Customer purchase decisions of clothing amongst students in Nigerian private universities: The effect of digital advertising

With the proliferation of digital platforms, businesses, including clothing brands, increasingly leverage digital advertising to reach and engage their target audiences. However, limited research explicitly explores its influence on purchasing decisions in Nigeria, particularly among private university students. This research aims to determine the effects of digital advertising on customer purchase decisions for clothing among students. The study surveyed a target population of 450 students randomly selected from four private universities (Covenant University, Bells University of Technology, Crawford University, Crescent University) in Ogun State, Nigeria. The data collected from the field were subjected to analysis using multiple linear regression. The results revealed that digital advertising affects consumer purchase decisions among students of private universities. Specifically, digital advertising has a significantly positive effect on customer awareness (adj. R2 = 0.220, F (4, 416) = 30.294, p < 0.05); customer interest (adj. R2 = 0.112, F (4, 416) = 14.024, p < 0.05), and customer purchase desire (adj. R2 = 0.102, F (4, 416) = 12.758, p < 0.05). Thus, this study recommends that any clothing businesses targeting students for sales growth and sustainability in Nigerian universities should leverage digital advertising. The result further noted the need to focus on variables such as search engine optimization, social media, and digital influencers to boost customer purchase decisions.