RESEARCH ON EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON PURCHASING DECISIONS

I.

Objective:

To identify the factorsthat are most influential in a purchasing decision process on a social media platform.

II.

Why this topic:

There is a lot of talk happening across all the industries regarding usage of social media as the effective tool for marketing in the current period. This project will be focused towards identifying the factors that are most influential in a purchasing decision process on a social media platform. III. Literature Review 1. According to a research report dated September 2011 by Nielsen following are some of the findings Highlights of Nielsens State of the Media: The Social Media Report
i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

Social networks and blogs continue to dominate Americans time online, now accounting for nearly a quarter of total time spent on the Internet At over 53 billion total minutes during May 2011, Americans spend more time on Facebook than they do on any other website Tumblr is an emerging player in social media, nearly tripling its audience from a year ago Nearly 40 percent of social media users access social media content from their mobile phone Internet users over the age of 55 are driving the growth of social networking through the Mobile Internet 70 percent of active online adult social networkers shop online, 12 percent more likely than the average adult Internet user Across a sample of 10 global markets, social networks and blogs are the top online destination in each country, accounting for the majority of time spent online and reaching at least 60 percent of active Internet users

2. According to the annual I-Cube Report jointly published by IAMA (Internet and Mobile Association of India) and IMRB (Indian Market Research Bureau)dated , India's internet population is expected to grow to 121 million users by December 2011 from 100 million in September this year.

Out of 121 million, 97 million are expected to be active Internet users, who access Internet at least once in a month. "A 100 million internet users is considered a critical landmark for the country. With

this internet use in India is expected to enter a critical period of growth with the possibility of becoming the largest internet using country in the world in this decade," 3. Dell Uses Social Media to Listen, Learn and Engage with Our Customers Our customers have the best ideas and insights. Through social media, they take part in more than 25,000 conversations about Dell every day. What we learn from our customers online helps us be a better company and deliver the precise products and services our customers need to be successful. That makes us a better partner to them and their organizations These literatures reveal the importance of social media for a marketer. And gives rise to a thought of identify the factors that are most influential in a purchasing decision process on a social media platform in Indian context. Use of the 80:20rule. This study would focus on identifying those vital factors that interest and affect the most for a customer while searching, evaluating, and purchasing and during post purchase evaluation. IV. Stepsfor carrying out the research 1. Preparation of questionnaire and evaluation for relevance 2. Circulating the questionnaire to the public that is active on social media 3. Collating the response to the questionnaire and conducting the analysis Questionnaire.

V.

I. Problem Recognition 1. An ad about the low cost products from a company on motivates me search for more information of that products

Likert Scale

y y y y y

Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

2. An ad about the free gifts along with the main products motivates me search for more information of that products 3. A video/animation about the features and functions of the product motivates me search for more information of that product 4. An ad endorsed by the celebraty I follow motivates me search for more information of that product 5. An ad obout the product that is environment frindly motivates me search for more information of that product

Likert Scale

Likert Scale Likert Scale Likert Scale

II. Information Search 1. Facebook provides me an information that is true withrespect to

1. Functionality 2. Price 3. Physical aspects 4. Social stauts associated 5. life of the product 1. is too much and most of it not understandable 2. To the point 3. To the point but is not sufficient 4. doesn t provide any info 5. link to the product info 1. Facebook page of the product 2. company website 3. search engine like Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc 4. Ask friends about it on facebook 1. I read the comments about the products on face book 2. I read the blogs about the product 3. I look for the information at the facebook communities dedicated for similar products 1. Facebook page of the product 2. company website 3. Blog with similar products 4. Combiantion of 1 & 2

Ratin g Ratin g Ratin g Ratin g Ratin g

2. Data availaible on facebook about the product is

3. My initial search for info starts from

4. To gain more information about theproduct I am new to

5. I get lot of info about the product and it's performance in minimal time at

Evaluation Of Alternatives informtion about product specific attributes

Known to me I search them on searh engine I get to know about them on facebook I browse through company website

I trust the info about the performance of the product by reading

Alternatives available are known from

I use facebook to evaluate

I use facebook to evaluate

contact my friends Comment by the users on facebook. Review by the experts from company Comment by the critics e retail company reviews social media search engine e retail companies tangible attributes like price, color, size, shape & performance intagible attribute like personality it gives to me, social status Quality Price Style Durability Brand Reputation

Purchase stage I normally visit social media just before purchasing I normally visit social company website to check for the offers and changes of the planned product Offers of the day on company websites change my planned decision for the day I normally purcahce the suggested products

Likert scale Likert scale Likert scale that are smiilar to what I brought accessories suggested with it service benifts assocciated with it Social Media Blogs company website search engines

information about the associated accessories is available at

Post Purchase evaluation I always read the blogs and write my experince about the product on facebook Information I seek for after purchasing the product is about

likert scale maintainance Repair

My next purchace depends on

My complaints and grivences are usually heard when

usage alternatives diposal experince of the current product user review of the product I have planned to buy combination of both expert review at different blogs my own knowledge I post comment on social media mail my complaint to the company Call