The Influence of Bloggers on Customer Decisions in Online Shopping

This essay explores the significant influence of bloggers on customer behavior within the context of online shopping, particularly focusing on the e-commerce giant, Amazon. It delves into the role of bloggers in shaping customer choices, preferences, and purchasing decisions, emphasizing the impact of reviews, social media engagement, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The essay examines the factors influencing online shopping intentions, including the rise of fast-paced lifestyles and the convenience of e-commerce platforms. It also analyzes the theoretical perspectives of Dependency Theory, Enactment Theory, and the concept of boundary-less organizations, highlighting the modern, symbolic-interpretive, and postmodern approaches to understanding customer behavior. The analysis includes an examination of how factors such as microblogging, videos, and photos influence customer decisions, ultimately arguing for the crucial role of bloggers in shaping online shopping experiences and the sustainability of businesses in the digital age. The essay also discusses the impact of environmental factors on customer behavior and the relationship between employees and management.

Running head: BUSINESS
BUSINESS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1BUSINESS
Topic: 'Impact of bloggers on customers in case of online shopping'
Introduction
One of the most recent trends of getting feedback is with the use of social media, it is
less expensive, almost real time and also provides helpful impacts on the research. The online
products are based on customers' feedback and their evaluation. The technological
advancement helps the entire process and people get notified through the process. The
shopping experience is different for people and technological empowerment help people to
get their product at home. Amazon is one of the largest retail and online marketing e-
commerce that deals with product selling process. So for this company, bloggers review plays
an important part for the sustainability of business. Online shopping platforms are easy to
access and people have vast purchasing options. A number of established brands are also
undertaking the path of digital media in promotion as well as in the process of the business
(Hsu et al. 2013). In modern times, blogging has been measured to be the best and noticeable
stage for showing and offering ideas and responses related to any explicit life experience and
bloggers use to do such things in a regular basis. The concept of Microcelebrities has also
been developed where people have gaining regional and specific popularity in the community
due to their presence in the social media. There are bloggers and vloggers who are known as
influencers in the social media lingo, these people specialise in an area and review and
provide insights to products and services of the specific genre. For example, there is the
beauty community and there are some recognised bloggers in the industry who are followed
by a considerable number of the target market of the companies who operate in this industry.
The influences of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Reasoned Action

2BUSINESS
(TRA) in technology are important as the process explains the best approach in consumer
loyalty.
The thesis statement of the essay highlights the influence of bloggers on customers in
case of online shopping. Review rating through blogs and usability of product showcases the
need for the product. In case of developing countries and developed countries, services like
this have a huge impact over customers and they have the adaptive nature of buying
something through those online portals.
The case: Online shopping intentions from Amazon
The major reason online shopping is the fast-paced life and hyper-competitive
environment. The busy schedule and strict livelihood of the people and a crunch of time has
led to the popularity of e-commerce, this is also accompanied by the fuss-less process.
Developing a process in the e-commerce which is seamless and addressing all the basic issues
with the e-commerce process is the area of focus (Zhang, Cheung and Lee 2012). Sometimes
this is considered as the psychological state of mind to buy such products through the internet
and variety of fashion delivers through those platforms are important in that case. In such
situation, online shopping intension from Amazon will grow up if people find some good
reviews in the feedback and some bloggers highlight some product quality and usefulness in
social media. The online commerce and people intension both sustain through the process and
the online market is going far just because of the same two factors (Zhang, Cheung and Lee
2012).
Customers’ choice and preferences: lens through Amazon
Customer’ choice depends on some factors that ensure need andinvolvement of the
product with customers. The marketing campaign is the first promotional stage that
companies have to do for the development of their product market. As mentioned by

