An Analysis of Social Media Influence on Consumer Behavior

The provided document is a detailed analysis of social media's influence on consumer behavior. It draws from multiple research studies and publications, covering topics such as the strategic decision-making process in marketing, the role of social media in luxury fashion sales, and how consumers interact with brands on social platforms. The assignment delves into various factors that affect customer perception and decision making, including E-quality within the consumer decision-making process, the effects of online reviews, and the use of social media for marketing and branding purposes. It aims to provide comprehensive insights for marketers on how to effectively leverage social media in their operations to improve customer satisfaction.

Running head: RESEARCH PROJECT
The impact of social media on consumer behaviour decisions
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Abstract
The study would reflect on the use of social media in shaping up the consumer behaviour in
business industries. The research study focuses on providing the conceptual analysis of the social
media and the consumer purchasing decision making process. The exploration of the significance
would present the enriched idea about the potential impacts of the social media that creates both
negative and positive influence on the customers.
The literature study provides the insightful knowledge about the subject area by exploring the
underlying theories. The literature study also provides the insights regarding the negative and
positive impact on decision making behaviour of the consumers. The application of appropriate
philosophy, design, approach, and data collection techniques help in conducting the research in a
synchronized and systematic way.
The development of the literature study provides the theoretical understanding of the social
media uses and purchase decision making process. River Island is a world class fashion brand
that has extended the business in the virtual world to develop the customer base and strengthen
the brand image. However, it has been observed that the major focus of the business marketers is
to reach maximum number of the customers and create the most demanding brand image.

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Acknowledgement
I would like to thank my professor and mentor to assign me with this task. The research has been
quite promising for me and it has strengthened m analytical power.
I would like to thank my fellow friends and guides to support me throughout and helped me in
developing the analytical skills. The suggested books and journals also quite helpful for me to
strengthen my enriched knowledge about this subject matter.
Thank You

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................5
1.1 Research Background................................................................................................................5
1.2 Research Rationale....................................................................................................................6
1.3 Research Aim.............................................................................................................................8
1.4 Research Objectives...................................................................................................................8
1.5 Research Questions....................................................................................................................8
1.6 Research Hypothesis..................................................................................................................9
1.7 Research Structure.....................................................................................................................9
1.8 Summary..................................................................................................................................10
2.0 Literature Review....................................................................................................................11
2.1 Concept of Social Media.........................................................................................................11
2.1.1 Application of Social Impact theory on Social media use................................................12
2.1.2 Types of Social Media......................................................................................................14
2.2 Concept of consumer behaviour..............................................................................................15
2.2.1 Consumer Purchase Decision-Making Process................................................................15
2.3 Impact of Social media on Consumer Purchasing Behaviour.................................................20
2.4 Gaps in the Literature..............................................................................................................22
2.5 Conceptual Framework............................................................................................................22

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2.6 Summary..................................................................................................................................24
3.0 Introduction..............................................................................................................................25
3.1 Secondary Research Method...................................................................................................25
3.2 Research Onion........................................................................................................................26
3.4 Research Philosophy................................................................................................................28
3.5 Research Approach..................................................................................................................29
3.6 Secondary Data Collection Technique and Analysis...............................................................29
3.7 Ethical Consideration...............................................................................................................30
3.8 Accessibility Issues..................................................................................................................31
3.9 Summary..................................................................................................................................31
4.1Findings from secondary data...................................................................................................32
4.2 Theme Based Analysis............................................................................................................32
4.3 Findings from the Secondary data...........................................................................................35
5.0 Analysis...................................................................................................................................36
5.1 Discussion of the Findings.......................................................................................................36
6.0 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................40
6.1 Recommendation.....................................................................................................................41
6.2 Research Limitation.................................................................................................................42
7. 0 Critical Evaluation..................................................................................................................44
References......................................................................................................................................45

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1.0 Introduction
The evolving and dynamic era of social media has been influencing the mankind
drastically. It has been observed that currently social media has created the dynamic impact on
effective communication process. According to Schivinski and Dabrowski (2016), social media
has changed the method of using internet worldwide. The drastic transformation in social media
is both advantageous and disadvantageous. The study would reflect on the use of social media in
shaping up the consumer behaviour in business industries. This chapter would develop the
rationale for the study to understand the underlying research issues. The aim, objectives,
questions, and hypothesis would be discussed in this section of the study. Depending on these
specifications, the further information would be explored.
1.1 Research Background
Social media marketing is the overreaching process in current business scenario. Majority
of the business marketers have selected the social media marketing process as the most helpful
source of promoting the brands (Schivinski and Dabrowski 2016). The major focus of the
business marketers is to reach maximum number of the customers and create the most
demanding brand image. The consumers seek information or share their experience that become
much beneficial for shaping up the future business process. It creates the interactions among the
people for exchanging or sharing information and experiences (Hajli 2014). In the corporate
sectors, the social media marketing is generally use for promoting brands, establishing
communication with the customers, and spreading information in the virtual communities and
networks. Current world are much fascinated by the contents published in the social media sites.

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The study would discuss the use of social media by River Island, one of the most
demanding fashion retail brand based on UK. The company has been offering the high quality
fashion brand to the potential customers for 60 years. The company is mostly renowned for the
affordable and trendy fashion segments with the unique touches in the collection (Ashley and
Tuten 2015). The great going outlooks and the occasion wear available in the store are much
popular among the UK customers. However, currently, the company has been developing their
social media marketing strategies to attract more customers from different locations. The
company already has established almost 300 stores across the globe. In fact, it is an award-
winning online fashion retail site. The company has captured the leading position among the
biggest in-house design teams on the British High street. River Island is committed to nurture
new talent that has made them one of the most successful fashion retailers in the UK market.
Having an ambition to lead in multimarket and create the multichannel brand, the company is
organizing the business process to develop the greater customer base. The sound CSR initiatives
and development charities are also driving the company towards success. The company has the
successful online presence, but the business competition is much high due to which the negative
remarks on the social media sites are hampering the brand identity. It is necessary for the
company to develop the fruitful social media marketing strategy to mitigate the challenges from
the rivalries. The research would analyze the consumer responses and help in developing
cautiousness to deal with the uncertainties.
1.2 Research Rationale
The current developments in social media have become the important tool in the business
world. Ashley and Tuten (2015) opined that the social media provides the passive information to
the business marketers for developing their knowledge in strategic implementation in a

