Impact of Social Media Marketing on Customer Buying Behavior in Retail Industry of UK: A Study on M&S

Quantitative Research Methods for Social
Scientist

ABSTRACT
Social media now plays an important role for the customer buying behavior and that is
why, it can be stated that company need to determine their best platforms that helps to create a
better outcome. Through the SPSS software, it has been identified that the aim of the study has
fulfilled which include that views of people varied because customers buy the products as per
their need and that is why, it does not affect any independent variable. Moreover, the views of all
the selected respondents reflected that they very frequently changes their decision when any bad
reviews identified within any social media platform.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
METHODS......................................................................................................................................4
FINDINGS.......................................................................................................................................5
DISCUSSION..................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
APPENDIX......................................................................................................................................9
1. Statistical data for all variable.................................................................................................9
2. Cross tabulation data..............................................................................................................20
3. Questionnaire.........................................................................................................................39
4. Response table.......................................................................................................................42

Title: To investigate the impact of social media marketing on customer buying behavior in retail
industry of UK. A study on M&S.
INTRODUCTION
Background
Social media marketing plays an important role in the success of a company because it
helps to attract the range of new customer towards it by providing offering discount, vouchers. It
has been identified that customers who are influenced by the social media are actually 4 times
more likely to spend more on purchase. This shows that company need to make efforts into
social media marketing because it influence range of customers towards it. Ioanas (2020)
explained in their study that 81% of the customers purchasing decision are mainly influenced by
their friends social media post and that is why, they are more likely to be influenced by the same
that assist to create a better outcome and improve the performance. However, on the critically
note, Palalic and et.al., (2020) argued that with the negative comment on the social media
marketing, company affected their performance because the chances of influencing will be low
and this cause negative impact over the business performance.
The current study also shed a light upon different social media marketing tools which are
designed in order to improve the customer buying behavior. That is why, the media post actually
affected the decision of customers because it includes different discount, vouchers and improve
the business performance (Naeem, 2021). With the help of effective data analysis technique, it
has been identified that the customer buying behavior has affected by the post of social media.
That is why, it can be stated that there are different ways through which company actually
attracted customers towards it like with the help of social media influencers, company actually
attracting the customers and this positive influence encourage them to buy the product and enjoy
the services offered to it.
The aim of the study is to determine impact of social media marketing on customer
buying behavior within Marks and Spencer
The objectives of the study are as mentioned below:
 To understand the concept of customer buying behavior

 To determine different factors that influence the customer buying behavior within retail
industry.
 To assess the relationship between the social media marketing within customer buying
behavior
 To recommend the best ways through which the customer buying behavior can
influenced easily.
METHODS
Research Approach: For the present study, only quantitative study has been used that
assist to create a better outcome and this in turn help to determine the social media marketing
upon the customer buying behavior (Pandey and Pandey, 2021). This in turn assist to determine
the reliable sources that help to create a better outcome and the results generated are quantify in
nature.
Participants: For the present study, only 20 customers from M&S has been selected in
order to determine their views pertaining to their interest over the social media marketing within
decision making.
Data collection methods: Both primary and secondary data collection methods has been
used. Under primary survey method used in which questionnaire (as attached in appendix) used
whereas for secondary data collection methods, only books, journal article used in order to
develop brief thesis.
Target participants: The target participants for the study are top customers who
frequently buy products from the store either online and offline.
Ethical Considerations: Scholar need to comply all the ethical principles that help to
attain the defined aim. Also, scholar need to take consent from the participants prior to the study
that helps to create a better outcome (Mohajan, 2018). Also, confidentiality need to be maintain
by complying with data protection act so that effective outcome can be generated.
Data analysis: SPSS analysis has been used in order to determine the results by using the
software and different themes has been formulated which in turn present the data in a presentable
manner (Dźwigoł and Dźwigoł-Barosz, 2018).

FINDINGS
Through the table 2 it has been identified that majority of the selected customers are
actually fall in the age range of 25 to 35 years such that 7 of them are belongs to this age group
and 7 of them are 36 to 45 years. Further, 4 of them stated that 46 to 55 years are fall under this
category and only 2 of them stated that 56 to 65 years.
From the table 3 it has been identified that 50% of them are males and 50% of them are
females.
Through the table 5, it has been interpreted that 50% of them uses Facebook and 25% of
them influence from Twitter and 15% of them stated that Whatsapp and 10% of them stated that
Instagram.
From the chi-square test under table 16, it has been identified that there out of 20
respondents, 6 of them uses Facebook whose age is in between 25 to 35 years. Also, 4 of them
stated that 1 uses Facebook whose age is fall under 46 to 55 years and 2 of them uses Twitters.
Moreover, according to table 17, it has been identified that there is a alternative hypothesis is
accepted because the value of p is 0.002 which is lower than the standard criteria and that is why,
it can be stated that age dependent upon the social media selection tools. However, table 17
stated that there is a strong association between the variables because the value of cramer is 0.65
which indicated that 65% association between the values.
In accordance with the table 37, it has been identified that out of 10 males, 4 of them
stated that they buy products once in a week and 3 of them stated that once in a month and
quarter. However, it has been identified that out of 10 females, 1 of them stated once in a week
and 5 of them stated twice in a week and 4 of them stated that once in a month. Further, table 38
reflected that there is an alternative hypothesis accepted because the value of assmp significance
is 0.019 which is lower than standard criteria and that is why, it can be stated that there is a direct
association between the variable and buying pattern depend upon gender. Also, through table 39,
that entails 70% association identified within a variable which is strong association because the
value of phi-cramer reflects the same.

Through the table 49, it has been identified that out of 10 males, 6 of them are strongly
agree that social media influence your buying decisions and 2 of them are agree and 1 of them do
not know anything. However, out of 10 females it has been identified that 2 of them are agree
and 3 of them are disagree with the statement. On the other side, the chi-square table reflected
that (table 50) there is null hypothesis accepted because the value of asymp sig is greater than
standard criteria and that is why, there is no association between the variables. However, in
accordance with the table, 51 it has been identified that good relationship identified within a
variable because the value of phi and cramer reflected that there is a 57% change identified over
the social media buying influence upon the customers.
DISCUSSION
Through the primary research, it has been identified that all the people have their own
views and this varied as per their shopping behavior. However, it has been also identified that
from the 10 males and 10 females, that their views are varied from each other and that is why, it
can be stated that there is no influence in many variable. Through the selected table as mention in
findings, it has been identified males buy products more as compared to females by using social
media. It has been also supported by Diba, Vella and Abratt (2019) that with the change in the
views of people, company need to offer the products as per their need so that effective outcome
can be generated. Moreover, it can be stated that there is a strong association between the
variable because according to the age of people, they changes their views and the same has also
identified within the chi-square test that reflected the same result. Overall, it can be stated that
with the help of different social media platforms, company like M&S can easily improve the
performance and attract the range of new customers towards it. As the views of male and female
varied because social media platforms influence them in different manner that is why, they
purchasing power affected.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above, it has been concluded that customer buying decision has affected
due to social media but it do not changes with the variation in gender as specified in the chi-
square test. However, company need to be focused upon the different variables that helps to

influence the customer towards it. This in turn assist to create a better outcome because posting
different discount upon social media assist to attract range of new customers towards it. Also,
there are some other variables where alternative hypothesis is also accepted and that is why, it
can be reflected that customer changes their mindset when they saw a review through the social
media.