Analyzing the Impact of Online Media on Customer Purchase Decisions

This research paper investigates the impact of online media, particularly social media, on customer purchase behavior, focusing on the C&K Company. The study explores the effectiveness of online media in influencing consumer decisions, addressing the company's low sales as a problem statement. It reviews literature on social media, customer buying behavior, and relevant decision-making models, utilizing Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Employing a quantitative methodology with a deductive approach and descriptive research design, the research collects primary data through an online survey of 100 customers. The findings, analyzed using quantitative methods and presented on a Likert scale, lead to conclusions, recommendations for the company's development, and strategic suggestions for future work. The research examines the role of social media in influencing customer purchasing behavior, the challenges faced, and mitigating factors, aiming to enhance the company's market strategies.

Running head: RESEARCH PAPER
Research Topic: Impact of online media on the customer purchase decision
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Acknowledgement
By this research, I have experienced best possible learning of my life. By conducting this
research I have learnt various concepts, models and theories. I first thank to the almighty God.
After that I want to thank to my supervisor ______________ who is my friend, philosopher and
guide. I also thank my parents for being supportive and accommodative for completing this
research. I want to thank my friends for giving me the moral support while conducting this
research

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Abstract
This research study focuses on the impact of social media on the customer purchase behavior.
The research is based in the C&K Company. The aim of the research is to identify the
effectiveness of the online media in the consumer purchase decision. The research objectives and
questions are initialized in the first chapter. A basic overview of the C&K Company has been
provided in the first chapter. The problem statement describes about the low sales of the
company in the market.
The literature review chapter discusses about the basic concept of the social media and customer
buying behavior. Various factors of the buying behavior of the customers have been discussed in
the study. The Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs has helped in describing the needs of the customers
in the market. The current literature have focused on the benefits if the social media and its
impact on purchasing behavior of the customer in the market.
The research has used a quantitative methodology. The research has selected positivism
philosophy with deductive approach. A descriptive research design have helped in focusing on
the objectives of the research. The data has been collected from the primary sources. An online
survey has been conducted with 100 online customers. There has been 10 close- ended questions
added in the survey questionnaires.
The data has been analyzed with the help of quantitative analysis method. The results and
outcomes are shown on the Likert Scale ranging from 1 to 5. The conclusion of the data analysis
and rest part of the study has been explained. The recommendation for the benefit of the
company in the market has been reviewed. New strategies for the development of the company

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in the market has been mentioned in the chapter. The objective linking has been highlighted in
this chapter. The future of work for the study has been provided in the last chapter.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................7
1.0 Background.......................................................................................................................7
1.1 Background of the Company.................................................................................................8
1.2 Rationale................................................................................................................................9
1.3 Problem Statement...............................................................................................................12
1.4 Research Aims, Objectives and Questions..........................................................................12
1.5 Significance of the Study.....................................................................................................13
1.6 Research Structure...............................................................................................................14
1.7 Summary..............................................................................................................................16
Chapter 2: Literature Review.....................................................................................................17
2.0 Introduction.....................................................................................................................17
2.1 Concept of Social media......................................................................................................17
2.2 Types of Social media.........................................................................................................19
2.3 Concept of consumer buying decision.................................................................................21
2.4 Factors affecting consumer buying decision.......................................................................22
2.5 Decision-making process.....................................................................................................26
2.6 Types of buying decision behavior......................................................................................29
2.8 Various decision making model..........................................................................................31
2.9 The power of non-marketing sources..................................................................................34

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2.10 Impact of Online Social networks on consumer’s purchase decision...............................35
2.11 Summary............................................................................................................................40
Chapter 3: Research Methodology.............................................................................................41
3.1 Research Philosophy............................................................................................................41
3.2 Research Approach..............................................................................................................42
3.3 Research Design..................................................................................................................44
3.4 Data collection technique....................................................................................................46
3.5 Data collection instruments.................................................................................................47
3.6 Population of the Study.......................................................................................................47
3.7Sampling technique and Sample size...................................................................................48
3.8 Data analysis technique.......................................................................................................48
3.9 Research instruments Validity and Reliability Testing.......................................................49
3.10 Legal, social and moral contemplations............................................................................50
3.11 Gantt chart.........................................................................................................................51
3.14 Summary............................................................................................................................52
Chapter 4: Data Findings and Analysis.....................................................................................53
4.1 Quantitative Analysis...........................................................................................................53
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations.........................................................................66
5.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................66
5.2 Recommendations................................................................................................................67

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5.3 Objective Linking................................................................................................................69
5.4 Future work..........................................................................................................................70
References.....................................................................................................................................71

