life and society.It shows a growing demand for information and entertainment, especially in the top five fields of interest in decreasing order: fashion, snacks, cosmetics, travel, and news.Among them, the snack field ranked second, accounting for 24%, after the fashion field, which accounted for 25.1% (Table 1) At the level of usefulness, the highest variable value is 'In every snack food advertisement video on TikTok, there is usually a link to the product' (M=4.071,SD=0.983).At the level of credibility, the highest variable value is 'I choose to buy snack food on TikTok from reputable manufacturers in the market through having their own recognizable brand, office, and professional team working according to the process' (M=3.903,SD=0.989).At the level of interest, variable TT1 has the highest value: ' and videos of snack food on TikTok look very appealing' (M=4.021,SD=0.915).At the level of customer concerns, the most concerned is 'Shopping on TikTok has many risks because the product code may be wrong, the delivery time is not proactive, and it may be lost' (M=3.408,SD=1.156).In addition, customers also have some concerns about issues such as 'Online shopping on TikTok may cause financial losses (due to risks when paying by credit card, online wallet, internet banking.Overall, the results after running the data based on the Likert 5 scale for variables HI, UT, TT, and VG are all approximately 4. The results show that customers strongly agree with the usefulness, credibility, interest, and price when buying snack food on TikTok.As for the values related to risks, the data results are on average (the lowest mean is 3.18, and the highest mean is 3.43).This shows customers are concerned about financial risks, wrong product delivery, and return policies when buying snack food on TikTok (Table 2).

Reference group
The research results show that the survey questions: "Family, friends, acquaintances introduce and encourage me to buy snacks through TikTok" (M = 3.551, SD = 1.147); "I am easily attracted to snack products from famous people on TikTok" (M = 3.806, SD = 1.012); "Information advertised on TikTok affects my intention to purchase" (M = 3.846, SD = 0.999); "The response attitude of the sellers and the comments of other customers on TikTok affect my purchasing decision" (M = 3.940, SD = 0.905).The research results show that: influential people on TikTok often attract consumers, and their objective evaluations and buyers' intention to purchase are stimulated faster.In addition, consumers are also very interested in the responsible attitude of customers from business stores and reviews from users who have used the product (Table 3).

Purchase intention
The attribute with the highest level is MH5: "I will recommend family and friends to use if appropriate" (M = 3.947, SD = 1.08).The second is MH3: "I will choose to buy via TikTok when I need snacks" (M = 3.742, SD = 1.02).The remaining attributes, such as MH1, MH2, and MH4, return values that are almost the same: "I intend to buy more snacks on TikTok soon" (M = 3.698, SD = 1.08); "I find snack advertising on TikTok reliable, and consuming snacks here meet my expectations" (M = 3.645, SD = 1.018); "I usually intend to place an order right after watching videos on TikTok" (M = 3.666, SD = 1.177).This proves that the surveyed subjects agree to intend to purchase snacks via TikTok and will recommend it to their relatives if appropriate.It demonstrates that snacks on TikTok meet customer expectations (Table 4).

Cronbach's alpha analysis
The authors have assigned variable names to each question for convenient survey data analysis.
Based on Table 5 below, the reference group and purchase intention scale have a reliable level of satisfaction with Cronbach's Alpha coefficient greater than 0.7, precisely the reference group (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.847) and purchase intention (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.909).
The scale of perceived value has a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.940.However, four variables in the Risk section have a higher Cronbach's Alpha value than the total.This indicates that the questions in the Risk section lack optimism, so the group has removed them and reanalyzed the data for the Perception Value (Table 5).

