Investigate Effectiveness of Social Media for AWOK E-commerce Sales

This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of social media in improving e-commerce sales for AWOK, a UAE-based online retailer. It begins by outlining the research aim, objectives, questions, and hypotheses, followed by a detailed literature review covering social media development, growth in the UAE market, corporate applications, and the transition to social media commerce. The research employs a positivism philosophy, deductive approach, and descriptive design, utilizing survey and interview research strategies with AWOK employees and managers. The data analysis chapter presents survey results and interview transcripts, leading to a discussion of findings, conclusions, and recommendations for enhancing AWOK's e-commerce sales through strategic social media use. The study highlights the importance of establishing customer connections, recruiting the right employees, and preventing online harassment.

Running head: DISSERTATION
Investigate the Effectiveness of Social Media for Improving e-commerce Sales in UAE: A Case
Study of AWOK
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Acknowledgement
Thank you to all of those who have helped listened and encouraged me throughout this study. I
am indebted to my supervisor ……………………. whose guidance, advice and patience have
been immeasurable. My sincere thanks to all members of the…………… [Mention your
university/college name], both staff and students, whose continuous support have made this
thesis possible.
I would like to thank all of the participants in the study: students, teachers and Local Education
Authorities, for the time and help given throughout. Without their participation, this research
would not have been possible. In this context, I am also thankful to them, whose research work
helped me to execute this paper well.
Finally, I thank my family, without whom this thesis would not have been started or completed!
Your encouragement and support have never faltered; thank you.

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Abstract
The aim of the research is to investigate the effectiveness of social media for improving e-
commerce sales for AWOK, a UAE based e-commerce website. Social media has gained a lot of
attention recently due to the varied functions and features it provides to the users across the
world. The social media platform provides huge benefits to the users in terms of communication,
sharing and supporting the views of the users. At a global platform, e-commerce sector is
considered as one of the economic sector that is receptive to wide range of ideas for mitigating
the issues encountered by the customers. The emergence of e-commerce was seen in the
seventies though the term e-commerce is fairly new to the customers. AWOK is an e-commerce
company headquartered in Dubai, UAE and the company was founded in 2013 by Ulugbek
Yuldashev. The company is an online shopping platform that mark 5 years in 2018. AWOK is
failing to establish a secured connection between the customers and them. As the customers are
unable to relate to AWOK, the impact is being highlighted in the sales of the company. AWOK
is facing potential issues in terms of the sales of the company. The research is significant
because this will help n understanding the potential issues AWOK is currently facing that is
hampering the sales of the e-commerce company. Once the issues have been identified, the
research will help in giving suitable recommendations for improving the e-commerce sales by
suing social media. The literature review chapter sheds light on the use of social media for
various corporate purposes followed by the transition from e-commerce to social media
commerce. The challenges and benefits are also discussed in respect to social media commerce
along with identifying frameworks that has been successful in proving social media as a positive
marketing strategy. the researcher has used positivism philosophy, deductive approach,
descriptive design and interview and survey research strategy. The researcher has used both

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probability and non-probability sampling technique for selecting 100 employees and 10
managers of AWOK. Primary data collection has been used that allowed the researcher to collect
data from a particular population. From the above discussion, it can be concluded that social
media helps in increasing e-commerce sales for the business organizations. The use of internet
and social media has increased over the years since it originated due to the advanced functions
the platform provides in terms of connectivity and communication. In this highly competitive
world, it is all about survival of the fittest for the business organizations. This can be achieved by
the business organizations by maximizing their sales and reaching out maximum customers. For
AWOK, it is important to increase sales for their e-commerce service by using social media
platform effectively and efficiently. The suitable recommendations for improving the issues
encountered by AWOK for improving e-commerce sales by using social media includes making
the customers feel significant and valued, establishing an emotional connection, recruiting the
right employees, providing suitable justifications and preventing online bullying and harassment.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................8
1.0 Overview...........................................................................................................................8
1.1 Problem statement.................................................................................................................9
1.2 Research aim........................................................................................................................10
1.3 Research objectives.............................................................................................................10
1.4 Research questions...............................................................................................................10
1.5 Research hypothesis.............................................................................................................10
1.6 Research rationale................................................................................................................11
1.7 Structure of the dissertation.................................................................................................11
1.8 Summary..............................................................................................................................13
Chapter 2: Literature review..........................................................................................................14
2.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................14
2.1 Overview of social media development internationally......................................................14
2.2 Overview of social media growth in the UAE market........................................................17
2.3 Use of social media for corporate purposes.........................................................................24
2.4 Transition from e-commerce to mobile commerce and social media commerce................26
2.5 Challenges and benefits in using social media commerce...................................................28
2.6 Identify any successful case studies for which social media has immensely helped..........31