3BUSINESS
Sotiriadis and Van Zyl(2013) the understanding of purchasing decision depends on the
consumer interest on the product and the relieve difference of the particular product that is
not present in the market. Economic condition is another choice and preference option that
customers need as their equipment. The influential factors may be directed by group as well
and purchasing decision will impose in some cases.Change in customer intension and fanatic
them for the online shopping is the strategy that most of the e-commerce companies are doing
through their promotion. Amazon has pioneered the e-commerce platform and has over the
years of operation developed a number of benchmark in the industry, so they design their
promotional strategy in such way that engage the attention of the target market and make
some sustainable strategy to maintain good revenue. The last choice will be depending on the
power of buying product and people need to have the capability in financial and mental
condition to acquire that.
Impact of bloggers on customers’ shopping
Blogging contains the writer's observations, brief transcripts, imageries, and relations
structured in consecutive direction and the product utility in the personal life was defined
through the process (Zhang, Cheung and Lee 2012). The impact from blogs is important as
customers are influenced by the past experiences by other people. The process needs less
financial advertisement and consumer decision is influenced through that. In case of retail
sites 56% reviews comes from blogs and 30% comes from Facebook, so blogs are better way
to promotion (Wei and Lu 2013). The cost of digital marketing is less and 10% cost only
bears in that case and that will be beneficial for company as well to promote thing like this
process. As commented by Bilgihan(2016) an e-marketer report illustrates that customer's
belief in websites containing evaluations and reviews more than expert conductors.

4BUSINESS
Factors Percentage
Text 86%
Microblogging 31%
Videos 10%
Photos 38%
Audio 4%
Table1: Influencing factors of Blogging
(Source:Chen and Lin 2015)
The approach of customers is always tending towards the low pricing tentativeness.
Those online shopping portals provide the opportunity of getting those products at cheap
rates and that will be impacted on the sustainability of the product and the company.
Theoretical perspective Analysis
Dependency theory and structure: Modernism perspective
Dependency theory is the process of analysing that economic growth of richer
countries does not make a smooth pathway of progress for the poorer countries but the
economic problems of those countries lead poorer countries in trouble situation. Those poor
countries export primary commodities to richer countries and Prebisch understood the
inequality and assumed that economic growth was not a value added case for all the countries
especially for poor countries. As stated by Ho and Vogel(2014) the aspect of modernism is
the key aspect that replaces superstition and controls the environment for scientific ideas. The
developing principles through ideas and modern treatment of basic understandings enlighten
the process. Fayols' Principle of Management authorises the division of labour, authority and
responsibility, unity of command, centralisation, and unity of direction and equity of the

5BUSINESS
company (Kerr et al. 2012). The use and utilisation of the process depend on the economic
structure and the deliverance of the economic condition of the country.
Enactment theory: Symbolic-interpretive perspective
The major aspect of this theory is the core dealing of life in general and organisation
term. The process of maintainingstability in the market and demand for the product in
modern customer is the major reason for development opportunities (Cheung and Thadani
2012). Routine communication helps the process of active market examination and
Enactment theory works over there. People pay for routine statement strategies when they
can; when they cannot, their aptitude to invent new strategies is critical to their
accomplishment as company associates the core statement, in that case, is the delivering
approach of work impose. The enactment can support in recognizing the arrangement of an
organization (Cheung and Thadani 2012). Applicable for investigation are relational, clutches
and organizations. The statement structure of organizations can be calculated.
Symbolic interpretivist approach in organisation helps in everyday interaction and
communication. The key concept of the process understands the significant changes I the
market and people need to have that. The environment of different organisations is unique
and constructive environment in case of product advancement in the market is aloes there. In
case online product acceptability and the range of financial rate of the country helps in that
case. As commented by Hatch(2018) the focus sectors are social, political and cultural
dimension. In the case of industrialization these three aspects are highly needed. On the other
hand Lowe,Magala and Hwang(2012) showcases institutional approach of demand and
business practice and structure is the key mannerism that obtained through the business and
better coercive attitude in business advancement will be mitigated by that process. Better
communication through blogging and written form of trust and believe in reader and