Table 2. Perceived values analysis
Perceived values Mean SD Usefulness (HI1) I can easily compare snack products through user experience reviews.
3.975 0.100 (HI2) I can buy products at lower prices when shopping on TikTok compared to other stores, supermarkets, or online shopping sites.
3.935 1.010 (HI3) I can buy all the snacks I want through TikTok.
3.825 1.055 (HI5) Buying snacks through TikTok allows me to access helpful product information.
3.862 1.012 (HI6) I receive more attractive promotions and discounts by buying snacks through TikTok than other shopping channels.
3.906 1.043 (HI7) Each snack advertisement video on TikTok is usually linked to the product.
4.071 0.983 Credibility (UT1) I trust the snack reviews from famous people on TikTok.
3.551 1.048 (UT3) I choose TikTok from reputable manufacturers on the market through their recognizable brands, offices, and professional staff.
3.903 0.989 (UT4) I like using snacks on TikTok because they are well-packaged and delivered accurately.
3.742 1.050 Enjoyment (TT1) Images and videos of snacks on TikTok look very appealing.
3.972 0.965 (TT3) I find ordering snacks on TikTok convenient, helping me save travel time.
3.924 0.969 (TT4) I can order snacks quickly with one button.
3.991 0.983 (TT5) TikTok makes it easy to find the snacks I need.
4.000 0.956 Risk level (RR1) Online shopping on TikTok can cause financial losses (due to risks when paying by credit card, online wallet, or internet banking).
3.136 1.150 (RR2) Online shopping on TikTok is rarely able to check the product before payment.
3.297 1.140 (RR3) Products purchased on TikTok may not meet my expectations of quality or appearance due to advertising images on the store being different from the real product.
3.323 1.093 (RR4) Shopping on TikTok has many risks because the product code may be wrong, the delivery time may not be active, and the product may be lost.

1.156
Price expectation (VG1) I receive many promotions for snacks when shopping on TikTok.
3.945 0.943 (VG2) Buying snacks on TikTok is cheaper than on other e-commerce platforms like Shopee or Lazada.
3.689 1.023 (VG3) I get free shipping when I reach a certain quantity.
3.866 0.956 (VG5) The price of snacks on TikTok is suitable for the quality of the product and my needs.

Purchase intention
Mean SD (MH1) I intend to buy more snacks on TikTok soon.
3.698 1.08 (MH2) I find snack advertising on TikTok reliable, and consuming snacks here meets my expectations.
3.645 1.018 (MH3) I will buy via TikTok when I need snacks.
3.742 1.02 (MH4) I usually intend to place an order right after watching videos on TikTok.
3.666 1.177 (MH5) I will recommend that family and friends use TikTok if appropriate.

Reference group and perceived value
Multiple regression analysis examined whether reference groups significantly impact young people's perceived value (Table 6 and Table 7).Hypothesis H1 shows that "Reference groups positively impact the perceived value" of young people.The results of the multiple regression show that the reference group significantly predicts the perceived value of young people (Sig = .000),specifically: Firstly, perceived value is directly influenced by "family, friends, acquaintances" (Regression coefficient β = 0.333, P -value = 0.000 <.05), therefore, the hypothesis that the introductions and evaluations from family, friends, and acquaintances have a direct impact on perceived value is accepted.This means that the introductions or assessment of a snack product by family, friends, and acquaintances help young people trust the product, thereby increasing their perceived value.
Secondly, perceived value is partially influenced by "celebrities" (Regression coefficient β = 0.175, P -value = 0.000 <0.05).Therefore, the hypothesis that evaluations from famous people on TikTok impact perceived value is accepted.This means that the opinions and assessments of famous people, such as KOLs, KOCs, who have a high reputation when sharing their knowledge and experience about the product through well-invested, well-edited videos in terms of content and image, will have a positive impact on the perceived value of young people.
Thirdly, perceived value is partially influenced by "advertising information" (Regression coefficient β = 0.207, P -value = 0.000 <0.05).Therefore, the hypothesis that the advertising information on TikTok impacts perceived value is accepted.This means that the better and more appealing the advertising information on TikTok, and the more discount codes provided, the more valuable and positive impact it will have on the perceived value of young people.
Fourthly, perceived value is directly influenced by the "attitude of the seller and comments of the buyer" (Regression coefficient β = 0.266, P -value = 0.000 <0.05).Therefore, the hypothesis is accepted that the responsible attitude of sellers and other customers' comments on TikTok directly impact perceived value.This means that a caring and friendly attitude from the seller, and a product that receives many good reviews from buyers, will increase the perceived value of young people.
The data table shows that the four factors in the reference group explain 65.3% of the variation in the perceived value of young people (R 2 = 0.653).

