How Social Media Influences Consumer’s Buying Preferences

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCES
CONSUMER’S BUYING PREFERENCES
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ABSTRACT
Purpose: The main purpose of conducting the existing research is to carry out
information about the power of social media and role played by it to influence the buying
behaviour of customers towards the brand. This includes the proper in-depth information about
the concept of social media in an organisation and the different purposes that make an
organisation to adopt several social media platforms. It also includes the types of different social
media platforms for attracting large number of customers so that sales of company could be
improved.
Research methodology: The current investigation covers different types of research
methods for the collection and analysis of information so that pre-determined objectives could be
easily attained in a systematic way. This investigation has used quantitative research methods so
that numerical information can be gathered as well as analysed in the same procedure.
Questionnaire has developed by researcher with the purpose of accumulating first-hand data
related to the topic.
Findings: The main findings of the current investigation are that large number of
respondents who are the customers believe that social media helps in influencing their behaviour
towards the products of company. They think that they get great updated information which
helps them in purchasing products as per their preferences and needs.
Conclusion & Recommendations: It is concluded in the current investigation is that
social media is one of the best tools for positively influencing the behaviour of customers
towards the fashion brands of the United Kingdom. There are certain recommendations which
are recommended to chosen company such as using multiple social media channels.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am grateful that I have put efforts in the exiting investigation. But, it was not possible to
conduct this investigation without support of many people. I want to show my greater sincere to
all the individuals. I am thankful to my supervisors as well as professors who have helped me in
identifying the topic for the research as well as determining sources to collect relevant and
reliable information. Their constant support and guidance have assisted me in doing the research
in a systematic way so that defined objectives could be met.
I am also grateful to my parents and relatives that they have supported me emotionally
while doing my investigation in an effective and efficient way. I am also thankful to all those
people who have willing assisted me with their abilities.
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GLOSSARY
Social media: Usage of social media has assisted companies in enhancing customer
service, customer relations, improving brand visibility, improving information accessibility and
sharing. This helps an organisation to reduce the marketing cost and activities of customer
service.
Brand loyalty: It is the term which shows positive association customers attach to a
certain brand or product. Consumers who show brand loyalty are generally devoted to products
and services. This can be seen by their repeat purchases despite efforts of competitors to attract
them.
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Contents
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...............................................................................................................3
GLOSSARY....................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................7
Overview of the topic ..................................................................................................................7
Background of the company .......................................................................................................7
Problem statement .......................................................................................................................7
Research questions ......................................................................................................................8
Research aim and objectives .......................................................................................................8
Snapshots of the methodology ....................................................................................................8
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................10
What is the concept of social media in context with UK fashion industry?..............................10
What are the major social media platforms used by UK fashion industry for influencing
customer’s preferences towards the brand?...............................................................................11
How social media platforms have influenced on buying preferences of consumers towards the
M&S?.........................................................................................................................................12
What are the benefits that Marks & Spencer could be gained while customer’s preferences
towards the brand?.....................................................................................................................14
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..........................................................................17
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS...............................................................................19
Frequency Distribution Table....................................................................................................19
Data Interpretation.....................................................................................................................21
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................31
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................31
RECOMMENDATIONS...........................................................................................................32
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................33
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................36
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................36
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Overview of the topic
Social media is an effective platform used by business organisations for promoting as well
as marketing their brand. It is a computer-based technology that helps in sharing thoughts, ideas,
information and data via communities and virtual networks (Bilgin, 2018). In a business context,
social media is the process used by companies for marketing and promoting products as well as
connecting customers to improve word-of-mouth. There are different platforms of social media
such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. These are main platforms that are effective and useful
for business organisations in influencing preference of the customers (Voramontri and Klieb,
2019). There are so many advantages of changing buying preference of customers to the business
organisation such as increase customer base, enhance business performance, increase sales and
profitability and many others.
Background of the company
Within this research, UK fashion industry is used for identifying influences of social media
on buying preferences of customers. Marks & Spencer is a chosen fashion retailer of United
Kingdom. Company was founded by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in 1884 with purpose
of providing excellent quality in clothing, food and home products. Company is well-known for
its quality product, effective use of promotional strategies and many others (Ebrahim, 2020). It is
not easy for the company to influence buying preference of customers because they want quality
in products and services. For this, social media is an effective way for M&S because it helps
them by providing accurate information regarding their brand to the customers (Wibowo and et.
al., 2020). Thus, use of social media is an important part for the growth and success of M&S
because it helps them in influencing customer’s buying preference towards the brand.
Problem statement
Today, the major problem for retailers is how to influence buying preference of customers.
This is a major problem that negative impacts over the brand image of organisations. In order to
reduce this problem, social media plays an important role. As it facilitates M&S in promoting
and marketing of its products or services on social media (Ioanas, 2020). There are various social
media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and many others. These platforms are useful for
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M&S in influencing customer’s preferences that leads to impact in increment of customer base as
well as improving business performance.
Research questions
 What is the concept of social media in context with UK fashion industry?
 What are the major social media platforms used by UK fashion industry for influencing
customer’s preferences towards the brand?
 How social media platforms have influenced on buying preferences of consumers
towards the M&S?
 What are the benefits that Marks & Spencer could be gained while customer’s
preferences towards the brand?
Research aim and objectives
Research aim: The aim of this research is to identify the influences of social media on buying
preferences of consumers towards the brand: A study on Marks & Spencer
Research objectives:
 To develop basic understanding about the social media in context with UK fashion
industry
 To identify the social media platforms used by UK fashion industry for influencing
customer’s preferences towards the brand
 To evaluate the influences of social media platforms on buying preferences of consumers
towards M&S
 To examine the benefits that Marks & Spencer could be gained while customer’s
preferences towards the brand
Snapshots of the methodology
Research methodology is an important part of the dissertation because with the help of this,
researcher can easily gather and evaluate data about the topic (McClure and Seock, 2020). There
are several methodologies that would be used for collecting as well as evaluating information
regarding the influences of social media on buying preferences of consumers towards the brand.
These methodologies are positivism philosophy, deductive approach, cross-sectional time
horizon, quantitative research, questionnaire and 30 customers are selected randomly through
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