Research Project: Social Media's Impact on Customer Choice in Retail

This research project investigates the impact of social media on customer choice within the retail industry, using Marks and Spencer as a case study. The introduction emphasizes the importance of customer satisfaction and loyalty, highlighting how social media influences brand image and consumer behavior. The project outlines research aims, objectives, questions, and methodologies, including positivism research philosophy and inductive research approach. It reviews literature on customer behavior, social media tools (Facebook, YouTube), and their impact on consumer choices. The project employs descriptive research design and both qualitative and quantitative research techniques for data collection and analysis. The study aims to identify how social media platforms help businesses understand customer preferences and improve marketing strategies. The research examines the components of customer behavior and the role of social media in shaping consumer decisions, emphasizing the use of social media for customer engagement and feedback.

Research Project

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
In the present era, organisation success and growth is largely depends upon the customer
choice and presences. If company effectively satisfies the needs and wants of the desired product
and services then customer satisfaction and loyalty may increase. In the competitive market, it is
very important to satisfy the customer actual needs and wants so as corporation can able to
develop its own brand image and customer loyalty in the market. Consumer behaviour is so
much sensitive which largely affected by the components like demographic, personal,
geographical, psychological etc. In order to improve customer loyalty, company needed to meet
their choice regarding product and services. If corporation effectively meet the needs and wants
of customer related to product then they can easily improve customer loyalty. Customer loyalty
is the result of consistently positive emotional experience, physical attributes based satisfaction
and perceived value of an experience which includes the product and services. For the
organisation, it is very important to improve customer choice in order to gain effective brand
image and profitability. In this manner, social media plays a very crucial role in the present era
through which many organisations develops their own image in front of customer and attract
them toward the product and services. With assistance of social media, corporation can easily get
touch with customer and provide them information related to product and services. Social media
helps to business unit in attracting customers toward product and services and get the feedback
and review about the same. The following research project provides the deep knowledge and
understanding about the impact of social media on the customer choice. Various research
methodologies has also applied in this report in order carried out the study with respect of the
Marks and Spencer company. It is the world famous retail outlet which deals with customer
product like luxury food, clothing and home ware products.
Research Title
“To identify the impact of social media on the customer choice in the retail industry: A case
study of the Marks and Spencer”

TASK 1
1.1 Formulation and recording of possible research project outline specifications
Research Aims
“To identify the impact of social media on the customer choice in the retail industry: A case
study of the Marks and Spencer”
Research Objective
 To Analyse the concept of customer behaviour and choice
 To understand the various social media tools and techniques
 To determine the impact of social media on the customer choice in the retail industry To Recommend criteria through which social media can improve customer choice and
attract them toward the organisation.
Research questions
 What is the meaning and concept of customer behaviour and choice
 What are the various tools and techniques of social media
 What are the impact of social media on the customer choice in the retail industry
1.2 Identification of the components which involves in the process of research
In order to conduct the following research study, the scholar will require some resources
like time, money, human resources etc. For this research study, time is major factor which will
required by scholar but investigator have very sufficient time period and fund as well. In order to
conduct the survey, research will require respondent as well so as scholar can ask the several
question related to topic for identify the solution and conclusion. The major objective of
selecting this particular topic is to analyse the impact of social media in the customer choice in
the retail industry. In addition to this, investigator have huge interest in this topic that why this
topic is selected as the research subject. One another major reason for selecting this topic is that
scholar has sufficient knowledge and information sources so that he/she can obtain the
information about the research. One another reason for selecting this topic is that investigator
wants to identify and study about the social media techniques which is used in the retail industry.