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competitive scenario. The negative ‘word of mouth’ influences the purchase decisions of the
consumers that create terrible loss for the company. In fact, the emerging competitiveness is also
one of the major threats for the business marketers. The availability of the numerous alternatives
in the market makes the customer rethink about their future purchases. If the business marketers
of a brand fail to satisfy the needs, the consumers tend to switch the brand any point of time.
However, it has been interpreted that in spite of the positive influence on the consumer
behaviour, the social media use can even turn out to be much challenging for the business
marketers.
In usual cases, the business marketers create the social media pages for online promotion
of the brand. These online pages in the social networking sites generally aim to reach the target
customers. Ngai, Tao and Moon (2015) implied that positive remarks or comments create the
positive ‘word of mouth’ among the other users of social media. On the other hand, according to
Hajli (2014), the negative remarks for the brand can turn out to be much challenging for the
business scenario since it may affect the consumer behaviour. The social networking site is the
place for open communication, which can influence the consumers during their purchase of any
product or service in both positive and negative way (Dessart, Veloutsou and Morgan-Thoma
2015). Hence, it is essential to understand the specific method of using social media by
considering the negative and positive impact.
The research study would thus provide the conceptual analysis of the social media and
the consumer purchasing decision making process. The exploration of the significance would
present the enriched idea about the potential impacts of the social media that creates both
negative and positive influence on the customers. River Island is completely relying on the
social media sites to develop the string customer base and understand the requirements of the

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customers to offer best fashion segments. However, the threats from the external competitors and
increasing negative remarks on the social network sites are affecting the brand promotions in a
significant way. The information gathered from the secondary source would develop knowledge
regarding the strategic implementations to mitigate challenges encountered in using social media.
1.3 Research Aim
The aim of the research is to identify the negative and positive impact of social media to
influence the consumer behaviour during their purchase of any product or service. The research
also attempts to recognize the specific method of promotional activities presented through social
media that nurture the urge of the consumers to purchase the products or service repeatedly.
1.4 Research Objectives
 To explore conceptual analysis of social media and consumer decision making process
 To critically analyze the impact of social media on consumer behaviour decisions
 To identify the potential challenges faced by the business marketers while using social
media for product or service promotions
 To present the preferable recommendations for the challenges encountered
1.5 Research Questions
 How the current era of social media use changing the business scenario?
 How social media influences the purchasing behaviour of the consumers?
 What are the recognizable challenges faced by the business marketers in using social
media for brand promotions?

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 What social media strategies are needed to be implemented for influencing the repeat
purchase of the consumers?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
H0: Social media does not create impact on the consumer purchase decisions
H1: Social media creates impact on the consumer purchase decisions
1.7 Research Structure
The research study would be structured by developing the following steps:
 The introduction chapter provides the outline of the research by stating the aim,
objectives, questions, hypothesis, and research rationale. It provides the overview of the
research along with the company background.
 The literature review would be structured by depending on the conceptual and theoretical
analysis of the associated variables. The information obtained from the literature would
be linked with the research study. The gaps in the literature study would be presented.
 The research methodology chapter provides the method of conducting the research in a
structured way. The appropriate philosophy, approach, and data collection techniques
would be identified in the methodology section.
 The data collection process determines the findings and discussion of the obtained from
either primary or secondary source. This particular research study is based on the
secondary data collection process. Therefore, the study depends on the theme-based
analytical process

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 The conclusion chapter provides the links identified between the collected data from
secondary sources and literature review. This chapter summarizes the entire research
study. This chapter provides the preferable recommendations after identifying the issues
from the information extracted from various sources.
1.8 Summary
The chapter identifies the considerable research issues that would be further drawn in this
study. Identifying the specific aim, objectives, questions, and hypothesis, the research would
develop the literature based on the research area. The conceptual analysis of social media and
consumer purchasing decisions would be further explored.

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2.0 Literature Review
The literature study provides the insightful knowledge about the subject area by exploring
the underlying theories. The study is widely concentrating on the impact of social media on
consumer behaviour and decision-making process. (Ngai, Tao and Moon 2015) The literature
study helps in identifying the core concept of the variables and establishing the links between
these variables. The theoretical knowledge obtained from the study helps in identifying the
secondary data for further evaluation. The literature study would also provide the insights
regarding the negative and positive impact on decision making behaviour of the consumers. The
information derived from this section would be utilized further.
2.1 Concept of Social Media
Social media is generally conceptualized as the series of applications and websites for
allowing people to share different contents efficiently, quickly, and in real-time (Dessart,
Veloutsou and Morgan-Thomas 2015). Most of the people use the social media on their mobile,
tablets, and different devices. It creates the interactions among the people for exchanging or
sharing information and experiences. In the corporate sectors, the social media marketing is
generally use for promoting brands, establishing communication with the customers, and
spreading information in the virtual communities and networks. In majority of the cases, the
business marketers use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchats for spreading awareness
among the customers. According to Kumar et al. (2016), social media is mainly used for building
the relationships and connecting with the audiences worldwide. However, on the other hand,
Godey et al. (2016.) argued that while using social media for customer services, it is necessary to
maintain the authenticity, open communication, and honesty.

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The customers would depend on the virtual information if they receive any positive
focus. Hence, the business marketers require being much cautious while sharing information
with the target customers over the social media. As stated by Solomon et al. (2014), in spite of
the extensive benefits ensured by the social media, it may create the negative impact on the
consumers as well. The influence of social media in shaping up the consumer behaviour is quite
significant. The enabling technologies in last few years have made the social networking system
accessible to a wider audience (Hajli 2014). People spend a quality time in social media that
influence their minds in various ways. Similarly, the use of the brand promotion through social
media has the significant impact on the customers’ buying decisions. Therefore, it has become
much easier to influence the consumers’ attitudes in differentiating the products or services.
2.1.1 Application of Social Impact theory on Social media use
The social impact theory was introduced by the psychologist of Ohio State University,
Bibb Latane. The theory was developed by conducting a series of experiments on influence of
social platforms (Ngai, Tao and Moon 2015). However, it is noticed that the social impact theory
was developed long before the social media existed. Latane has presented the three rules of
influences, such as strength, immediacy, and number. These three rules depend on three specific
factors, which are as follows:
 Impact is the association of strength, immediacy, and number of the sources.
 If the number of the sources is greater, it would create the greater impact as well (Hudson
et al. 2015).
 In majority of the cases, most of the impacts occur between 0 sources and 1 source.