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2.7 Identify strategies and frameworks and critically evaluate what model was chosen to prove
that social media a positive marketing strategy to improve businesses.....................................33
2.8 Summary..............................................................................................................................33
Chapter 3: Research methodology.................................................................................................34
3.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................34
3.1 Research outline...................................................................................................................34
3.2 Research philosophy............................................................................................................34
3.2.1 Explaining the use of positivism philosophy................................................................35
3.3 Research approach...............................................................................................................35
3.3.1 Explaining the use of deductive approach....................................................................36
3.4 Research design...................................................................................................................36
3.4.1 Explaining the use of descriptive design......................................................................37
3.5 Research strategy.................................................................................................................37
3.5.1 Explaining the use of survey and interview research strategy......................................37
3.6 Sampling technique and sample size...................................................................................38
3.6.1 Explaining the use of random probability and non-probability sampling technique....38
3.7 Data collection process........................................................................................................39
3.7.1 Explaining the use of primary data collection process.................................................39
3.8 Data analysis technique.......................................................................................................39
3.8.1 Explaining the use of quantitative and qualitative data analysis technique..................40

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3.9 Accessibility issues..............................................................................................................40
3.10 Ethical considerations........................................................................................................40
3.11 Summary............................................................................................................................41
Chapter 4: Data analysis................................................................................................................42
4.1 Survey analysis....................................................................................................................42
4.2 Interview transcript..............................................................................................................72
Chapter 5: Discussion....................................................................................................................82
Chapter 6: Conclusion and recommendation.................................................................................85
6.0 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................85
6.1 Linking with objectives.......................................................................................................85
6.2 Recommendations................................................................................................................87
6.3 Future scope of the study.....................................................................................................88
References......................................................................................................................................89
Appendices....................................................................................................................................98
Appendix 1.................................................................................................................................98
Interview questions................................................................................................................98
Appendix 2...............................................................................................................................101
Interview questions..............................................................................................................101

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Internet penetration by region........................................................................................15
Figure 2: Social media development internationally.....................................................................16
Figure 3: Annual growth of social media users.............................................................................18
Figure 4: Population using social media in Middle East...............................................................19
Figure 5: Facebook users in Middle East......................................................................................19
Figure 6: Use of various social media platforms...........................................................................20
Figure 7: Social media usage habits..............................................................................................22
Figure 8: Social media usage habits..............................................................................................22
Figure 9: Use of social media platforms through Arab countries..................................................23
Figure 10: Social media platforms used daily...............................................................................28
Figure 11: Biggest social media challenges business organizations face......................................30

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.0 Overview
Social media has gained a lot of attention recently due to the varied functions and features it
provides to the users across the world. The social media platform provides huge benefits to the
users in terms of communication, sharing and supporting the views of the users. Considering the
various advantages it provides to the users, the business organizations use the social media
platform for business expansion and customer maximization. As commented by Turban et al.
(2017), the relevance of social media in enhancing e-commerce cannot be overlooked due to the
numerous benefits it provides both at national and international platform. It has been seen that
the social media platform serve as an instrument for the business organizations for transferring
information in terms of the existing and old product thereby, allowing the customers to purchase
online.
It has been seen that e-commerce has recently become interesting to different sectors
because it tends to contribute towards the fundamental change in the nature of the business
process management along with delivery of the service by modifying the traditional policies and
procedures (Laudon and Traver 2013). Out of the various significant effects of e-commerce, one
is minimizing the distance between the consumers and the producers in an environment
regardless of the geographical location. In addition to, e-commerce provides an opportunity for
the business organizations to circulate information on a broader scale without consequent
obstacles.
At a global platform, e-commerce sector is considered as one of the economic sector that is
receptive to wide range of ideas for mitigating the issues encountered by the customers. The

