Investigating Social Media's Role in Shaping Consumer Behavior

This research project investigates the impact of social media on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions. It provides a conceptual analysis of social media and the consumer decision-making process, exploring both positive and negative influences. The study reviews relevant literature, examining theories and identifying gaps. It employs a secondary research method, utilizing a research onion framework and thematic analysis to analyze data. The research focuses on River Island, a fashion brand, to illustrate the practical implications of social media marketing. The report concludes with recommendations for businesses to navigate the challenges and leverage the opportunities presented by social media in shaping consumer behavior. Desklib provides students access to this report and many other solved assignments.

Running head: RESEARCH PROJECT
The impact of social media on consumer behaviour decisions
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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RESEARCH PROJECT
Abstract
The study would reflect on the use of social media in shaping up the consumer behaviour in
business industries. The research study focuses on providing the conceptual analysis of the social
media and the consumer purchasing decision making process. The exploration of the significance
would present the enriched idea about the potential impacts of the social media that creates both
negative and positive influence on the customers.
The literature study provides the insightful knowledge about the subject area by exploring the
underlying theories. The literature study also provides the insights regarding the negative and
positive impact on decision making behaviour of the consumers. The application of appropriate
philosophy, design, approach, and data collection techniques help in conducting the research in a
synchronized and systematic way.
The development of the literature study provides the theoretical understanding of the social
media uses and purchase decision making process. River Island is a world class fashion brand
that has extended the business in the virtual world to develop the customer base and strengthen
the brand image. However, it has been observed that the major focus of the business marketers is
to reach maximum number of the customers and create the most demanding brand image.

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Acknowledgement
I would like to thank my professor and mentor to assign me with this task. The research has been
quite promising for me and it has strengthened m analytical power.
I would like to thank my fellow friends and guides to support me throughout and helped me in
developing the analytical skills. The suggested books and journals also quite helpful for me to
strengthen my enriched knowledge about this subject matter.
Thank You

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................5
1.1 Research Background................................................................................................................5
1.2 Research Rationale....................................................................................................................6
1.3 Research Aim.............................................................................................................................8
1.4 Research Objectives...................................................................................................................8
1.5 Research Questions....................................................................................................................8
1.6 Research Hypothesis..................................................................................................................9
1.7 Research Structure.....................................................................................................................9
1.8 Summary..................................................................................................................................10
2.0 Literature Review....................................................................................................................11
2.1 Concept of Social Media.........................................................................................................11
2.1.1 Application of Social Impact theory on Social media use................................................12
2.1.2 Types of Social Media......................................................................................................14
2.2 Concept of consumer behaviour..............................................................................................15
2.2.1 Consumer Purchase Decision-Making Process................................................................15
2.3 Impact of Social media on Consumer Purchasing Behaviour.................................................20
2.4 Gaps in the Literature..............................................................................................................22
2.5 Conceptual Framework............................................................................................................22

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2.6 Summary..................................................................................................................................24
3.0 Introduction..............................................................................................................................25
3.1 Secondary Research Method...................................................................................................25
3.2 Research Onion........................................................................................................................26
3.4 Research Philosophy................................................................................................................28
3.5 Research Approach..................................................................................................................29
3.6 Secondary Data Collection Technique and Analysis...............................................................29
3.7 Ethical Consideration...............................................................................................................30
3.8 Accessibility Issues..................................................................................................................31
3.9 Summary..................................................................................................................................31
4.1Findings from secondary data...................................................................................................32
4.2 Theme Based Analysis............................................................................................................32
4.3 Findings from the Secondary data...........................................................................................35
5.0 Analysis...................................................................................................................................36
5.1 Discussion of the Findings.......................................................................................................36
6.0 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................40
6.1 Recommendation.....................................................................................................................41
6.2 Research Limitation.................................................................................................................42
7. 0 Critical Evaluation..................................................................................................................44
References......................................................................................................................................45

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1.0 Introduction
The evolving and dynamic era of social media has been influencing the mankind
drastically. It has been observed that currently social media has created the dynamic impact on
effective communication process. According to Schivinski and Dabrowski (2016), social media
has changed the method of using internet worldwide. The drastic transformation in social media
is both advantageous and disadvantageous. The study would reflect on the use of social media in
shaping up the consumer behaviour in business industries. This chapter would develop the
rationale for the study to understand the underlying research issues. The aim, objectives,
questions, and hypothesis would be discussed in this section of the study. Depending on these
specifications, the further information would be explored.
1.1 Research Background
Social media marketing is the overreaching process in current business scenario. Majority
of the business marketers have selected the social media marketing process as the most helpful
source of promoting the brands (Schivinski and Dabrowski 2016). The major focus of the
business marketers is to reach maximum number of the customers and create the most
demanding brand image. The consumers seek information or share their experience that become
much beneficial for shaping up the future business process. It creates the interactions among the
people for exchanging or sharing information and experiences (Hajli 2014). In the corporate
sectors, the social media marketing is generally use for promoting brands, establishing
communication with the customers, and spreading information in the virtual communities and
networks. Current world are much fascinated by the contents published in the social media sites.