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These factors were introduced before the social media has come into the attention of the
people. However, the principles followed in this theory are aptly applied to the context of social
media. The application of the social impact theory in the social media presents the following
concerns:
 Social media provides the strengths in the form of audiences that are connected from the
different corner of the world (Ashley and Tuten 2015). Thus, it can be a greater platform
to build relationships with the target audiences or the ones who are essential for the
company or any specific purpose.
 Social media offers the immediacy-both virtually and temporally. The business
marketers can gather people by connecting the social media through mobile devices even.
 It has been observed that social media provides the considerable opportunities for the
number of audiences in the influencing group.
The current developments in the digital technologies are also contributing to the development
of the social media marketing process. It connects a larger number of audiences from the
different corner of the world (Hudson et al. 2016). Hence, it becomes easier for the business
marketers to create the brand awareness and share the necessary information with the target
consumers. However, the open communication through the social media sites can even turn out
to be negative as well (Ioanăs and Stoica 2014). The negative remarks derived from the unhappy
customers can affect the consumer purchase decisions. However, judging the consumer
behavioral attribute is an integral part of the marketing. The following section of the study would
shed lights on the theoretical underpinning of the consumer behaviour that lead them to purchase
repeatedly.

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2.1.2 Types of Social Media
The current world is highly influenced by the extensive uses of social media. People tend
to search information for any specific aspect by browsing different sites. In addition to this, they
share their experiences and connect with people from different parts of the world through such
social media sites (Dijkmans, Kerkhof and Beukeboom 2015). Business marketers thus use these
social media techniques to reach a larger group of consumers and create the strong brand image
of the products and services. There are different types of social media that are mostly used and
these are as follows:
 Social Networks: Used for connecting people worldwide
 Discussion Forum: Used for sharing ideas and news
 Media Sharing Networks: Used for sharing videos, photos, and other media
 Consumer Review Networks: Used for finding and reviewing businesses
 Social shaping networks: Used for shopping online
 Sharing Economy Networks: Used for trading services or goods
 Anonymous Social Networks: Used for communicate with the people anonymously
 Interest-based Networks: Used for sharing interests and hobbies
These networking sites are mostly used and the business marketers often derive benefits by
using these sites. The consumers seek information or share their experience that become much
beneficial for shaping up the future business process. (Agnihotri et al. 2016.) It creates the
interactions among the people for exchanging or sharing information and experiences. In the
corporate sectors, the social media marketing is generally use for promoting brands, establishing
communication with the customers, and spreading information in the virtual communities and

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networks (Erkan and Evans 2016). Therefore, the business marketers need to be cautious about
the pages that are shared in the social networking sites.
2.2 Concept of consumer behaviour
Consumer behaviour is the conceptual ideas about the perceptions of the groups,
individuals, or organisations to select, purchase, and utilization of any service, products or
experience (Kim, Li and Brymer 2016). The measurement of their satisfaction or dissatisfaction
level decides their behaviour or the future purchases. The advancements in the technologies,
products and services have changed the demands of the consumers. Their behavioural changes in
purchasing products or services have become much complex and dynamic. For example, in the
fashion retail sectors, the customers opt for more trendy clothes that are updated with the current
trends. Moreover, they seek product variations as they tend to compare these products with other
competitors in the market. On the other hand, (Nadeem et al. (2015) implied that the consumers
seek more information from various sources. The ‘word of mouth’ can change their purchasing
decision in a positive or negative way. However, the consumer behaviour depends on the
systematic phases, which determines the result at the end.
2.2.1 Consumer Purchase Decision-Making Process
According to Chae and Ko (2016), the consumer purchase decision making process
depends on the sequential process that the marketers usually use for identifying and tracking the
decisions made by the potential consumers. There are five individual stages that demonstrate the
decision making journey of the consumers. These stages are described further:

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Figure 2.1: Consumer Purchase Decision Making Process
(Source: Tuten and Solomon 2017)
 Recognition of the problem
The very first stage of the decision making process is to identify the specific needs or
demands of the potential clients. According to VanMeter, Grisaffe and Chonko2015), the
customers tend to select the products that fall under their preference lists or that satisfy their
expectation level. The business marketers always need to be cautious about this expectation or
preference level to deliver such specific product or services. On the other hand, Solomon et al.
(2014) explained the customers’ needs are often changing, which becomes quite difficult for the
business marketers to fulfill. Therefore, when the business marketers are targeting the
demographic segment, it is essential for them to develop knowledge about the specific needs of
the customers. For example, in the fashion retail sector, the customers look for various fashion
segments, trends, designs, colours, and diversifications in the clothes (Oladepo and Abimbola
2015). The fashion retailers need to concentrate on these needs to fulfill their expectation level.
 Searching for information

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The method for searching information has changed in a drastic way. Before purchasing
any product or services, the customers tend to derive the expensive knowledge from diverse
sources (Rani 2014). Google is the biggest search engine that is usually used for searching
information (Farah and Ramadan 2017). Gathering the adequate information from different
sources make them more knowledgeable about the current trends, better opportunities,
competitive prices, and so on. It is quite challenging for the business marketers since the
customers can switch the brand at any point of time if they receive better opportunities (Pappas
2016). The recommendations received from the people also create the significant impact on their
minds.
According to Jamil et al. (2017), there are two types of the information sources, such as
internal and external. The internal search describes the experiences and former information of an
individual that provides the assumptions about the customers’ behaviour in future. In fact, it has
been observed that in spite of the interests towards the offerings, sometimes such offer will not
be comprehended as per the expectations (Goodrich and De Mooij 2014). On the other hand, the
external information can be obtained from the external sources, such as Google, social media
sites, and customers’ ‘word of mouth’. Social media is also a remarkable source for obtaining
external information. For example, people who intend to purchase the fashionable clothes may
seek information from others about the brand relevancy (Chen et al. 2015). The business
marketers thus need to create the significant brand image to develop the extensive customer base.
 Evaluation of the Alternatives
The consumers mainly seek the suitable options as per the needs of an individual. The
ideas about such needs and preferences help in identifying the best option for an individual.

