Impact of E-Word of Mouth on Consumer Behavior

This assignment explores the significant influence of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communications on consumer behavior. It delves into how eWOM, facilitated through online social networks, shapes consumer perceptions and purchasing decisions. The analysis draws upon relevant research studies and frameworks to understand the dynamics of eWOM and its impact on various aspects of consumer behavior.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Research Tittle............................................................................................................................1
Aims and Objectives...................................................................................................................1
Rational of Study.........................................................................................................................2
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................2
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES.................................................................................................4
Research Philosophy...................................................................................................................4
Research Approach.....................................................................................................................5
Sampling.....................................................................................................................................5
Data Collection............................................................................................................................5
Data Analysis..............................................................................................................................6
Ethical consideration...................................................................................................................6
RESEARCH LIMITATION............................................................................................................6
EXPECTED OUTCOMES..............................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Research Tittle
“ To explore the perception of UK and French Customers on online shopping from supermarket”
Online shopping has revolutionised the sells of supermarkets in global world. It is the
concept which offers easy approach of shopping a sin this the consumers enjoys benefits of
international firms. The emergence of E-commerce has set another level of success for retail
enterprises. Offering products online assist the firm in boosting sales and increasing consumer
base. Further, increasing online shoppers are delivering the idea of promoting use of online
marketing as business strategical approach (Lee, and Lin, 2015). Most of the people enjoy
online shopping because it has assisted the people of smaller towns to access quality products
and services. However, perception of consumer varies as per their choices, like there are people
according to which online shopping is considered as big time forgery and misrepresentation of
articles and prices. In accordance to this perception of people, the researcher will outline the
difference in perception of French and UK consumer on online shopping. As per forecast there
are 60 % of online shoppers are from 8 large cities. Increasing internet penetration has assisted in
expanding potential customer pool. People varies in opinions and according to French customer
online shopping offers the easiest mode of buying products but on the other hand it involves risk
of forgery of bank details for online transaction, lack of security, delay in delivering, problems in
returns and exchanges etc. (SivaKumar and Gunasekaran, 2017). However, according to UK
buyers, buying online is most approachable concept which helps in saving time and assist in easy
return in comparison to offline buying.
Aims and Objectives
Aim
“ To explore the perception of UK and French Customers on online shopping from supermarket”
Objectives
 To determine concept of online shopping and consumer perception on it.
 To ascertain benefits and limitation of online shopping.
 To asses compare perception of French and UK consumers on online shopping.
Questions
 Explain the concept of online shopping and consumer perceptions to it?
 What are the benefits and limitation of online shopping?
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 Distinguish between perception of French and UK consumers on online shopping?
Rational of Study
Online shopping is emerging most considerable approach of buying across the globe.
The motive behind conducting this research is to gain insight over the perception of UK and
French customers over online shopping from Supermarkets. The study will help in ascertaining
risk associated with e commerce activities. Further, difference will assist in analysing facts of
online shopping which needs to considered for mitigating risk (Apostolou, Bélanger and
Schaupp, 2017). On the other hand, the research will help in following safe practice when
shopping online. Thus, the basis of research will be focused on analysing the difference in
opinion of UK and French people and core reason behind it.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Determination on concept of online shopping and consumer perception
According to Kuppuswamy and Bayus, (2018) states that online shopping has rapidly
becoming popular due to its convenience. At the item of any festivals online shopping saves time
of an individual in order to search for particular item. In contrary to Molinillo and et.al., (2018)
internet is plays vital role in order to change goods and services. Thus, it can be true to said that
internet has influenced the lives of the individual in deeply manner. There are number of
company who providing its services with the medium of internet as it is helpful in order to attract
the customer in market. Soneji and et.al., (2018) Pointed out that it is helpful in order to provide
as unique opportunities for the companies in manner to each larger number of potential in
market. As per the view of Kim, Kandampully and Bilgihan, (2018) states that online shopping
is very beneficial in order to saves the time of customer, many of individual in today's market are
largely dependents on the online activities as it is cost effective too. In addition to this, Kniaz and
et.al., (2018) states that there are various kinds of things as are attractiveness, time saving,
detected risk, pleasure and excitement, tangibility and high interactivity. The one of disadvantage
in relation to online shopping is that customer's cannot feel the product, they can only
communicate with the machines but not with any human being. As per the present scenario Kim,
Kandampully and Bilgihan, (2018) the most of individual are relay on online shopping as it is
helpful in order to attract the customer in the market. In the present scenario most of the
customer preferring online shopping as they are engaged with their own life, online shopping
plays crucial role in order to attract the large number of customer's in the market.