1.3 Critical review of key reference about the research topic
Concept of the customer behaviour and choice
According to the view of Smith, (2015) customer behaviour is very sensitive aspect
which can largely affected by various components like geographical, social and cultural,
psychological, demographical etc. It is a kind of study that how customers , group or
organisation select buy, use, dispose idea, goods and services to satisfy their needs and wants. It
refers to the action of the customer in the marketplace and the underlying motives for those
actions. Customer is those people who buy the commodities and services from the market and
utilise them for their personal reason. They pay the amount of money to the seller or retailer in
the market. The purchasing decision of selecting and purchasing that particular product can
largely affect by the various components like geographical, social, demographical, psychological
etc. While customer buy the product and services in the market then they affected by these
mentioned farces thus for the organisation it is very important to understand these components.
According to the view of Smith, (2015) personal factor is the major force which affects customer
purchasing decision in large manner and it includes like age, gender, education, occupation, life
style, income level etc.
Meaning and tools of the social media
According to the view of Ryu, Lee and Gon Kim, (2012) social media is one of the
technique in the present time which largely affect to the purchasing decision of customer. Social
media is a platform where company and customer can directly connected with each other and
share their information about the product and services. Company can directly get touch with
customer and identify various feedback and review of them about the product and services. As
per the view of Fiegen, (2010) social media is used to promote and sale the products and services
in the market and connect with customers. It is computer mediated technologies that facilitates
the creation and sharing information, idea, carer interest. It is a electronic communication
platform which creates online communities to transfer the video, audio, message, files, links etc.
As per the view of McMillan and Schumacher, (2014) social media have various kinds of
techniques like Facebook, Twitters, Instagram, YouTube etc. As per the view of Gay, Mills and
Airasian, (2011) Facebook is one of the mostly used technique in the retail industry through
which organisation can share their information about the product and services to customer and
get their review about the same. Facebook is a page which can generate by the business

organisation and at the page customer can like and share the button through which anyone can
easily like and share the page of company about their product and services. Furthermore, at the
Facebook page, company can access the comments and reviews of the customer about the
product and services. One of the major advantage of this technique is that while company post
any image, video, audio, link of the product and services then that is show to the public. Thus, it
can be said Facebook is the best criteria to share the information about the product and services
in the public. On the other hand you tube is another important technique of social media through
which company can post the advertisement and video of the product and services in front of
large public.
Analyse the impact of social media on the customer choice in the retail industry
According to the view of Stelzner and Michael, (2011) social media is one of the best
tool for improving the communication and connection between corporation and customers. With
assistance of the social media platform, company can post the various image, video, audio, links
about the product and services and gain the large customer attraction. On these various platform
of social media, like Facebook, twitter, you tube etc company can get touch with customer and
identify their review and comment about the company's product and services. As per the view of
Safko and Lon, (2010) customer choice is very sensitive and affected by various components so
it is very difficult for the organisation to identity their choice, perception and requirement about
the product and services. But, . social media is a platform which aid to company in identify
customer choice, preferences, requirement about the product and services. In addition to this
company representation can directly communicate with customer on the social media platforms
through which they can identify their requirement and choice about the product. Customer can
mention the feedback about the existing product and services which assists to corporation in
identify the required improvement. As per the view of John Wiley & Sons. Bruhn, Manfred,
Schoenmueller and Schäfer, (2012) organisation can design the attractive page of the company
on the social media platform like it can post attractive and most impressive image of the product
and services on the page of social media. On the other hand company can also mention the
impressive content of the product and services which includes product features, prices, attractive
discount, distribution and other information on the social media platforms. By doing this,
company can again the customer attraction of customer toward the company and change their
choice related to the same. For instance, by help of Facebook, company can post the attractive

discount offer along with attractive image and video of product and services which will largely
gain customer attention on this mention platform.
1.4 Research project specification
Research methodologies is an approach which is used by the scholar in order to get the
effective conclusion and solution of problem. It is very essential part of the research which
render the idea to scholar for collecting and analysing the data about the research topic. In this
following research, investigator needed to identify the impact of social media on the customer
choice thus various techniques of research methodologies can be used by scholar which are as
follows- Research Philosophy- Research philosophy is an important part of the research which
aids to scholar in identifying the best solution for the problem. With help of this scholar
can conduct the data collection and analyse the information in an appropriate manner
(Fiegen, 2010). There are major two type of research philosophies that is interpretivism
and positivism. In the interpritivism context, investigator can use various theories and
findings to test the subjective (Kriz, Gummesson and Quazi, 2013). On the other hand in
the context of positivism, major objective can considered by the scholar. In the following
research, investigator will use positivism research philosophy through which impact of
social media on the customer choice can easily analysed and identified. Research approach-With assistance of theory and hypothesis appropriate conclusion can
analyse and determined in the research approach. There are major two kind of research
approach that is inductive and deductive. In the context of inductive, study can conducted
with various theories and findings (Gay, Mills and Airasian, 2011). On the other hand in
the deductive approach research can conducted on the basis of hypothesis. In this
following research, investigator will use inductive framework because research question
will address by investigator to obtain appropriate result. Research Techniques- Research techniques are those which aid to investigator in
collecting and analysing data. This is major part of the research and it is divided into two
types that is qualitative and quantitative (Arulrajah and et.al., 2015). In the qualitative
research, information can gathered from relevant theories and concepts. On the other
hand in the quantitative technique, research is based on the facts and finding. In the
following research, both technique of research will be used.