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During such time, the consumers opt for the alternative solutions. The focus on the observations,
goals, and the motives help identifying the suitable benefits. Alavi et al (2016) suggested that
there are two types of experience relevance exist for ensuring outcome, such as direct and
indirect experiences. If the individuals are inexperienced towards any specific products; the
direct experience would to be preferred (Raheem, Vishnu and Ahmed 2014). The consumers are
more likely using the social media for sharing their experiences, comparing alternatives, and
searching for the relevant information. The emerging trend of sharing through online sites and
developing WOM (word of mouth) influence the business sustainable in a significant way. The
negative experience, in such case, can turn out to be much costly or it may damage the reputation
as well. After identifying the alternatives, the consumers are more likely formulate the values of
the identified alternatives in terms of their intentions, attitudes, and specific choice. (Karimi,
Papamichail and Holland (2015) argued that the decision makers often seek the simplified ways
to develop a n evaluation process during the complex situation. Finally, they prepare themselves
for making the final decision.
 Final Decision Making
Farah and Ramadan (2017) opined that after completion of the evaluation process, the
consumers tend to pick up their choices among the brand. There are two main factors that may
affect the choice of the consumers to develop the purchase intention and purchase decisions,
such as the unanticipated situational crisis, and the individuals’ attitudes.

Evaluation of
the Alternatives
Purchase
Intention
Others’
Attitudes
Unanticipated
Situational
Factors
Purchase
Decision
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Figure 2.2: Steps between alternative evaluation and purchase decision
(Source: Wen et al. 2014)
Others’ attitude towards the purchase of the products refers to the negative views towards
the preferred alternatives. It sometimes indicates the reluctance to meet the supporting terms and
purchasing intentions. In such cases, the adjustment in the purchase intentions is needed to be
performed. Lerrthaitrakul and Panjakajornsak (2014) also suggested that some of the info-media
or the publishing houses also influence the consumers in a significant way. For example, the
review blogs n Amazon.com, bulletin boards, and other sites provide the keen ideas about the
products and services (Zhang et al. 2014). The customers also alternate their views as per the
reviews present in these sites. On the other side, the unanticipated situational factors often erupt
to alter the decision-making process of the consumers. For instance, a customer is determined to
purchase any outfit after comparing with other alternatives, but the decision may alter if any
unexpected crisis comes up. Customers then gather ideas about certain information, which was
not previously learnt (Zhang, Wu and Mattila 2016). Hence, such situation may affect the
purchasing decisions of the consumers in a significant way.
 Post-Purchase Decision

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The extent of the consumers’ experiences, whether it is positive or negative, is referred as
the post-purchase decision making process. Grewal et al. (2016) implied that the post-purchase
decision of the customers highlights two major possible consequences, satisfaction or
dissatisfaction. If the consumer experience satisfaction or dissonance towards the purchase, the
consumers start searching for more information and look forward to the future purchase. The
frequent use of the products or services can also determine the future purchase until the
alternative option better than the current purchase is available. Park and Nicolau (2015)
suggested that the entire process of decision making depends on the psychological judgment of
the customers. Their attitudes and beliefs towards purchasing a product determine whether they
want to purchase the product in future as well.
2.3 Impact of Social media on Consumer Purchasing Behaviour
The technological innovations and advancements have created the greater impacts on the
consumers in current time. Similarly, the emergence of social media has changed social
environment by developing new ideas and sharing the vast knowledge. According to Banerjee,
Bhattacharyya and Bose (2017), social media is one of the greatest technological innovations
experienced by the people worldwide. In today’s world, majority of the organisations are
interested in incorporating social media for different purposes (Filieri 2015). These social media
sites are especially used for influencing the purchasing behaviour of the customers by creating
the remarkable brand image. This platform is quite beneficial in understanding the needs,
preferences of the customers as they share their experiences with others. However, such open
communication about the products and services can also turn out to be disadvantageous for the
business marketers. Wu et al. (2017) argued that the influence of the social media sites may
affect the purchasing behaviour of the consumers. People share their experience over the social

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media sites that help in deciding the future possibility of purchasing any good or service. The
negative ‘word of mouth’ thus can create the adverse effects, which may turn out to be
disadvantageous.
Shepherd and Rudd (2014) implied that social media includes numerous benefits and
opportunities, but sometimes quite difficult to manage. For instance, the consumers associated
with the fashion retail sectors always share their views ad experiences about the trendy and
fashionable clothes that improve the brand image much significantly. In fact, they can gather
information from different customer reviews posted on the social networking sites. Apparently,
these reviews create the sense of reliability and preferences among the target customers. In fact,
it is also noticed that the open communication helps in developing the transparent and reliable
relationships with the brand. On the contrary, Newell and Shanks (2014) implied that the
negative reviews from the customers may affect the brand image in a significant way. The
negative ‘word of mouth’ influences the purchase decisions of the consumers that create terrible
loss for the company. In fact, the emerging competitiveness is also one of the major threats for
the business marketers. The availability of the numerous alternatives in the market makes the
customer rethink about their future purchases. If the business marketers of a brand fail to satisfy
the needs, the consumers tend to switch the brand any point of time.
King, Racherla and Bush (2014) implied that the emerging interests of the consumers
towards using social media have altered in a recognizable way. Every organisation tends to
promote their brands through social networking sites. For example, the retail sectors promote
their brands by providing the glimpse of product variations. The promotions through social
media cut down the operational cost due to which the business marketers are more likely utilize
these platforms. The customers are also browsing these sites that are altering their purchase

