Social Media Influence on Consumer Purchases

This project examines the influence of social media on consumer purchases, specifically focusing on Waitrose, a UK supermarket chain. The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, including a questionnaire survey and a literature review, to analyze customer perceptions and the effectiveness of Waitrose's social media marketing strategies. The findings reveal the significant influence of social media on customer behavior and provide recommendations for optimizing Waitrose's social media presence.

Research Project

Table of Contents
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................1
1.2 Aims and Objectives.........................................................................................................1
1.3 Literature review..............................................................................................................2
1.4 Research approach and methodology...............................................................................4
1.5 Timeline with expected outcome......................................................................................5
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Resources needed to carry out the research .....................................................................7
2.2 Undertake the proposed research investigation................................................................7
2.3 Recording and collecting data .........................................................................................9
TASK 3 .........................................................................................................................................12
3.1 Research evaluation, analysis and interpretation ...........................................................12
TASK 4 – Recommendation and conclusion.................................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18
Appendix........................................................................................................................................20

TASK 1
1.1 Introduction
Social media is considering as current and appropriate pathway to reach wide range of
customers so that better and effective gain get promoted (Baker, Donthu and Kumar, 2016). For
every business organisation, social media influences purchasing power of consumer. Due to
maximisation of digital technology many customers become able to purchase quality products by
comparing it with others. This study is based on evaluation of influences of social media on
consumer purchase on Waitrose which consider as one of a retail outlet. For gaining better and
suitable outcome on the basis of user perspective association organise a study which enables in
gaining better and suitable decision regarding business enhancement.
Topic: “To evaluate influence of social media on consumer purchases – A case study on
Waitrose”
1.2 Aims and Objectives
Aims: It is a point of direct which need to follow in an investigation so that better and effective
gain could be estimated (Erkan and Evans, 2016). On the basis of such aspects for Waitrose
define aim stated as follow:
 To evaluate influence of social media on consumer purchase -A case study on Waitrose
Objectives: It is a goal or aim which wants to accomplish through a study. Waitrose researcher
have to prepare several objectives which have to get accomplish in minimum time duration so
that better and effective gain gain.
 To evaluate the use of social media in business operations
 To determine the aspects of customers for making purchase effective To examine benefits of support social media and its influence on consumer purchase
Research Question: These are some questions on which whole investigation is based on. It is
important to frame such questions and hypothesis which support further assistance. Waitrose
study frame some number of questions on the basis of objectives which specify as follow:
 How business can use social media in their operations and activities?
 How an organisation could measure aspects of customers for making purchase process
appropriate?
 What are the benefits of social media in order to enhance purchase of customers?
1

1.3 Literature review
This project stated about use of social media and its influence on social media. For this
context, it is important to understand various scholar’s aspects and opinion properly so that better
and effective outcome could be accomplish. Literature review is a process in which various
individual aspects and opinion get consider for specified aims and objectives in order to gain
better and effective outcome. Waitrose need to understand use of social media and its direct
relationship with customer purchasing by concluding three objectives.
a) Use of social media in business operations
According to the Erkan and Evans (2016), business is a part of various kinds of
modifications which have to take place with define time frame. There are various technologies
lead to take place in business and its operations which further support in gain and provide better
and suitable results. In such relation, social media is considering as best tool for making
operations effective in nature.
As per the view point of Godey (2016), digital and new technological growth signifies
profit and revenue generation capacity of business. Thus, association can use social media as a
best technology for business from which marketing of various products and services become
possible. Social media support in promote and maximise the brand name of a company. It is
considering as best marketing tool which utilise by business firm in order to gain better and
supportive results.
Along with this, social media also enables to each wide range of customers on which
marketing consider as easy abbreviation. The chances to reach more and more users support
business as well in order to increase profit and productivity. Although, it reflects as best
marketing tool for an organisation so that more and more customers lead to get attract towards a
business. Waitrose can opt this technique into business so that they become able to make
offerings attractive in nature so that better and effective gain could be accomplishing.
b) Aspects of customers for purchase process
As per the view point of Hudson (2016), customers are the god of market and for a
business it is important to consider such users whom have potential and attract towards offerings.
Thus, for business, management need to find out the customer’s aspects properly and effectively
so that purchasing process become appropriate. Purchase become possible when an individual
has some basic wants and needs and product have potential to satisfy such wants.
2