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emergence of e-commerce was seen in the seventies though the term e-commerce is fairly new to
the customers. However, with progress several additional applications were provided with e-
commerce services (Ngai, Tao and Moon 2015). Thus, it can be said that the current trend in
terms of the business performance is due to the use of internet and the e-commerce occupies the
middle stage and act as one of the significant economic trends in the business environment.
AWOK is an e-commerce company headquartered in Dubai, UAE and the company was
founded in 2013 by Ulugbek Yuldashev. The company is an online shopping platform that mark
5 years in 2018. The company considers this as an achievement and aim towards providing the
best services to the target audiences in UAE. AWOK, an e-commerce company sells varieties of
product in their online platform ranging from fashion accessories, home appliances, kitchen
ware, camera, mobile and beauty and health products (Ae.awok.com, 2018).
1.1 Problem statement
For both business and customers connectivity plays a significant role. AWOK is failing to
establish a secured connection between the customers and them. As, the customers are unable to
relate to AWOK, the impact is being highlighted in the sales of the company. AWOK is facing
potential issues in terms of the sales of the company. The e-commerce is failing to gain the
commitments from the target audiences due to which the target customers are not finding it
significant to use the e-commerce service by AWOK (Hajli 2014).
As AWOK is an e-commerce, the business is facing issues in terms of secured payment.
The company has received complains in terms of fraud and leak of personal details while making
payments and as a result, the sales of the company have minimized. Money is being debited from
the bank accounts that are used by the customers for paying the price. Thus, lack of belief and

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security is also another problem that has resulted in sales minimization for AWOK (Sivertzen,
Nilsen and Olafsen 2013).
1.2 Research aim
The aim of the research is to investigate the effectiveness of social media for improving
e-commerce sales for AWOK, a UAE based e-commerce website.
1.3 Research objectives
The objectives of the research are:
 To investigate the growth of social media in UAE
 To assess the relationship between social media and e-commerce sales for AWOK
 To critically analyze the issues faced while using e-commerce for AWOK
 To provide suitable recommendations for improving the e-commerce sales for AWOK
1.4 Research questions
The research questions include:
 What is the growth of social media use in UAE?
 What is the relationship between social media and e-commerce sales for AWOK?
 What are the issues faced while using e-commerce for AWOK?
 What are the suitable recommendations for improving the e-commerce sales for AWOK?
1.5 Research hypothesis
The hypotheses of the research are:
H0: Social media has no impact for improving e-commerce sales for AWOK.
H1: Social media has an impact for improving e-commerce sales for AWOK.

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1.6 Research rationale
The research is significant because this will help n understanding the potential issues
AWOK is currently facing that is hampering the sales of the e-commerce company. Once the
issues have been identified, the research will help in giving suitable recommendations for
improving the e-commerce sales by suing social media. It is important for the business
organizations to make enough sales in order to generate profit and earn revenue. This study will
help AWOK use the social media platform effectively for improving the sales (Laroche, Habibi
and Richard 2013).
In addition to, the research is significant because this helps in understanding the use and
growth of social media platform around the world thereby, predicting the extensive use of it both
professionally and personally. The business environment of UAE is different compared to other
nations in the world. Thus, this research will help in understanding the exposure, use and growth
of different social Medias in UAE. As a result, AWOK will be able develop strategies by
keeping in mind the use and exposure of social media in UAE and using it to improve their e-
commerce sales accordingly. Additionally, ability to understand payment related issues will help
AWOK to improve them thereby, strengthening their position in the market by gaining
competitive advantage and sustaining in the highly fierce and intense e-commerce sector (He,
Zha and Li 2013).
1.7 Structure of the dissertation
The entire structure of the dissertation is categorized into five distinctive chapters.
Introduction, literature review, research methodology, data analysis, conclusion and
recommendations are the five chapters that form the overall layout of the dissertation.