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intentions due to the diverse options for the latest trends. It is quite challenging for the business
marketers to achieve the maximum customer base by maintaining a good reputation of the brand.
Hence, it can be implied that the social media has the significant impacts on consumer
purchasing decision making.
2.4 Gaps in the Literature
The literature study analyses the theoretical evaluation of the subject variable. It bridges
the connection between the social media use and the customer purchase decision making. The
major gap was found in developing the extensive research on the subject area. The current world
is rapidly changing due to which the demands of the customers are also repeatedly altering with
time. The time constraints prevent here to develop more extensive knowledge regarding the
subject area. On the other hand, there is no scope to examine the authentication of the sources
used for deriving information in this literature section. Moreover, the lack of in-depth analysis
due to the time limitations is the major gap identified in this literature study. If some more times
were allowed, the research would have created the clear insights related to the subject areas.
2.5 Conceptual Framework

Consumer Purchasing Decision
Making
Social Media Platform
Social Impact
Theory linking
Types of
Social
Media
Concept of
Consumer
behaviour
Consumer Decision
Making Process
Social Networks
Discussion Forum
Media Sharing Networks
Consumer Review Networks
Social shaping networks
Sharing Economy Networks
Anonymous Social Networks
Interest-based Networks
Impact of Social Media on Consumer
Purchase Decision-Making
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Figure 2.3: Conceptual Framework
(Source: Created by the Author)
The above figure presents the conceptual idea about the entire literature review. The
study is widely focusing on the impacts of the social media on consumer purchase decision
making. The development of the theoretical analysis presents the clarified concept of the

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variables that are linked with subject. Analyzing such theoretical evaluation, the study develops
the clear linking of the social media with the consumer purchase behaviour.
2.6 Summary
The literature section develops the underpinning theoretical knowledge about the subject
variables. The understanding of the different social media types and theoretical evaluation of the
consumer purchase decision making is developed in this literature section. The information
obtained from the literature study would be utilized further to link with the secondary data. The
further section of the study would develop the ideas about the suitable methodology used in this
research process.

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3.0 Introduction
Research methodology is the systematic development of any research process by
applying the appropriate method. According to Flick (2015), research methodology is generally
used for collecting relevant information in purpose of developing any research project. The
application of appropriate philosophy, design, approach, and data collection techniques help in
conducting the research in a synchronized and systematic way. This research study develops the
understanding regarding the impact of the social media in shaping the consumer purchase
behaviour with the special reference of River Island. The use of the appropriate data collection
would help in generating the extensive knowledge regarding the subject area. The research is
mainly developed by conducting the secondary data collection process in which the secondary
information would be gathered from outside sources. The discussion of the appropriate designs is
presented further.
3.1 Secondary Research Method
Secondary research often involves the information that is collected from the outside
sources, such as books, journals, websites, and blogs. According to Humphries (2017), one of the
biggest advantages of using secondary research method is the frequent availability of the existing
research materials. The existing information is readily available and it does not cost much. In
fact, it is also notable that the development of the theme-based analysis focuses on a specific
information revolving around the subject variables. However, on the contrary, Panneerselvam
(2014) argued that secondary research often lacks the specificity and fails to address the area of
concern. In fact, it is also some of the external data sources are not enriched in quality and
mostly are outdated that are needed to be strictly eliminated. The upgraded fashion industry is

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much influencing for the consumers worldwide. The social media is also playing the most
significant role in influencing the customers with the updated trends in the fashion segments.
Hence, the updated information is much necessary to conduct this research study. However, the
themes formulated in the secondary research would help in identifying the clear observation of
the challenges faced by River Island in influencing the customer purchasing decision through
social media use.
3.2 Research Onion
Research onion was developed by Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009), to describe the
systematic stages of a research process. The first stage of the research onion is the description
and selection of research philosophy. The research philosophy determines the appropriate
method of describing the collected information. The second stage of research onion is research
approach that indicates whether the research should use the hypothetical views or depend on the
existing theory. The third stage of research onion determines the use of the relevant research
strategy to develop the entire research process (Choy 2014). The fourth stage creates the
timeframe within which the entire research study would be scheduled. The fifth layer identifies
the appropriate data collection method for the research. The purpose of formulating the research
onion is to develop the clear understanding about the sequential steps that are to be followed
during the research process.

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Figure 3.1: Research Onion
(Source: Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2009)
3.3 Ontology
Ontology is a part of research methods that perceives different views than epistemology.
These terms are used to describe the suitable philosophy used in a research study to interpret the
data in a significant manner. According to Wiek and Lang (2016), ontology concentrates on the
central questions that are needed to be either subjective or objective. Objectivism reflects the
social entities that exist in the external reality and asserts the social phenomenon. On the other
hand, subjectivism perceives the social phenomenon, which is formulated from the consequent
action or perception of the social actors. However, identification of the appropriate philosophy
would be helpful for the research process to analyze the secondary data collected from existing
research sources.

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3.4 Research Philosophy
Sekaran and Bougie (2016) explained that research philosophy generally deals with the
nature, source, and knowledge developmental factors. It is often considered as the belief related
to the method of collecting data and analyzing it by maintaining research relevancy. Each stage
of the research process deals with the assumptions of the knowledge nature and the sources.
Research philosophy thus deals with the important assumptions of the author that serve as the
base of appropriate research strategy. Research philosophy is categorized into four major
divisions, such pragmatism, positivism, realism, and interpretivism (Alvesson and Sköldberg
2017). The general discussion of the research paper usually deals between two types of
philosophies, such as positivism and interpretivism. Positivism philosophy deals with the hidden
facts and the responses derived from the real life scenario. On the other hand, the interpretivism
philosophy deals with the human interpretation of the fact that is sometimes involved with
assumption based ideas.
The secondary analysis of the research requires the application of the ideas obtained from
the external scenario. The study thus deals with the interpretivism philosophy to interpret the
collected secondary data. The appropriate use of the interpretivism philosophy has developed the
enriched knowledge about the subject area. The data is needed to be discussed by developing the
clear understanding of the research area. Moreover, the use of interpretivism philosophy adds
more in-depth analysis of the current data. Hence, the use of the interpretivism philosophy is
appropriate.