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To ascertain benefits and limitation of online shopping
According to the view of ternquist, Huddleston and Fairhurst, (2018) states that online
shopping has various benefits as well limitations, as customer are need to wait for their
assignment to arrive for the period of 2 to 3 days and it is also one of the cost effective process.
In contrary to Kim, Kandampully and Bilgihan, (2018) states that the one of the major
disadvantage in this relation is to long suppuration and lack of proper management which
sometimes result in delay procedure. This kind of things can frustrate the customer and its affect
the services of online system. In addition to this, ternquist, Huddleston and Fairhurst, (2018)
states that physical stores offers the lack of discount offers to customers. In this manner it is not
possible to compete with the offline platform. By visiting the shops the customer can select the
product of their own choice. Thus, it can be said that online shopping is not suitable for the
customer in this customer cannot try the product. According to the view of Turban and et,al.,
(2018) the one of the main disadvantage in this relation is that there is difference between the
physical appearance in real as it is not match with the electronic images. Online shopping
sometime works as to misleading the activity of the firm as this kind of things can affect the
percept of the customer in the market. In addition to this it can be sated that the online payment
are not that much secure as this are affecting the core operation of the firm in the large manner.
In contrary to ternquist, Huddleston and Fairhurst, (2018) states that in the present time the rate
of the cyber crime has been rapidly ingression and this all are affecting the personal details of the
customer in the market manner. Thus, it can be said that customer credit card details and bank
details use to get misuse due to each the issue in relation to privacy is raising. According to the
view of Kim and Jang, (2018) states that the attractive feature about the online shopping as are
time saving, detected risk, pleasure and excitement, tangibility and high interactivity. This kind
of activities are helpful in relation to attract or influence the mind set of the customer in larger
mode. In addition to this, Ukpabi and et.al., (2018) states that there is one of disadvantage in
relation to online shopping is that customer's cannot feel the product, they can only communicate
with the machines but not with any human being. Hence, it can be said that online marketing
activities has both advantage and disadvantage in relation to product in the market.
Assessing compare perception of French and UK consumers on online shopping
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In the present time internet shopping plays the vital role in order to attract the large
number of customer in market. According to Ukpabi and et.al., (2018) online shopping is the
crucial process and it is attracting the wide range of customer in the market. In UK most of the
customer are preferred to visit the shop and buy the product but in French most of the individual
are Woking so they need to buy the product on the online basis. In contrary to Kniaz and et.al.,
(2018) states that online shopping are helpful in order to save the time and cost. In addition to
this, Bragg and et.al., (2018) the customer's can attract wide range of product so that customer
can influence the online shopping behaviour of buyers. Thus, it can be said that firm need to use
the digital technologies so that with the help of it they can use the things as product
differentiation and soften pricing strategy. As per the view of Bragg and et.al., (2018) online
activity is helpful in order to promote the social welfare as it is cost effective process. Thus, it
can be said that the better understanding will be helpful to attract the customer's in the large
manner.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
Research methodology is the vital part of research process as it helps the researcher in
making data collection and analysis ethical. Moreover, it is the concept which frames every step
of study that makes entire process simpler and easy for scholar. The research tools helps in
framing and analysing collected data appropriately. It is complex process because the individual
needs to choose tools very continuously in order to make research systematic.
Research Philosophy
Philosophy of study is the concept which helps in developing understanding on research
topic which is to gain insights on perception of consumers of UK and French over online
shopping. There are two types of research philosophies that is positivism, interpretivism, where
positivism is based on logical argument and analysis of research topic. However, in
interpretivism, philosophy the researcher develops understanding over topic with the help of
different relevant theories and models. Positivism is based on experimentation and
interpretivism is based on implementing when the concern of research is of human interest. Thus,
in this research the scholar will implement the use of interpretivism where the person will
evaluate perception of respondents on online shopping on the basis of difference.
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Research Approach
This plays a vital role in the research work where a chosen approach lastly assists in
selecting other important tools and techniques of the investigation. It is however required to be in
accordance to the chosen topic of the research where the current study is carried out to compare
the perception of consumers towards shopping from supermarket (Hogg, 2010). This has been
done between the French and UK customers with selection of an Inductive approach. Another
approach called deductive has not been used on considering its characteristic of reducing the
scope of the entire study. Whereas, the selected approach is apparent to increase the scope of the
undertaken study. This approach will help in making easy analysis of collected information with
the help of accurate and reliable analysis.
Sampling
Sampling is most promising part of study as in this the scholar aims at selecting small
group of population from large group of population who are viable for data collection process.