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Logo of Charles and Keith.............................................................................................11
Figure 2: Change in consumer purchasing behavior decision from 2013 to 2014........................12
Figure 3: Consumer Purchase decision framework.......................................................................13
Figure 4: Research Structure.........................................................................................................17
Figure 5: Components of social media..........................................................................................20
Figure 6: Brand personality framework plan................................................................................26
Figure 7: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs........................................................................................27
Figure 8: Consumer’s decision-making process............................................................................29
Figure 9: Four types of buying behavior.......................................................................................33
Figure 10: Decision making flow chart.........................................................................................36
Figure 11: Research Philosophy....................................................................................................43
Figure 12: Research Approach......................................................................................................45
Figure 13: Research Design...........................................................................................................47
Figure 14: Gantt chart....................................................................................................................54
Figure 4.1: Gender.........................................................................................................................56
Figure 4.2: Age..............................................................................................................................57
Figure 4.3: Accessing online sites.................................................................................................58
Figure 4.4: usage of social networking websites...........................................................................59
Figure 4.5: Challenges faced by the company due to the implementation of the social media.....60
Figure 4.6: Impact of the social media on the customer buying decision.....................................62
Figure 4.7: Opinion of customers on implementation of the social media in the company..........63
Figure 4.8: Opinion on increase in sales of company....................................................................64

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Figure 4.9: Marketing strategies....................................................................................................65
Figure 4.10: Recommendations.....................................................................................................67

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.0 Background
Social media has the ability to provide a virtual network on which various entertainment
entities are uploaded and expressed. Social media platform allows the user in sharing their views
as well as updating status of their daily life as well as business-related work (Trainor et al. 2014).
The use of the social media market is creating huge opportunities for the investors to invest their
funds over the network. The traffic over these social media network in more than that of other
platforms. Therefore, most of the business organization and investors are looking for an
opportunity in the market. However, business organizations are looking for the expansion of
their business over the internet (Ngai, Tao and Moon 2015). Advancement in the internet
services has helped in enhancing the technology used in the business organization. The impact of
the social media on the business organization has been discussed in the research. Social media
has been influencing the buying strategy of the customers over the market. The use of different
websites including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have helped in connecting to several
populations over the internet.
Social media provide different value to the brands of companies in the market. This
research has been done in Charles and Keith Company (Dijkmans, Kerkhof and Beukeboom
2015). This company is a retailer of luxury goods focusing on fashion and footwear accessories.
This research has helped in mitigating the customer buying behavior of the company (Alwagait,
Shahzad and Alim 2015). In addition to that the use of the social media have provided several
networking systems providing expansion of the business and its values in the market the use of
the social media has been expanding over the internet due to ease of access and user-friendly

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environment. It helps in providing platforms for advertising products and services provided by
the company.
The focus of the paper is to identify the role of the social media in influencing purchasing
behavior of customers in C and K Company. The factors creating challenges for influencing
customer purchase decision in the market. The mitigating factors for these issues have been
provided in the research paper.
1.1 Background of the Company
Charles and Keith is a fashion company that has been established by Charles Wong and Keith
Wong in 1996. This company provides latest fashion trends and fashionable footwear. Later on,
this company has become a brand for footwear design and other related accessories including
bags and costume jewellery. The brand follows an experimental nature in this designs that are
attractive to the customers. The company has its headquarters in Singapore and have more than
500 stores in Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East (Charleskeith.com, 2018). The company
has expanded online through its website in various cities of the world including Dubai, Shanghai,
Seoul and Taipei. The company has been engaged in various CSR activities in the area including
it has started the use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified the paper for reducing its
carbon print (Charleskeith.com, 2018). The customer buying behavior of the company has been a
critical issue for the company. The issues faced by the company has been degrading its brand
value in the market. The company has been providing 30% discount on every product for
retaining the customers in the market. The use of various techniques and tools have been used by
the company. However, the women signature products prices of the products sin the company
ranges from $69 to $99.90 (Charleskeith.com, 2018). Therefore, the customers of a company
have been influenced by the unique style and pricing strategy of the company.

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Figure 1: Logo of Charles and Keith
(Source: Charleskeith.com, 2018)
1.2 Rationale
The use of the Web 2.0 is the most advanced and development in a context of economic
arena. Integration of social media with Web 2.0 has allowed users to gain various experiences
over the internet (Kumar et al. 2016). The purchasing behavior of the customers has been
influenced by this interaction. The central role of the social media is that it helps in providing a
platform to the companies to advertise their products and services in the market (Agnihotri et al.
2016). Social media has been providing various platforms to the companies that have helped in
maintaining advertisement of the products and services provided by the company in the market
(Schivinski and Dabrowski 2016). The social media has provided a huge number of customers at
a time that can be influenced by the advertising of products done by the companies. C and K
Company have able to provide quality services and products to the customers.