On the basis of Kim and Johnson (2016), high purchasing power for a product state that
consumer have a ultimate relationship with goods and services. Business managers have to
evaluate and determine aspects of each and every user properly so that they facilitate effective
and appropriate purchasing of products and services.
A purchasing process always get vary from one organisation to another one but some key
features and elements get evaluated whom are similar. The consumer buying process have some
number of factors and elements which stated as follow (The Six Stages of the Consumer Buying
Process and How to Market to Them, 2014): Problem identification: The first factor or element which starts purchasing process is
problem identification or need recognition. This is a first step which emphasis that every
organisation has to evaluate needs and wants first and then start follow other aspects of
investigation. This enable in order to manufacture similar goods and services which have
a link with user demand. Information search: The next step of study is to organise research which constitutes
about information. This is based on evaluation of various customer’s aspects so that
better and effective gain could be supported. Information search in business will lead to
enhance productivity by satisfying more and more users and support in gain competitive
advantage as well. Evaluation of alternatives: A customer always leads to find out best alternative of
market world. Evaluation of alternative is essential concept for an organisation through
which more and more satisfaction gets promoted. User usually prefer and determine best
alternative than a product from market which have lower range as well as more features.
Waitrose need to determine all alternatives effectively and then frame suitable strategy
for purchase process. Purchase decision: This stage associated with purchasing decision where user evaluate
and understand each and every option properly and effectively. Purchase decision is such
consent where customers think about working whether they have to buy such goods and
services or not. If a user’s walk away from purchase then management have to apply
suitable and relevant strategy to take them back again and enhance productivity and
profitability.
3

 Purchase: It is important for an organisation to make purchase process easy and
appropriate in nature. If buying decision will be critical in nature, then organisation lead
to lost their market share and thus revenue generation capacity get impacted. Waitrose
need to evaluate purchase judgement properly and then facilitate effective purchase about
product and services.
All these steps and stages need to fulfil by business managers of Waitrose properly so that they
lead to determine aspect of each and every user properly and use social media is a best technique
to enhance and facilitate appropriate sale. This will promote them in gain better and suitable
results for make every consent easy.
c) Benefits of social media for enhance customer purchase
Every new and modify technology need to implement by business and its managers
properly. According to Kumar (2016), every technology reflects some positive and beneficial
aspects to an organisation in order to gain better and effective result and outcome as well.
Several benefits which gain by Waitrose by using social media platform in business and concern
operations stated as follow (Using social media to market your business: the basics, 2018): Broad reach: One of a major benefit of using social media is that it has potential and
support to reach millions of people at one time. This enables in target and attract more
and more users for product and services so that better and effective working get
promoted. Many social media applications allow business to decide and target suitable
market for their products and services.
 Free or low cost: Many options of social media are free of cost which easily operate by
business managers. Along with this, it said to be low in cost as well which reflect about
various consents properly and effectively.
1.4 Research approach and methodology
Every investigation is based on several methods and approaches which need to determine
by researcher properly and take beneficial decisions as well. Thus, various kinds of research
approaches which could be apply in this study are stated as follow: Research design: It is a type of investigation or consider as blueprint of study which need
to understand in an appropriate frame so that all aims and objectives lead to take place
properly. Thus, in this study meta analytical design of investigation get use which support
in facilitate gain better outcome with qualitative and quantitative measure.
4