There are various types of sampling method that is probability, random, cluster, stratified, non
probability etc. Every method offers different of selecting suitable sources as per the patterns of
research (Sobh and Perry, 2016). Thus, in this research the investigator will implement the use of
probability sampling where every individual has equal chances of getting selected. However, the
focus on individual at time of sampling will be specific and will be based on gender, age, social
group, location of their homes, housing types and food shopping behaviours.
Data Collection
Collecting data is most crucial and critical part of research because in this the individual
aims at gathering information form different and reliable sources. There are two types of data
collection process that is primary and secondary wherein secondary the person collects
information from past available data and facts that is governmental publication, articles,
publication, reviews etc. (Kumar, 2014). However, in primary data collection methods that
researcher aims at collecting information through interview focused group, survey, questionnaire
etc. Thus, in this study, the scholar will implement the use of primary data collection in which
the person will gain insights over perception of UK and French customers on online shopping
from super markets. The person will collet data from 3 focused group interview of 5 to 7
respondents in each group and will also conduct semi structured interview of 20 participants.
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Data Analysis
Data analysis is complex process of study as in this researcher aims at drawings findings
from collected data. In this it is the responsibility of investigator to ensure that information
analysis is not biased. There are two data analysis method that is qualitative ad quantitative
where in quantitative method the person analysis collected information with the help of
numerical terms by implementing mathematical tools (Ormerod and Ulrich, 2013). Apparently,
there is qualitative data analysis method in which the researcher evaluates findings and draws
conclusion on the basis of observation. With the help of observation the individuals makes
prediction on collected information. Thus, in investigation the researcher will analyse
information of focus group and semi structured interviews with helps of qualitative analysis with
the help of thematic analysis, and observation.
Ethical consideration
Ethical consideration plays a vital role in study because it helps in making research
process and data collection ethical. In this it is important for the scholar to ensure confidential of
collected information (Rubin and Babbie, 2016). In addition, the scholar aims at providing
evidence to research in order to make data considerable. For providing evidence, the individual
will provide references to study and to literature review. Further, to make its more viable the
scholar will cite statements of authors and to necessary information. Thus, at the time of data
collection the researcher will ensure that feelings, morals, ethics, values and beliefs of no
individual is harmed when conducting interview. The person will ensure tat no person is forced
to provide answer to unrelated question.
RESEARCH LIMITATION
 The major problem arise with research is viability and reliability on data, because it not
possible that very respondent is conveying their own perception or idea over online
shopping. This confusion over data collection and analysis can lead to biased results.
 Sampling respondents to get accurate results is the limitation because the information
given by any participants can not question.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The expected outcomes of research are based on gaining knowledge over difference on
consumer perception of UK and French on online shopping. The researcher is expecting a great
reason of difference because E commerce is emerging profitable idea for supermarkets as well as
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buyers. Further, it will help in developing knowledge over online shopping as it will be based on
different opinion which can be either positive or negative. Apart from this, the research and
views of different authors in literature review will assist in determining benefits and limitation of
online shopping that can assist in mitigating risk.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Apostolou, B., Bélanger, F., & Schaupp, L. C. (2017). Online communities: satisfaction and
continued use intention. Information Research. 22(4).
Bragg, M. A & et.al., (2018). Marketing Food and Beverages to Youth Through Sports. Journal
of Adolescent Health. 62(1). 5-13.
Hogg, K. M., 2010. Composing Qualitative Research. Qualitative Market Research: An
International Journal. 11(4). pp.439–443.
Kim, D., & Jang, S. S. (2018). Online sharing behavior on social networking sites: Examining
narcissism and gender effects. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 68. 89-
93.
Kim, S., Kandampully, J., & Bilgihan, A. (2018). The influence of eWOM communications: An
application of online social network framework. Computers in Human Behavior. 80. 243-
254.
Kniaz, R & et.al., (2018). U.S. Patent No. 9,898,627. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office.
Kumar, R., (2014). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners. SAGE.Rubin,
A. and Babbie, E.R., (2016). Empowerment series: Research methods for social work.
Cengage Learning.
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backers. In The Economics of Crowdfunding. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
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Molinillo, S & et.al., (2018). DMO online platforms: Image and intention to visit. Tourism
Management. 65. 116-130.
Ormerod, J. R. & Ulrich, W., (2013). Operational research and ethics: A literature review.
European Journal of Operational Research. 228(2). Pp.291-307.
Rubin, A. & Babbie, E.R., (2016). Empowerment series: Research methods for social work.
Cengage Learning.
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SivaKumar, A., & Gunasekaran, A. (2017). An Empirical Study on the Factors Affecting Online
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Ukpabi, D & et.al., (2018). Insights into Online Reviews of Hotel Service Attributes: A Cross-
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