 Research Design- There are various research design that is descriptive, experimental,
other. In the following research, descriptive design will use to obtain an appropriate
conclusion of study. Data collection- Data collection is major part of research which and in collecting the data
about research (Daniel and Sam, 2011). It is major two type that is primary and
secondary. In the primary data collection, information can gathered by observation ,
survey, interview etc. In the secondary data collection data can collect by books, journal,
websites, magazines, online blogs etc. In this following research both data collection
method will use because primary adopt will collect through survey and secondary data
will collect by books, company websites, blogs etc.
 Sampling- In order to collect the information for research, investigator will use random
number sampling under which 20 customer of Marks and Spencer will choose as a
sample size (Creswell, 2013).
1.5 Effective plan and procedure for the agree research specification
In order to decrease the impact of time, investigator will use Gantt chart tool through which
scholar can organise research activities according to limited time period. In addition to this, for
overcome the impact of fund, investigator will use activity based costing under which research
activity can organise according to limited fund.
Activity/Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Develop the proposal of research
Establish the aims and objectives
Background of the research
Adopt the effective research
methodologies
Gathering the data from primary and
secondary resources
Test the gathered data
Interpretation of collected results

Conclusion and recommendations
Submission of draft report
Modification
Final Submission
TASK 2
2.1 Match the resources efficiently to the research questions or hypothesis
In the following research, investigator required three major resources such as time,
finance and human resources. In this manner, finance is the major resource which required ion
various activities like printing questionnaire, travelling cost, take membership in the various
research websites, internet cost etc. In addition to this human resources are that individual who
give the respondents of research questions. In addition to this, this entire research has been
accomplished within 16 weeks and in order to overcome the impact of time limitation,
investigator has used Gantt chart.
Demographic information
1. Name: ___________________
2. Gender
 Male
 Female
3. How old you are
 15 to 20 years
 20-30 years
 30-40 years
 40 and above years
4. How frequently you purchase the product and services from the Marks and Spencer
 Within six months
 Within one year
 From two year
 From five year

5.Which component mostly affected consumer purchasing decisions
 Personal factor
 Geographic factor
 Demographical factor
 Other
6 Do you understand and use the social media platforms?
 Yes
 No
7 Do you agree that Marks and Spencer is used the social media platform?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
8 What is your major intension to use social media tool in regarding to buy the product and
services
 Search the best product and service
 Identify appropriate offer about product and services
 Proving feedback to company related to product and services
 Gain information about the product and services
9 Which social media networking website used Marks and Spencer mostly?
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Hi 5
 YouTube
10 Are you influence for purchasing the product and services from the existing approach of
social media of Marks and Spencer company?
 Yes
 No
11. Please recommend the criteria through which Marks and Spencer can improve social media
services for its customers?

2.2 Undertake the proposed research investigation in accordance with agreed specification
In order to conduct the research for the determined topic, investigator has chosen 20
customers who are using Marks and Spencer product and services at regular basis. In addition to
this, investigator has taken the personal email id from the customer so as they can easily fill the
questionnaire without any biasness. In the questionnaire, questions will based on the customer
choice and perception about the social media with respect of Marks and Spencer.
2.3Recording and gathering the information
Theme 1: Both type of customer that is male and female
Gender Frequency
Male 10
Female 10
Theme 2: Different age of different customers
How old you are Frequency
15 to 20 years 5
20-30 years 8
30-40 years 5
40 and above years 2
Theme 3: Frequently purchased the product and services from Marks and Spencer
. How frequently you purchase the
product and services from the Marks
and Spencer Frequency
Within six months 5
Within one year 7
From two year 5
From five year 3
Theme 4: Component mostly affected consumer purchasing decision
Which component mostly affected
consumer purchasing decisions Frequency

Personal factor 10
Geographic factor 4
Demographic factor 4
Other 2
Theme 5: : Customers understand and use the social media platforms
Do you understand and use the social
media platforms? Frequency
Yes 15
No 5
Theme 6: Marks and Spencer is used the social media platform
Do you agree that Marks and Spencer
is used the social media platform? Frequency
Strongly agree 10
Agree 7
Disagree 2
Strongly disagree 1
Theme 7:Major intension to use social media tool in regarding to buy the product and services
What is your major intension to use social media tool
in regarding to buy the product and services Frequency
Search the best product and service 6
Identify appropriate offer about product and services 4
Proving feedback to company related to product and
services 4
Gain information about the product and services 6