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3.5 Research Approach
Research approach is conceptualized as the procedure and plans for the research study by
analyzing the collected data in a detailed way. According to Bryman (2015), research approach
often involves with the decisions to develop the understanding in a selective way. Research
approach is characterized into two specifications, such as deductive approach and inductive
approach. Deductive approach formulates the set of hypothesis developed for conducting
research based on the subject matter. On the other hand, the inductive approach depends on the
existing theory that helps in understanding the research subject area. The study develops the
understanding of the hypothetical values to shed lights on the use of social media that alters the
purchasing behaviour of the customers. Therefore, the use of the deductive approach is
appropriate in this study.
3.6 Secondary Data Collection Technique and Analysis
The study concentrates on the impacts of social media on consumer purchasing decision
making. The study requires in-depth analysis of the conceptual ideas along with the theoretical
links. Therefore, the secondary data collection process is conducted in this study. According to
Palinkas et al. (2015), secondary data is collected from the previous research studies and it
includes the tested facts and figures. In order to conduct the secondary data, the researcher has
collected the information from secondary data sources, such as books, journals, and website
articles. The extensive research on the social media use and how it alters the purchase decision
of the customers would develop the complete research study. The information is also collected
from official and corporate websites of River Island to understand their business tactics to deal
with the online customers. The information obtain from the secondary sources would also
provide the adequate knowledge about the availability of the numerous alternatives in the market

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makes the customer rethink about their future purchases. This platform is quite beneficial in
understanding the needs, preferences of the customers as they share their experiences with
others. However, such open communication about the products and services can also turn out to
be disadvantageous for the business marketers. The appropriate analysis process would also help
in identifying the underlying issues and it would also meet the predetermined objectives of the
research.
The collected secondary data is needed to be analyzed in an appropriate way (Sekaran
and Bougie 2016). In this study, the collected secondary data will be analyzed by formulating
several themes. It is necessary to present the in-depth analysis of the subject variables and the
research areas in a detailed way. The themes would present the facts and the detailed analysis of
the subject. The information gathered from these theme based analysis would develop the
understanding the about the social media use and its positive and negative effects on the
consumers’ behaviour. In fact, the ideas collected from these themes would be linked with the
literature study to understand whether the research has met the aims and objectives or not.
3.7 Ethical Consideration
Every research is conducted by developing the ethical parameter, which enhances the
quality of the research. Collecting the data is not an easier approach. It is necessary to consider
some of the ethical factors, which help in formulating an informative research study. The
information sources used for collecting the secondary data are needed to be validated and
authentic. The maintenance of the authenticity of data enriches the quality of the information. On
the other hand, the information should be updated. The current world is rapidly changing and the
upgraded information presents the complete evaluation of the research subject. Thus, it is quite

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essential to use the updated data. While conducting the research with the secondary information,
it is essential to maintain the privacy. The data would not be disclosed to any other researcher.
The data would be used for this particular research without harming any privacy concern.
Maintaining these ethical concerns is quite essential for formulating the entire research project.
3.8 Accessibility Issues
The major accessibility issues are found in collecting the updated research materials. The
secondary data is based on the information collected from the corporate websites of the
company. It is thus notable that some of the informative sites required proper authentication to
access. On the other hand, the different perception present in diverse information sources is also
quite confusing at times. Hence, the access to the appropriate research information was quite
challenging for this research study.
3.9 Summary
This chapter provides the idea of the appropriate methodology used for this research
process. The use of the appropriate research designs and data collection method is discussed in
this section of the study. The study also provides the idea of theme based analysis as the data
analysis technique. The further section of the study would develop the secondary research
analysis.

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4.1Findings from secondary data
This chapter discusses the secondary information collected from various sources. The
major focus of the study is to analyze both the positive and negative influence of social media in
shaping up the consumer purchase decision making process. The literature study has analyzed
the theoretical underpinnings based on the subject matter. However, the study analyses the
themes to understand the use of social media by River Island and the challenges the company has
been facing. The results derived from this secondary analysis would be linked further with the
literature section to identify whether the research objectives and aims are met.
4.2 Theme Based Analysis
Theme 1: Influence of the social media in the consumer of fashion retail sector
The extensive usage of the social media in the fashion industry started gaining
recognition since 2009 (Ramanathan, Subramanian and Parrott 2017). It is noticed that the
advancements in the technologies help the customers interact closely with the business
marketers. The continuous interactions with the customers clarify the needs and preferences,
which are quite essential to satisfy the expectation level. The increasing brand awareness through
social media is not only creating the positive atmosphere, it may disrupt the purchasing
behaviour of the consumers more significantly (Çifci et al. 2016). Moreover, the tendency of the
consumers is to search for the information over the online sources. Especially, the fashion-prone
consumers seek the latest updates about the trends and clothing brands.

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Graph 4.1: Most popular industries on social media according to social media users
worldwide
(Source: Statista.com. 2016
It is evident that fashion retail sector is most demanding among the social media users
worldwide. The social media is one of the most helpful platforms that gather people from
different corner of the world. Moreover, it provides the extensive ideas about the different
fashion brands available in the social media pages. Therefore, the consumers receive the
opportunity to surf different online social media gather information and select the most preferred
brands. Furthermore, the experiences shared by the consumers provide the insights about the
brand specifications and quality (Blázquez 2014). The shared ‘word of mouth’ helps in creating
the brand image that determines the willingness or reluctance of the consumers. The business

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marketers can even convey the messages to the targeted customers through the social media
pages. It has been observed that the continuous experience sharing connects the customers from
different areas (Godey et al. 2016). The extensive brand awareness through social media is even
creating the negative consequences for the business marketers as well. Hence, the consumers’
purchase is mostly influenced by the social media usages. Especially, in the fashion retail sector,
the influence of the social media is much recognizable.
Theme 2: River Island is influencing the potential customers through social media
The current digitalization has improved the business marketing procedures in a drastic
manner. It is noticed that currently, River Island is completely relying on the social media sites
for communicating with the consumers. The company is posting pictures on Twitter and
Instagram along with the attractive hash-tags to promote the brand (River Island 2018). It is
needless to mention that the posts receive the commendable responses from the online
customers. The main motto of the company is to influence the needs of the customers by meeting
their expectations and offering them more trendy clothes to create a reputed brand image (Taube
and Warnaby 2017). However, the continuous challenges from the competitors are sometimes
affecting the brand promotions. Moreover, the negative remarks from the customers create the
negative WOM, which affects the perceptions of the consumers regarding the future purchase. In
the year of 2015, the sales ratio of River Island edged up from £931.6 millions to £932.7 millions
(BBC News 2016). Therefore, the company is mostly looking for the maximum number of the
consumers who prefer most updated fashion segments. However, the continuous sharing of the
negative remarks is affecting this sales ratio in a significant way.