 Research approach: There are various approaches get underpin for a study in which
inductive technique get be used for deriving a better conclusion from specific objectives
and aims. Data Collection: There are two types of techniques get determine for gathering various
source of information (Schivinski and Dabrowski, 2016). Primary and secondary
approach of data collection need to get included in this project. With questionnaire
survey, appropriate raw information get use whereas literature review stands for
analysing outcome through various scholars. Sampling: A major thing for determine results and outcomes from various respondents,
business need to select and determine appropriate sample on which study lead to get
obtain. There are various kinds of sampling method get identify for an investigation
which have a critical aspect on business and its performance. For this project, random
sampling method lead to get use for deriving and gain better and appropriate outcome.
 Data Analysis: Qualitative technique for data interpretation is used through which data
get analyse by preparing various themes according to users’ perspective. At last a small
conclusion get drawn of whole data summary.
This design need to follow by researcher properly when they want to conclude a better and
effective outcome. Waitrose needs to evaluate all methods of study properly so that better and
suitable gain could be promoted. Such approaches support in gain suitable results regarding
evaluation of use of social media in order to influences consumer purchase. All these things will
be going to enhance and promote better and suitable gain.
1.5 Timeline with expected outcome
It is important to estimate and understand the expected outcome of a project so that better
and suitable gain could become possible (Stephen, 2016). The outcome of research will be
positive in response through which various user’s aspects get evaluated properly by using
questionnaire survey. It is one of a way to determine and identify various aspects of some
individual at one time so that better and future concern judgement would be carried down.
Although, social media play an important role in modern life context through which better and
appropriate gains could be promoted in an appropriate and suitable frame.
Along with this, a research or study need to get completed on time. For this purpose,
there are various kinds of methods get evaluated whom use as a basic approach to complete
5

study. For this purpose, Gantt Chart and Work breakdown structure are two possible and
important type of time scale methods get use for Waitrose for gaining better and suitable results: Gantt Chart: It is one of a kind of project management plan which use in most possible
way for showing activities displayed against time (Lee and Watkins, 2016). It is
important to use Gantt chart as a tool for dividing activities which take place at the time
of study. Although, it will support in gain better and suitable results so that appreciable
results become possible. It leads to include in a research for determine starting point of
activity with ending point. Thus, if a task gets completed in define time duration then
chances of gaining better and suitable outcome become possible in tenure.
Task Name Duration Predecessor
Evaluation of problem 4
Define aims and objectives 5 1
Research question 2 2
Literature review 7 2,3
Research Methodology 10 2,3
Data Collection 15 2,5
Data Evaluation 11 6
Conclusion and
Recommendation
3 7
Presentation 1 8
6

TASK 2
2.1 Resources needed to carry out the research
Primary resources are those sources of data or information that are acquired directly from
the organisation or area of origin related to the topic. The present research is in context to
Waitrose, UK. It is important to understand and identify the most beneficial sources for
collecting the relevant information and data. The researcher will require certain methods such as
survey, newspapers, interviews etc to collect important information so that he or she can achieve
desired outcomes form the research study. The impact of social media can be identified by using
various methods of collecting or analysing information. These resources are been identified and
used within the research with various techniques such as developing themes and questionnaires,
conducting interviews etc(Podnar and et.al, 2017).
2.2 Undertake the proposed research investigation
Undertaking research investigation with agreed specification:In this section, the
researcher describing the process if methodology which he or she selects in the research proposal
briefly. The research methodologies are described below:
Research Philosophy: The first section in area Saunders Research Onion is research philosophy.
The research philosophy is the way in which that the data has been gathered, investigate and
interprets. Four types of research philosophies are there in this. In the present time, the researcher
7