Perceived values and purchase intention
The regression analysis tests whether the perceived value (usefulness, credibility, interest, price perception) significantly impacts young people's intent to purchase snacks on TikTok.Hypothesis H2 is "Perceived value positively impacts the intention to purchase snacks on TikTok among young people."The results of the multiple regression in Table 8 and Table 9 show that perceived value significantly predicts the intention to purchase snacks on TikTok among young people (Sig = .000),specifically: Firstly, the intention to purchase snacks among young people is influenced by the factor "credibility" (Regression coefficient β = 0.392, Pvalue = 0.000 <0.05), so the hypothesis that the perception of credibility in the perceived value directly affects the intention to purchase snacks on TikTok among young people is accepted.This means that snacks with high brand recognition, high sales volume, and good reviews from previous customers increase the perception of the product's credibility and brand among young people, significantly their intention to purchase it.
Secondly, the intention to purchase snacks among young people is influenced by the factor "price perception" (Regression coefficient β = 0.425, Pvalue = 0.000 <0.05), so the hypothesis that the perception of price in the perceived value directly affects the intention to purchase snacks on TikTok among young people is accepted.This means that snacks that are competitively priced, have many discounts when buying, or are offered free shipping will be noticed by young people and significantly increase their intention to purchase.
In the four factors in the perceived value, two factors, "usefulness" and "interest," do not have statistically significant meaning to the intention to purchase snacks among young people because their significance levels (Sig) are both greater than 0.05, so the hypothesis that these two factors directly affect the intention to purchase snacks on TikTok among young people is rejected.The factor "usefulness" in this study does not affect the intention to purchase snacks among young people for the following reasons: Snacks on TikTok have competitive prices, but the shipping fee on TikTok is relatively high (ranging from 25,000đ to 42,000đ depending on the order and delivery address), and at some times, TikTok will have discount codes for shipping fees, but mostly, the prices are still high, and TikTok is not the only e-commerce platform in Vietnam, so young people will compare the prices on TikTok with other ecommerce platforms to find the most suitable buying price for themselves.Therefore, the factor "usefulness" in the perceived value does not affect the intention to purchase snacks on TikTok among young people.The factor "interest" in this study does not impact the intention to purchase snacks among young people mainly because too many bad advertisements flood the screen and social media content.It is not a coincidence that people are turning to ad-blocking tools and premium platforms -without ads.Therefore, young people gradually lose interest and reduce their intention to purchase.
Moreover, these two factors explain 64.5% of the variation in young people's intention to purchase snacks on TikTok (R 2 = 0.645).

Reference group and purchase intention
Multiple regression analysis was used to test whether the reference group significantly impacts young people's intention to purchase snacks on TikTok.Hypothesis H3 states, " Reference group positively impacts young people's intention to purchase snacks on TikTok."The results of the multiple regression in Tables 10 and 11 show that four factors of reference group significantly predict the intention to purchase snacks: "Family, friends, acquaintances" (β = 0.419, P-value = 0.000), "Celebrities" (β = 0.187, P-value = 0.000), "Advertising information" (β = .169,P-value = 0.000), and the seller's attitude and comments from buyers (β = 0.155, Pvalue = 0.000).Furthermore, these four factors explain 61% of the variation in young people's intention to purchase snacks on TikTok (R 2 = 0.610).Therefore, hypothesis H3 is supported.