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4.3 Findings from the Secondary data
The above information presented in a theme-based discussion develops the understanding
about the demands of the social media sites in developing the consumer purchase behaviour. The
findings from the secondary data analysis process indicate that consumers usually opt for the
extensive information before they decide to purchase anything. The social media sites connect
people worldwide who present their different need and preferences in fashion and trends (Shen,
Qian and Choi 2017). The positive experience of the consumers develops the positive purchase
intentions and vice versa. In today’s world, majority of the organisations are interested in
incorporating social media for different purposes.
These social media sites are especially used for influencing the purchasing behaviour of
the customers by creating the remarkable brand image. This platform is quite beneficial in
understanding the needs, preferences of the customers as they share their experiences with
others. However, such open communication about the products and services can also turn out to
be disadvantageous for the business marketers (Ramanathan, Subramanian and Parrott 2017).
On the other hand, River Island is completely relying on the social media sites to develop the
string customer base and understand the requirements of the customers to offer best fashion
segments. However, the threats from the external competitors and increasing negative remarks
on the social network sites are affecting the brand promotions in a significant way. Identifying
these findings from the secondary sources, the further study would present the relevant
discussion.

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5.0 Analysis
The chapter would provide the clear understanding of the research information derived
from the secondary data sources. The information would be discussed and in detail and would be
linked with the theoretical concept discussed in the literature section. It would provide the
considerable knowledge about the actual scenario in the current world in terms of using social
media that has the significant impact on the consumer purchase behaviour. The following
discussion would develop the enriched ideas about the research area.
5.1 Discussion of the Findings
The findings from the secondary data sources indicate that the consumers are more likely
using the social media for sharing their experiences, comparing alternatives, and searching for
the relevant information. The emerging trend of sharing through online sites and developing
WOM (word of mouth) influence the business sustainable in a significant way (Solomon et al.
2014). The ideas obtained from the findings highlight that consumers are more likely shop the
online fashion retails due to which this sector has achieved maximum popularity in compare to
other sectors. The consumers receive the opportunity to surf different online social media gather
information and select the most preferred brands. Gathering the adequate information from
different sources make them more knowledgeable about the current trends, better opportunities,
competitive prices, and so on (Ngai, Tao and Moon 2015). It is quite challenging for the business
marketers since the customers can switch the brand at any point of time if they receive better
opportunities.

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As per the ideas derived from the literature study, it is noticed that if the consumer
experience satisfaction or dissonance towards the purchase, the consumers start searching for
more information and look forward to the future purchase. The frequent use of the products or
services can also determine the future purchase until the alternative option better than the current
purchase is available. The advancements in the technologies, products and services have changed
the demands of the consumers. Their behavioural changes in purchasing products or services
have become much complex and dynamic. For example, in the fashion retail sectors, the
customers opt for more trendy clothes that are updated with the current trends. Moreover, they
seek product variations as they tend to compare these products with other competitors in the
market. Gathering the adequate information from different sources make them more
knowledgeable about the current trends, better opportunities, competitive prices, and so on. It is
quite challenging for the business marketers since the customers can switch the brand at any
point of time if they receive better opportunities
Furthermore, the experiences shared by the consumers provide the insights about the
brand specifications and quality. The shared ‘word of mouth’ helps in creating the brand image
that determines the willingness or reluctance of the consumers. It is thus quite necessary for the
business markers to stay cautious about what are to be shared or providing the proper customer
service to reduce negative remarks (Shepherd and Rudd 2014). As per the literature study, it has
been observed that the customers tend to select the products that fall under their preference lists
or that satisfy their expectation level. The customers’ needs are often changing, which becomes
quite difficult for the business marketers to fulfill. Therefore, when the business marketers are
targeting the demographic segment, it is essential for them to develop knowledge about the
specific needs of the customers (Park and Nicolau 2015). . River Island is a world class fashion

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brand that has extended the business in the virtual world to develop the customer base and
strengthen the brand image. However, it has been observed that the major focus of the business
marketers is to reach maximum number of the customers and create the most demanding brand
image. The business marketers always need to be cautious about this expectation or preference
level to deliver such specific product or services.
On the other hand, the increasing options and alternatives are also quite distracting for the
consumers when they decide to purchase products from one particular brand. The findings from
the secondary data collection process indicate that River Island is focusing on meeting the
expectation level of the consumers through social media sites. Hence, the company is developing
message sharing centers, platform to share their experiences, and so on (Erkan and Evans 2016).
However, the continuous challenges from the competitors are preventing the company to develop
the strategy in a significant way. The literature study suggests that the unanticipated situational
factors often erupt to alter the decision-making process of the consumers. It sometimes indicates
the reluctance to meet the supporting terms and purchasing intentions. In such cases, the
adjustment in the purchase intentions is needed to be performed. Recognition of the specific
needs and requirements is essential for the business marketers to bring more product
differentiations that may beat the competitors in the virtual world.
As per the consumer decision making process, discussed in the literature section, the
consumers opt for the extensive ideas and the alternatives among the various options. It is
noticed that the consumers are more likely using the social media for sharing their experiences,
comparing alternatives, and searching for the relevant information. After identifying the
alternatives, the consumers are more likely formulate the values of the identified alternatives in
terms of their intentions, attitudes, and specific choice (Ngai, Tao and Moon 2015). Hence, the

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business marketers initially need to identify the basic preferences of the customers and the
alternatives available on the social media sites. It would be much helpful in developing hands-on
approaches to retain the existing customers and attracting those who are new to the brand(Erkan
and Evans 2016). The social impact theory indicates that Social media provides the strengths in
the form of audiences that are connected from the different corner of the world. Thus, it can be a
greater platform to build relationships with the target audiences (Park and Nicolau 2015). Hence,
the identification of the target audience is the foremost step that is needed to be undertaken.
Their preferences and needs should be recognized if the company requires maintain the brand
reputation and participate in the challenging social media business market.