taking the help of interpretivism research philosophy. Accomplish the aims and objectives of the
research study is helps in interpretivism research philosophy.
Research Design: Research design are those plans by which the researcher has able to answer
the research question. In the recent time, the descriptive research design is used by the
researcher. Subject matter and eventually is enabling to comprehend by the researcher, the
question is asked by the researcher would be answer in the research study(Wamba and et.al,
2016).
Research Strategy: It is the plan by which the researcher will work on the all over the project
and investigate the gathering data efficiently. In this research strategy two types of strategy are
there such as qualitative and quantitative research study. In the present time, to investigate the
primary and secondary collected data of the researcher has been used both in qualitative and
quantitative research study.
Research Approach: In the research approach the test of assumption and relevance of
hypothesis of the study has been used. In the recent time, the researcher has been used in
deductive research, to approach in order to test the validity of assumption.
Data Collection: The collection of the data process is using several types of methods and
approaches. Primary and secondary sources are two ways to gathered the data. The questionnaire
method is gathering the data by the using of primary method. The questionnaire was able to
provided the workers of wait rose in order to gain there reviews about the impact of technology.
Considering the secondary data has been gathered by investigate related books and articles. In
such a way, the researcher was able to attain the set of aim and objectives of the research
efficiently(Ngai and et.al, 2015).
Sampling: The process of sampling taking small proportionate of data from the huge platform of
information. It is very necessary method to investigate the whole data is not possible to analyse
the gathering data in the study. In this report, 30 customers has been taken in order to implement
the collected data. The method is name was simple random sampling It is used in this.
Data Analysis: In this process, the gathering data is investigated and interprets by the researcher
in the research study. The data investigate has been used done by using thematic analysis, in
which several themes has been managed and with the help of table and figure, the interpretation
has been shown in the systematic manner(Rodriguez and et.al, 2015).
8

Ethical Consideration: In this process, it is very essentially and important for the researcher to
considered the important of ethics. In the recent time, the researcher should follow the ethical
codes and conducts to coming out the research. The motive of the study is to be informed by the
researcher when the section of research study is completed. Full consent has been obtained from
by which the participants.
Research Limitations: The researcher limitations in this researcher facing certain limitations to
increase both the time and efforts. While calculating aim and objective of the research study, to
formulate precise aim and objective is facing the problem by the researcher. In data gathering
and investigate the process, the researcher faced problems due to several methods available for
researcher to choose(Boulianne and et.al,2015).
2.3 Recording and collecting data
To develop an effective survey, the researcher will acquire views of different customers
of Waitrose, UK. According to this, the researcher took a sample of 30 customers in their data
collection and research. In order to gather proper and effective information the following themes
of questionnaire were developed which can help in providing desired and significant outcome.
(Bryman and et.al, 2015).
Questionnaires
Name -
Gender -
Age -
1. How long you are using services offered by Waitrose, UK?
 0 to 1 year
 1 to 3 years
 1 to 5 years more than 5 years
2. Are you satisfied with the activities performed by Waitrose related to social media
marketing?
 Satisfied
 Highly Satisfied
 Neutral
 Dissatisfied
9

 Disappointing
3. Do you think social media affect the customer decisions?
 Yes
 No Maybe
4. Do you think social media is useful for organisations such as Waitrose?
 Yes
 No Maybe
5. Are you influenced by social media activities performed by Waitrose?
 Yes
 No Maybe
6. What will you recommend to Waitrose, UK?
 Change in the time-period of marketing
 Change in marketing or advertising methods Change in human resource training
7. Do you think Waitrose is increasing its sales through social media marketing?
 Yes
 No Maybe
After developing effective survey and questionnaires, it is necessary to record and
analyse the collected information. In order to properly record and analyse collected information
and data the researcher developed the following themes -
1. Customer using services of Waitrose, UK
How long you are using services offered by
Waitrose, UK?
No of respondents
0 to 1 year 10
1 to 3 years 9
1 to 5 years 6
10

more than 5 years 5
2. Satisfaction level of the customer with regards to social media activities
Are you satisfied with the activities
performed by Waitrose related to social
media marketing?
No of respondents
Satisfied 12
Highly Satisfied 8
Neutral 6
Dissatisfied 2
Disappointing 2
3. Impact of Social media on customer decisions
Do you think social media affect the
customer decisions?
No of respondents
Yes 20
No 6
Maybe 4
4. Importance of social media for business or organisations.
Do you think social media is useful for
organisations such as Waitrose?
No of respondents
Yes 22
No 3
Maybe 5
11

5. Social media activities of Waitrose influencing customers
Are you influenced by social media activities
performed by Waitrose?
No of respondents
Yes 21
No 6
Maybe 3
6. Recommendation to organisation by customers
What will you recommend to Waitrose, UK? No of respondents
Change in the time-period of marketing 7
Change in marketing or advertising methods 18
Change in human resource training 5
7. Increasing sales
Do you think Waitrose is increasing its sales
through social media marketing?
No of respondents
Yes 25
No 3
Maybe 2
TASK 3
3.1 Research evaluation, analysis and interpretation
1. Customer using services of Waitrose, UK
12