Conclusion
The research topic aims to investigate the influence of TikTok on the intention to purchase snacks among young people in particular and online shopping on TikTok in general.Based on previous research models and a brief overview, the authors developed the reference group factor into a separate element that impacts perceived value and purchase intention.By using exploratory factor analysis and testing the reliability of each variable, the primary model was refined to fit the characteristics of the data collected from 434 people aged 16 to 26 who used TikTok to purchase snacks in Ho Chi Minh City.
The results of the exploratory factor analysis of the scale, which included 21 observed variables in 6 factors that affect the intention to purchase among young people, showed that the survey scale was divided into six elements: usefulness, credibility, interest, risk level, price expectations, and reference group.After running the data on SPSS and testing Cronbach's Alpha to verify the reliability of the observed variables on "Intention to purchase among young people," the authors removed four variables from the risk factor because they did not meet the survey conditions.For the remaining elements, the study found a correlation between two factors influencing the intention to purchase snacks on TikTok among young people in Ho Chi Minh City: perceived value and reference group.
The research topic was conducted to study the influence of TikTok on the intention to buy junk food of the young generation in particular and purchase on TikTok in general.Based on previous research models and conducting a summary, then changing the reference factor from a factor in the perceived value, the authors have developed the reference group factor into individual factors affecting perceived value and purchase intention.The method of exploratory factor analysis and reliability testing for each variable helped complete the official model, consistent with the characteristics of data collected through 434 people aged 16 to 26 years using TikTok to buy snacks in Ho Chi Minh City.Through the reliability test Cronbach's Alpha results, the team has removed the "risk" factor in the perceived value because the value has not satisfied the conditions in the study.These results differ from previous research papers (Nguyen et al., 2020;Pham et al., 2019).The research results show a correlation between two factors affecting the intention to buy snacks on TikTok of the young generation in Ho Chi Minh City: Perceived value and reference group.
The research was conducted to analyze the influence of TikTok's social media platform on the intention to purchase snacks among young people.The study results showed that five factors impact the intention to purchase among young people in Ho Chi Minh City: usefulness, credibility, interest, price expectations, and reference group.The risk factor was also identified as harming the intention to purchase.The study found that consumers were concerned about financial risk when paying via credit cards, online wallets, and internet banking, the quality and appearance of products purchased through TikTok, and the possibility of receiving the wrong item or losing it during delivery.Based on the study's results, the authors suggested recommendations to improve advertising effectiveness and attract customers, such as creating entertaining and informative videos with short, attention-grabbing content, suitable sound effects, and memorable messages.They also suggested that businesses focus on building a strong community and brand image through creative and unique advertising videos that appeal to young people's preferences for short, engaging content.By doing so, businesses can increase their visibility and attract more potential customers to their products and services on TikTok.
Firstly, businesses should create entertaining and informative advertising videos that attract customers to purchase on TikTok.The videos should have concise content with a short duration and suitable sound effects that match current trends.The scripts should create an impression that provides customers with the necessary knowledge and leaves a lasting impression in their minds.Nowadays, young people are not interested in reading long passages to extract primary information or watching long videos to capture information.They want to have knowledge and save time.Therefore, creating advertising videos that help customers interact longer with a company's products than text or images is necessary.Consumers can watch videos repeatedly.When the conveyed content is attractive, unique, and meaningful, it will quickly spread to more people, work according to TikTok's algorithm, and become a trend in the rankings.An abstract advertising video will help customers remember the product better.That will help connect the community with the company's brand better.
Secondly, businesses should prioritize product quality combined with detailed product images.Companies need to provide real images of the product, prioritize the value of the product, and establish trust from customers towards the product.Provide practical products, specific images, and clear product information.This will bring the most authentic confidence to the customers about the product.The exchange of buying and selling snacks or other products mainly relies on trust between the seller and the buyer.Currently, controlling buying and selling activities through TikTok is difficult.Packaged snacks must be used to know the quality of the product.Therefore, customers must use the product to determine its quality.
Thirdly, building resources for promoting snack products based on KOL or KOC, types of advertising through these influencers will usually attract viewers, increase the trust of young people in the product, and click on product links to buy.In addition, businesses should create opportunities for customer referral programs when introducing them to friends and family.The quality of the company's products, combined with useful promotional programs, will quickly reach many potential customers from young generations.Influencer marketing is an important strategy for businesses to advance the interests and concerns of young people on TikTok.