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6.0 Conclusion
The study develops the detailed ideas about the impact of current social media usage on
formulating the purchase behaviour of the customers. The development of the literature study
provides the theoretical understanding of the social media uses and purchase decision making
process. River Island is a world class fashion brand that has extended the business in the virtual
world to develop the customer base and strengthen the brand image. However, it has been
observed that the major focus of the business marketers is to reach maximum number of the
customers and create the most demanding brand image. The consumers seek information or share
their experience that become much beneficial for shaping up the future business process. It
creates the interactions among the people for exchanging or sharing information and experiences.
On the other hand, the measurement of customers’ satisfaction or dissatisfaction level
decides their behaviour or the future purchases. The advancements in the technologies, products
and services have changed the demands of the consumers. Their behavioural changes in
purchasing products or services have become much complex and dynamic. The major focus of
the study is to identify the considerable influence of the social media in shaping the purchase
decision making of the customers. The secondary research follows the most helpful social media
strategy to influence the buyers’ decisions. However, the continuous threats from the other
competitor brand exist in the social media sites are posing more challenges for the company.
Moreover, the negative experiences are shared in the social media contents that affect the
purchasing decisions of the other customers. Linking with the secondary research and
information from literature review, it is noticed that improper maintenance of the social media
use can turn out to be much disadvantageous for the business companies. The objectives of the

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study are met since it evaluates the areas of concerns more clarified way. However, some of the
fruitful recommendation would be further provided to develop more suitable strategy that can
reduce the threat of negative influence of social media.
6.1 Recommendation
The ideas derived from the secondary research and literature section reflects on the
negative consequence emerge from the improper use of social media sites. In fact, it can be
interpreted that the use of social media can influence the negative consequences while customers
are making any purchasing decision. Observing the considerable challenges faced by the
business marketers, some of the preferable recommendations are provided further:
 Improved Customer Service
The customer service providers who are associated with the online portals need to be
cautious. They need to manage the customer review and respond accordingly. The greater
customer service would help in establishing the effective relationships with the potential
customers. It would even help in strengthening the brand image. It is important to face the
customers and understand their concern at the first place. In addition to this, the needs and
demands of the customer are also necessary to remain competitive. Managing the concerns and
offering the products as per their needs can retain the consumers for a long time. Moreover, the
positive experiences would generate the sense of reliability, which would lead them to purchase
for the next time onwards. It would strengthen the possibility of the future purchase.
 Promoting the brand in an attractive way

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In the virtual world, people are much influenced by the presentation or the demonstration of the
services. People tend to find the alternatives if their expectations are not fulfilled. River Island
needs to promote the brand in a most attractive way that would strengthen the competitive
position of the business by drawing the attention of maximum number of the customers. For
example, presenting the fashion segments in a unique way or exploring the latest trends by
presenting the exclusive collections would help in attracting the customers widely. It is noticed
that the social media sites creates the interactions among the people for exchanging or sharing
information and experiences. Hence, the company needs to develop such interactive session with
the consumers or delivering some of the fashion advices from the experts would also be much
helpful in such context.
 Developing product diversifications
Consumers seek more variations in their fashion segment. The fashion-prone consumers are
more likely searching for the alternatives in quest of the better quality or designs. The
competitors are always available to offer the best and most suitable fashion segment to the
consumers. River Island thus needs to concentrate on their product diversifications. Extending
the collection and more product diversifications would attract the amount of consumers available
on the social media sites. The advancements in the technologies, products and services have
changed the demands of the consumers. Their behavioural changes in purchasing products or
services have become much complex and dynamic. Addressing such needs and offering best
product segment would thus be much helpful for the company to create a strong brand image in
this competitive scenario.

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6.2 Research Limitation
The major limitation identified in this research is the time constraints. The limited time
has made this research process somewhat limited. On the other hand, the lack of the updated
sources is also preventing the study to develop extensive and upgraded knowledge regarding the
subject area. The study would have clarified the concept more if the primary research was
conducted. The lack of sufficient capital resource was the major obstacle in such context.
However, the in-depth analysis of the information gathered from the secondary source is quite
helpful to generate the idea about the subject area. In fact, the clear elaboration of the concept
has helped in accomplishing the research objectives as well.

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7. 0 Critical Evaluation
This research journey has been quite promising for me that helped in every possible ways
to strengthen my analytical skills. When the topic was first introduced to me, I felt much excited
for conducting this research. I spend much time on browsing social media sites and gathering
information about different news. It has always been an amusement for me to work in a research
project where I can use my knowledgeable ideas to develop a complete research study. I started
collecting more information on social media and its significant impacts on the consumer
behaviour. The major challenges I faced during this research journey was the limited time. I
wanted to add up more information if the time constraints were not present. The vast area of
social media use and the enriched knowledge about the customer purchasing decision making
process require some more time. Hence, I face challenges in this aspect. Moreover, collecting the
accurate data related to the subject matter was also much challenging for me. I used my own
skills and knowledge to develop an intact paper, which is quite informative. In fact, the
difficulties I have faced during this journey have strengthened my analytical power more
effectively. I am grateful to my professors and fellow friends, who helped me throughout this
journey that would be helpful for the future as well.
7.1 Future Research
The idea I have developed by conducting research on the subject area would be beneficial
to develop the similar study in future, the information gathered from the literature review and the
theme-based analysis would be used for the future similar type of research. The future
researchers would even be able to develop their ideas regarding these specific subjects discussed

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in this study. The future evaluation of the subject matter can help in scoring good grades or in
practical application in the business world as well.
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