2.
Interpretation – From the above analysis it can be that customers are highly attached and
connected to the products and services provided by Waitrose. The researcher asked customers
that how long they have been using Waitrose products and services. In the sample size of 30
respondents 10 customers said that they are using the services since 1 year. 9 customers said that
they are connected to the organisation since 1 to 3 years, six customers said 3 to 5 years and rest
of the five customers were using the products and services for more than 5 years. Therefore, it
can conclude that most of the customers have started using Waitrose's products and services
recently.
2. Satisfaction level of the customer with regards to social media activities
13
0 to 1 year 1 to 3 years 1 to 5 years more than 5 years
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
No of respondents

Interpretation – Next question asked to the customers was to know that the customers satisfied
with the social media marketing performed by Waitrose. 12 8 6 2 2 12 out of 30 customers said
that they are satisfied with the social media activities performed by the organisation. 8 customers
said that they are highly satisfied, 6 were neutral and 2 customers were not satisfied and the rest
said they are disappointed with the activities. Therefore, it can be concluded that Waitrose
perform effective and attractive social media marketing which are acceptable by the customers.
3. Impact of Social media on customer decisions
14
Satisfied
Highly Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied

Interpretation – Another question asked by the researcher was to identify whether social media
is affecting customer decisions or not. 20 customers said that they agree with the statement that
social media is affecting customer decisions. 6 customers do no agree and 4 employees were
confused whether social media is affecting customer decisions or not. Therefore, it can be
concluded that social media has a great impact on the purchasing decisions of the customers.
4. Importance of social media for business or organisations.
15
Yes No Maybe
0
5
10
15
20
25
No of respondents

Interpretation - Another question asked by the researcher was to identify whether social media
is important for the business or organisation or not. 22 customers said that they agree with the
statement that social media is affecting customer decisions. 3 customers do no agree and 5
employees were confused whether social media is useful for organisation or not. Therefore, it
can be concluded that social media has a great impact on business performance and profitability
of an organisation such as Waitrose.
5. Social media activities of Waitrose influencing customers
Interpretation - Another question asked by the researcher was to identify whether social media
is influencing customer behaviour in the market or it does not. 21 customers said that they agree
with the statement that social media is influencing customer behaviour. 6 customers do no agree
16
Yes No Maybe
0
5
10
15
20
25
No of respondents
Yes
No
Maybe

and 3 employees were confused whether social media is affecting the behaviour of customer in
the market or not. Therefore, it can be concluded that social media has a great impact on
behaviour of the customer with regards to products and services provided by Waitrose, UK.
6. Recommendation to organisation by customers
Interpretation - Another question asked by the researcher was to identify which of the area
needs to be changed in the Waitrose. 18 customer said that the organisation needs to change its
advertising and marketing methods. 7 customers said that the organisation should change the
time period of their marketing or advertising functions and activities. Rest of the 5 customers
said that Waitrose needs to change the employee training method. This analysis concluded that
an organisation can achieve its goals and objectives effectively and efficiently by using a well
planned advertising method which can reach to a large audience for example social media
marketing.
7. Increasing sales
17
Change in the time-period of marketing
Change in marketing or advertising methods
Change in human resource training
0 2 4 6 8 101214161820
No of respondents

Interpretation – The last question asked by the researcher in the survey was to identify whether
social media help Waitrose, UK in increasing the sales or profit of the business. 25 out of 30
customers agreed that social media assist organisation to increase its sales and profitability. 3 out
of 30 customers disagreed that social media contributes in increasing profit or sale of the
organisation. The rest of the 2 customers were confused whether the social media tools assist in
increasing the sakes of the organisation or not. Therefore, this analysis concluded that social
media helps and support an organisation to increase its sales which lead to increase in
profitability of the business.
TASK 4 – Recommendation and conclusion
Covered in PPT
18
Yes No Maybe
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
No of respondents