Fourthly, businesses must understand business knowledge well, explicitly identifying the risks that may arise during operations and promotion.Then, have the fastest and most optimal method for the business.TikTok is where trends constantly appear, so as a business owner, you need to understand it, not follow it.First, directions only last briefly, so if you don't sell all the products, you'll have to wait until that trend returns.The waiting time cannot be predicted in advance.At that time, the cost of storage and preservation will become an unsolvable problem.Secondly, the business needs to have k and experience to predict how long the trend will last, prepare and how much inventory to reserve for sale.If the company has not experienced that trend but only follows other sellers, it will likely waste its resources without achieving the desired results.The final obstacle is that following trends also have a high risk; the business may quickly rise or lose all or most of the money earned.Therefore, if there is not a good enough strategy and a particular understanding of the market, do not invest all of your capital in current trends.
Firstly, a good result within the scope of the research space in Ho Chi Minh City was obtained, with 434 reasonable opinions but mainly from the area of Thu Duc City, with limited access to subjects in central city areas such as District 1, District 2, and District 5.The quantity is insufficient to demonstrate the factors affecting the intention to buy snacks for young people.Thus, future research should aim to expand the research scope to cover a broader range of subjects, including those in central city areas.This will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing young people's intention to buy snacks on TikTok.Secondly, although the study was completed with great effort during the research process, due to limitations in the capacity and existing resources of the authors, there will inevitably be certain limitations in the approach, analysis, comments, and evaluation of the conclusions.Future research should use multiple methods to triangulate and validate the findings.For example, combining survey data with interviews or focus group discussions can provide a more in-depth understanding of the factors influencing the intention to buy snacks for young people on TikTok.Finally, future research should consider the dynamic nature of social media platforms like TikTok.The trends and user behaviors on the forum are constantly changing, so any research findings should be regularly updated and validated to ensure their continued relevance.
..)' (M=3.136,SD=1.15); 'Online shopping on TikTok rarely allows checking the product before payment' (M=3.297,SD=1.139); 'The product when shopping on TikTok may not meet my expectations of quality, appearance because the advertising images on the store are different from the actual product' (M=3.323,SD=1.092).In terms of price expectations, two variables are almost equal: 'I receive many discounts on snack food when shopping on TikTok' (M=3.945,SD=0.942) and 'I receive free shipping when reaching a certain amount of purchase' (M=3.931,SD=0.946).
I can easily compare snack products through user experience reviews.0.938 (HI2) I can buy products at lower prices when shopping on TikTok compared to other stores, supermarkets, or online shopping sites.0.938 (HI3) I can buy all the snacks I want through TikTok.0.937 (HI4) Buying snacks through TikTok helps me save time.0.936(HI5) Buying snacks through TikTok allows me to access helpful product information.0.936 (HI6) I receive more attractive promotions and discounts by buying snacks through TikTok than other shopping channels.0.936 (HI7) Each snack advertisement video on TikTok is usually linked to the product.0.936 (UT1) I trust the snack reviews from famous people on TikTok.0.936 (UT2) I trust buying and using snacks through TikTok.0.936 (UT3) I choose TikTok from reputable manufacturers on the market through their recognizable brands, offices, and professional staff.0.937 (UT4) I like using snacks on TikTok because they are well-packaged and delivered accurately.0.936 (TT1) Images and videos of snacks on TikTok look very appealing.0.936 (TT2) I enjoy watching reviews about snacks on TikTok.0.937 (TT3) I find ordering snacks on TikTok convenient, helping me save travel time.0.936 (TT4) I can order snacks quickly with one button.0.936 (TT5) TikTok makes it easy to find the snacks I need.0.936 (TT6) TikTok brings fast search speed and detailed product introductions.0.936 (RR1) Online shopping on TikTok can cause financial losses (due to risks when paying by credit card, online wallet, or internet banking).0.944 (RR2) Online shopping on TikTok is rarely able to check the product before payment.0.944 (RR3) Products purchased on TikTok may not meet my expectations of quality or appearance due to advertising images on the store being different from the real product.0.943 (RR4) Shopping on TikTok has many risks because the product code may be wrong, delivery the y time may not be active, and the product may be lost.0.944 (VG1) I receive many promotions for snacks when shopping on TikTok.0.936 (VG2) Buying snacks on TikTok is cheaper than on other e-commerce platforms like Shopee or Lazada.0.938 (VG3) I get free shipping when I reach a certain quantity.0.937 (VG4) Consuming snacks through TikTok helps me quickly compare prices.0.937 (VG5) The price of snacks on TikTok is suitable for the quality of the product and my needs.Family, friends, and acquaintances recommend and encourage me to buy snacks through TikTok.0.827 (TK2) I am easily attracted to snacks from TikTok influencers.0.766 (TK3) Advertising information on TikTok affects my intention to purchase.0.782 (TK4) The response attitude of sellers and other customer comments on TikTok influence my purchasing decisions.I intend to buy more snacks on TikTok soon.0.886 (MH2) I find snack advertising on TikTok reliable, and consuming snacks here meets my expectations.0.881 (MH3) I will buy via TikTok when I need snacks.0.885 (MH4) I usually intend to place an order right after watching videos on TikTok.0.893 (MH5) I will recommend that family and friends use TikTok if appropriate.0.900

Table 3 .
Reference group analysis

Table 4 .
Purchase intention analysis

Table 6 .
Summary of multiple regression analysis for destination image and satisfaction

Table 7 .
The multiple regression analysis results between destination image and satisfaction.

Table 8 .
Summary of multiple regression analysis for perceived values and purchase intention.Dependent variable: purchase intention, ** p < .05

Table 9 .
The multiple regression analysis results between perceived values and purchase intention

Table 10 .
Summary of multiple regression analysis for reference group and purchase intention.

Table 11 .
The multiple regression analysis results between the reference group and purchase intention.Dependent variable: purchase intention, ** p < .05