Identifying the Effective Factors on the Online Shopping Decision Process with Emphasis on Virtual Ideal Self-image and Cognition Approaches: A Meta-Synthesis Method

Objective: Consumers' decision-making and, in fact, the purchase decision-making process of consumers and customers, is one of the basic and fundamental principles in the general concept of consumer behavior and is of great importance in this field as well. In today's era, the increase of technologies has changed our lifestyle and naturally the buying process as well, and nowadays virtual and online shopping as well as shopping from internet platforms, in order to meet the needs, due to its advantages and ease in the current life of consumers, are very widely used and popular, and online shopping has become an all-encompassing aspect of modern consumer culture, so that today the online shopping decision is recognized as an integral part of consumer behavior. This buying behavior and understanding of how people make decisions is a vital and required element of companies and businesses, especially online businesses, and the field of e-commerce, to achieve high productivity and customer satisfaction. In the digital age, where media and social networks play a central role in our lives, the concept of virtual ideal self-image has emerged as a prominent and effective factor in consumer behavior, especially in the field of online shopping.

Due to the fantastic emergence of virtual space and social media and the formation of a virtual world of communication and interactions, people's concepts and perceptions of their real and ideal selves have also spread to this virtual world, and because of the presence of people in their interactions and passionate activities in social media. Defining the digital identity as well as the ideal identity in the virtual space has become inevitable.

One of the basic issues in consumer behavior is how consumers develop, adapt, and use strategies and decision-making processes.The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence the decision-making process of online shopping, with a particular emphasis on the virtual ideal self-image and cognition approaches. The research aims to answer the question of what factors are effective in the decision-making process of online shopping, with a focus on the virtual ideal self-image.

Method: To achieve this objective and identify the effective components of the decision-making process of online shopping with an emphasis on the virtual ideal image, a meta-synthesis research method was employed. The strategy and process for searching and selecting articles were determined, and relevant and validated articles were extracted between 2000 and 2023. After refining the articles, content analysis was performed on the final 74 articles.

Result: The research extracted sub-codes that represent the factors influencing the decision-making process of online shopping with an emphasis on the virtual ideal self-image. Using these codes and according to the closeness of their meanings and concepts, 19 core codes (themes) were determined and defined. In the final stage, the following core codes were compiled for the following 7 main clusters: identity and real and ideal self-concept, body image, and gender differences, cultural, social, and demographic factors, shopping behavior and marketing and commercial factors, internal and psychological factors, online platforms and virtual and communication technologies, mental, and cognitive processes.

Conclusion: The popularity of online shopping and the increasing trend of this type of purchase of goods and services has greatly increased in the past few years and has changed the way consumers make decisions. Although traditional brick-and-mortar stores are still used by consumers, consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping to make purchases that meet their various needs while enjoying the advantages of online shopping.This research has identified a range of factors that influence the decision-making process of online shopping, including real and ideal identity and self-concept factors, body image and gender differences, cultural, social, and demographic factors, shopping behavior and marketing and commercial factors, internal and psychological factors, online platforms and virtual communication technologies and processes, and mental and cognitive factors. Understanding these factors is crucial for analyzing consumer behavior and improving the customer experience in online stores and virtual shopping. By taking these factors into account, businesses can enhance consumer psychology, facilitate successful and satisfactory shopping experiences, optimize product and website design, and ultimately increase sales and profitability in the e-commerce field.