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baker, A. M., Donthu, N. and Kumar, V., 2016. Investigating how word-of-mouth conversations
about brands influence purchase and retransmission intentions. Journal of Marketing
Research. 53(2). pp.225-239.
Erkan, I. and Evans, C., 2016. Social media or shopping websites? The influence of eWOM on
consumers’ online purchase intentions. Journal of Marketing Communications. pp.1-17.
Erkan, I. and Evans, C., 2016. The influence of eWOM in social media on consumers’ purchase
intentions: An extended approach to information adoption. Computers in Human
Behavior. 61. pp.47-55.
Godey, B. and et. al, 2016. Social media marketing efforts of luxury brands: Influence on brand
equity and consumer behavior. Journal of business research. 69(12). pp.5833-5841.
Hudson, S. and et. al., 2016. The influence of social media interactions on consumer–brand
relationships: A three-country study of brand perceptions and marketing behaviors.
International Journal of Research in Marketing. 33(1). pp.27-41.
Kim, A. J. and Johnson, K. K., 2016. Power of consumers using social media: Examining the
influences of brand-related user-generated content on Facebook. Computers in Human
Behavior. 58. pp.98-108.
Kumar, A. and et. al., 2016. From social to sale: The effects of firm-generated content in social
media on customer behavior. Journal of Marketing. 80(1). pp.7-25.
Schivinski, B. and Dabrowski, D., 2016. The effect of social media communication on consumer
perceptions of brands. Journal of Marketing Communications. 22(2). pp.189-214.
Stephen, A. T., 2016. The role of digital and social media marketing in consumer behavior.
Current Opinion in Psychology. 10. pp.17-21.
Lee, J. E. and Watkins, B., 2016. YouTube vloggers' influence on consumer luxury brand
perceptions and intentions. Journal of Business Research. 69(12). pp.5753-5760.
Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M. and Brennan, R., 2015.Marketing: an introduction.
Pearson Education.
Rodriguez, M., Peterson, R.M. and Ajjan, H., 2015. CRM/social media technology: impact on
customer orientation process and organizational sales performance. In Ideas in
Marketing: Finding the New and Polishing the Old (pp. 636-638). Springer, Cham.
Wamba, S.F. and Carter, L., 2016. Social media tools adoption and use by SMEs: An empirical
study. In Social Media and Networking: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and
Applications (pp. 791-806). IGI Global.
Podnar, K. and Golob, U., 2017. 1 Exploring CSR communication patterns in social media: a
review of current research. In Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility in the
Digital Era (pp. 105-120). Routledge.
Ngai, E.W., Tao, S.S. and Moon, K.K., 2015. Social media research: Theories, constructs, and
conceptual frameworks.International Journal of Information Management, 35(1),
pp.33-44.
Boulianne, S., 2015. Social media use and participation: A meta-analysis of current
research. Information, Communication & Society, 18(5), pp.524-538.
Bryman, A., 2015. Social research methods. Oxford university press.
19

Online
The Six Stages of the Consumer Buying Process and How to Market to Them. 2014. [Online].
Available through :<https://www.business2community.com/consumer-marketing/six-
stages-consumer-buying-process-market-0811565m>.
Using social media to market your business: the basics. 2018. [Online]. Available through
:<https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/marketing-sales/marketing-
promotion/online-marketing/social-media>.
20

Appendix
1. Customer using services of Waitrose, UK
How long you are using services offered by
Waitrose, UK?
No of respondents
0 to 1 year 10
1 to 3 years 9
1 to 5 years 6
more than 5 years 5
2. Satisfaction level of the customer with regards to social media activities
Are you satisfied with the activities
performed by Waitrose related to social
media marketing?
No of respondents
Satisfied 12
Highly Satisfied 8
Neutral 6
Dissatisfied 2
Disappointing 2
3. Impact of Social media on customer decisions
Do you think social media affect the
customer decisions?
No of respondents
Yes 20
No 6
Maybe 4
4. Importance of social media for business or organisations.
Do you think social media is useful for No of respondents
21