“From Scrolling to Shopping: The Impact of Instagram Reels Engagement on Purchase Intention among Generation Z Consumers in India”

Abstract

This study examines how Instagram Reels engagement influences purchase intention among Generation Z consumers in India the study models Instagram Reels engagement as a multidimensional construct shaped by usage intensity brand engagement trust and relatability and influencer impact The analysis uses chart-level survey summaries standardized to 185 respondents and reconstructs respondent-level data for exploratory inferential analysis Descriptive statistics reliability testing correlation variance inflation factor testing and regression analysis are used to evaluate the relationship between Reels engagement and purchase intention The descriptive results show heavy exposure to Instagram Reels strong brand discovery through Reels moderate-to-high trust in product-related content and meaningful purchase conversion The exploratory regression results indicate that brand engagement trust and relatability usage intensity and influencer impact positively affect purchase intention while a second model shows that overall Instagram Reels engagement strongly predicts purchase intention The findings suggest that Reels do not merely entertain users; they act as a discovery evaluation and conversion channel for Gen Z consumers The study offers practical insights for brands that want to use short-form video content influencer partnerships and emotionally resonant storytelling to strengthen purchase outcomes.