6BUSINESS
customers helps the bloggers to share their experience and prove them as the promotional
approach of the organisation.
The concept of boundary lessorganisation: Postmodernist approach
Organisation structures are defined as the vertical and horizontal borders of
hierarchies and they have some defined people who take decision and most of the ideas and
concept comes from their end. In case of boundary less organisation, flexibility of free-
flowing organisation and receive ideas and concept from the different ends and process, will
be approached to the company (Kumar and Singhal 2012). The constant changing scenario of
innovation and efficiency in the growth process is the key understanding in that change and
boundary-fewer concepts itself made the process huge and accepts some adaptive changes
that will be good for the organisation. Boundary less organizations will regularly mark to use
of the modern technology and trappings to ease the breaking down of out-dated limits, such
as simulated association and supple working condition. In boundary less organizations,
workers are authorized to make judgments; therefore results are completed by folks adjoining
to the origin of the problem and who need to animate with the costs (Hamrah and Bazghandi
2012). Authorizing and giving consultant to staffs permits having the very short period
between pronouncement and execution.
Postmodern theory of understating based on the philosophy that company believes in
and that culture and importance are maintained throughout the perspective. The physical
structure classifies this is a process of gaining advantage and defined the best competitors of
the organisation. The division of labours and their customer dealing process is considered as
the prime objective in that case. As stated by McCloskey(2013) Business is based on such
situations and the adaptability of dealing those situations is the prime objective for the
company. The process believes that culture is unreal and that is a dream that can be illumed

7BUSINESS
by the organisation. In this case, blogging is considered as one of the medium of
advertisements and companies are gaining profit from this. In case of environment
postmodern perspective on the environment depends on the four sections like fragmented,
boundary-less, image-driven simulacra, and shaping through power relation (Gu, Park and
Konana 2012). The concept of deconstructing organisation and destabilises ideologies helps
in the ration form of organised option, but the imaginary approach of assumption and
practices are not granted through this process.
Environment aspect of organisation
The relation between employee and management depends on the environment nature
of business. The view of modernist, symbolic-Interpretivism, and postmodern lens of
business acceleration through environment aspect is there and that clearly suggests the
condition of employees. The intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of customers in online
shopping process helps them to believe and trust the company. Modernised system of
economic acceleration in business and labour management in a suitable order help external
business management. In that case, power and politics play a crucial role along with the
business place and its demand on the particular marketplace is also associated. Stability in
market and demand do the product in external market is important in that case and most of
the environment acceleration in case of international business market is depending on that
only. Postmodern theory believes in the philosophy of the product and that external impact of
the product helps that in the socio political perspective and focus on the internal environment
of relation between the employees. The internal environment is also important in that case
and most of the cognitive relations between employees and administration in those sectors are
highlights in that case.

8BUSINESS
Blogs are taking charge in that case to change the environment at its level best. The
approaches of bloggers are always directed to the process of positive or negative impact of
the product. If positive impact comes through blog, then aspect of modernist and
postmodernism culture of the environment will showcases through the need of that product in
market. The strategic changes in perspective through blogs are relevant, and that will be
appreciated by companies even from customers. The linking edge between customers and
company through environment approach can be defined through this process.
Advantage and disadvantage of online shopping intention
Blogs are making a good and ration way of selecting the right product for customers
and previous experience of other people help in case of buying any expensive products. There
are some valid reasons and advantages online and digital shopping intentions. Technological
advantage from Amazon and some other e-commerce platform is huge in modern times and
people have found easy way of shopping through this.There are lots of options and prices are
sometimes low than market. That will be a huge opportunity for customers to have that
products low in price and get that at their home, they don't need to go out for that (Cheung
and Thadani 2012). There is an option of comparing products by the past experiences and that
will be fruitful for customers to choose the best one for them. In case of festive seasons, sale
in products are there and online sites make them profitable for customer.
On the other hand, some disadvantages it contains and that impacted on the change of
online purchasing decision. People spend lots of time there as the options are huge in number
and those are tempting for them. The refund policy is not clean in all online process and
sometimes it may not come. There are some hidden costs that are addressed in the box and
people ignore that and make a tick over that and they bound to pay the extra money for this
reason. Virtual pickpocketing in case of payment is a common incident and customers were

9BUSINESS
harassed for that situation (Wei and Lu 2013). These are the situation that cannot be avoided
after getting a master review over the products and companies are trying to mitigate those
obstacles so that people find the online process is the best way to have shopping experience.
Conclusion
Therefore it can be concluded that blogs are creating some impact on decision making
for customers and their modernist, Symbolic interpretivism, and postmodernism approach
help them to find the right way. When a person is shopping online there is always a quality
question at the back of the mind, this bridge can be gapped with the help of the influencers
and the bloggers, who can review the new as well as the old products so that a person can
take, purchase decisions. The shopping intentions are also the changing behaviour of the
people and they are trying to become associated with the modern time by buying those kinds
of stuff. The design and product quality is another key approach that perceived the value of
those online products and that engage customers with the brand through the online portal.
The reason of having such impulse situation addressed through the process of blogging and
people trust over this encourages the scenario.

10BUSINESS
Reference
Bilgihan, A., 2016. Gen Y customer loyalty in online shopping: An integrated model of trust,
user experience and branding. Computers in Human Behavior, 61, pp.103-113.
Chen, S.C. and Lin, C.P., 2015. The impact of customer experience and perceived value on
sustainable social relationship in blogs: An empirical study. Technological forecasting and
social change, 96, pp.40-50.
Cheung, C.M. and Thadani, D.R., 2012. The impact of electronic word-of-mouth
communication: A literature analysis and integrative model. Decision support systems, 54(1),
pp.461-470.
Gu, B., Park, J. and Konana, P., 2012. Research note—the impact of external word-of-mouth
sources on retailer sales of high-involvement products. Information Systems Research, 23(1),
pp.182-196.
Hamrah, S.Z. and Bazghandi, P., 2012. Comparative analysis of postmodern design for
information technology in education in relation to modernism. Journal of Social
Sciences, 8(3), p.325.
Hatch, M.J., 2018. Organization theory: Modern, symbolic, and postmodern perspectives.
Oxford university press.
Ho, R. and Vogel, D., 2014. The impact of social networking functionalities on online
shopping: an examination of the web’s relative advantage. International Journal of Business
Information Systems, 16(1), pp.25-41.
Hsu, C.L., Chuan-Chuan Lin, J. and Chiang, H.S., 2013. The effects of blogger
recommendations on customers’ online shopping intentions. Internet Research, 23(1), pp.69-
88.

11BUSINESS
Kerr, G., Mortimer, K., Dickinson, S. and Waller, D.S., 2012. Buy, boycott or blog:
Exploring online consumer power to share, discuss and distribute controversial advertising
messages. European Journal of Marketing, 46(3/4), pp.387-405.
Kumar, P. and Singhal, M., 2012. Reducing change management complexity: aligning
change recipient sensemaking to change agent sensegiving. International Journal of Learning
and Change, 6(3-4), pp.138-155.
Lowe, S., Magala, S. and Hwang, K.S., 2012. All we are saying, is give theoretical pluralism
a chance. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 25(5), pp.752-774.
McCloskey, D., 2013. The genealogy of postmodernism: An economist’s guide. In Post-
Modernism, Economics and Knowledge (pp. 118-144). Routledge.
Shin, J.I., Chung, K.H., Oh, J.S. and Lee, C.W., 2013. The effect of site quality on repurchase
intention in Internet shopping through mediating variables: The case of university students in
South Korea. International Journal of Information Management, 33(3), pp.453-463.
Sotiriadis, M.D. and Van Zyl, C., 2013. Electronic word-of-mouth and online reviews in
tourism services: the use of twitter by tourists. Electronic Commerce Research, 13(1),
pp.103-124.
Wei, P.S. and Lu, H.P., 2013. An examination of the celebrity endorsements and online
customer reviews influence female consumers’ shopping behavior. Computers in Human
Behavior, 29(1), pp.193-201.
Zhang, K.Z., Cheung, C.M. and Lee, M.K., 2012. Online service switching behavior: The
case of blog service providers. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 13(3), p.184.