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The study would discuss the use of social media by River Island, one of the most
demanding fashion retail brand based on UK. The company has been offering the high quality
fashion brand to the potential customers for 60 years. The company is mostly renowned for the
affordable and trendy fashion segments with the unique touches in the collection (Ashley and
Tuten 2015). The great going outlooks and the occasion wear available in the store are much
popular among the UK customers. However, currently, the company has been developing their
social media marketing strategies to attract more customers from different locations. The
company already has established almost 300 stores across the globe. In fact, it is an award-
winning online fashion retail site. The company has captured the leading position among the
biggest in-house design teams on the British High street. River Island is committed to nurture
new talent that has made them one of the most successful fashion retailers in the UK market.
Having an ambition to lead in multimarket and create the multichannel brand, the company is
organizing the business process to develop the greater customer base. The sound CSR initiatives
and development charities are also driving the company towards success. The company has the
successful online presence, but the business competition is much high due to which the negative
remarks on the social media sites are hampering the brand identity. It is necessary for the
company to develop the fruitful social media marketing strategy to mitigate the challenges from
the rivalries. The research would analyze the consumer responses and help in developing
cautiousness to deal with the uncertainties.
1.2 Research Rationale
The current developments in social media have become the important tool in the business
world. Ashley and Tuten (2015) opined that the social media provides the passive information to
the business marketers for developing their knowledge in strategic implementation in a

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competitive scenario. The negative ‘word of mouth’ influences the purchase decisions of the
consumers that create terrible loss for the company. In fact, the emerging competitiveness is also
one of the major threats for the business marketers. The availability of the numerous alternatives
in the market makes the customer rethink about their future purchases. If the business marketers
of a brand fail to satisfy the needs, the consumers tend to switch the brand any point of time.
However, it has been interpreted that in spite of the positive influence on the consumer
behaviour, the social media use can even turn out to be much challenging for the business
marketers.
In usual cases, the business marketers create the social media pages for online promotion
of the brand. These online pages in the social networking sites generally aim to reach the target
customers. Ngai, Tao and Moon (2015) implied that positive remarks or comments create the
positive ‘word of mouth’ among the other users of social media. On the other hand, according to
Hajli (2014), the negative remarks for the brand can turn out to be much challenging for the
business scenario since it may affect the consumer behaviour. The social networking site is the
place for open communication, which can influence the consumers during their purchase of any
product or service in both positive and negative way (Dessart, Veloutsou and Morgan-Thoma
2015). Hence, it is essential to understand the specific method of using social media by
considering the negative and positive impact.
The research study would thus provide the conceptual analysis of the social media and
the consumer purchasing decision making process. The exploration of the significance would
present the enriched idea about the potential impacts of the social media that creates both
negative and positive influence on the customers. River Island is completely relying on the
social media sites to develop the string customer base and understand the requirements of the

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customers to offer best fashion segments. However, the threats from the external competitors and
increasing negative remarks on the social network sites are affecting the brand promotions in a
significant way. The information gathered from the secondary source would develop knowledge
regarding the strategic implementations to mitigate challenges encountered in using social media.
1.3 Research Aim
The aim of the research is to identify the negative and positive impact of social media to
influence the consumer behaviour during their purchase of any product or service. The research
also attempts to recognize the specific method of promotional activities presented through social
media that nurture the urge of the consumers to purchase the products or service repeatedly.
1.4 Research Objectives
 To explore conceptual analysis of social media and consumer decision making process
 To critically analyze the impact of social media on consumer behaviour decisions
 To identify the potential challenges faced by the business marketers while using social
media for product or service promotions
 To present the preferable recommendations for the challenges encountered
1.5 Research Questions
 How the current era of social media use changing the business scenario?
 How social media influences the purchasing behaviour of the consumers?
 What are the recognizable challenges faced by the business marketers in using social
media for brand promotions?

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 What social media strategies are needed to be implemented for influencing the repeat
purchase of the consumers?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
H0: Social media does not create impact on the consumer purchase decisions
H1: Social media creates impact on the consumer purchase decisions
1.7 Research Structure
The research study would be structured by developing the following steps:
 The introduction chapter provides the outline of the research by stating the aim,
objectives, questions, hypothesis, and research rationale. It provides the overview of the
research along with the company background.
 The literature review would be structured by depending on the conceptual and theoretical
analysis of the associated variables. The information obtained from the literature would
be linked with the research study. The gaps in the literature study would be presented.
 The research methodology chapter provides the method of conducting the research in a
structured way. The appropriate philosophy, approach, and data collection techniques
would be identified in the methodology section.
 The data collection process determines the findings and discussion of the obtained from
either primary or secondary source. This particular research study is based on the
secondary data collection process. Therefore, the study depends on the theme-based
analytical process

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 The conclusion chapter provides the links identified between the collected data from
secondary sources and literature review. This chapter summarizes the entire research
study. This chapter provides the preferable recommendations after identifying the issues
from the information extracted from various sources.
1.8 Summary
The chapter identifies the considerable research issues that would be further drawn in this
study. Identifying the specific aim, objectives, questions, and hypothesis, the research would
develop the literature based on the research area. The conceptual analysis of social media and
consumer purchasing decisions would be further explored.

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2.0 Literature Review
The literature study provides the insightful knowledge about the subject area by exploring
the underlying theories. The study is widely concentrating on the impact of social media on
consumer behaviour and decision-making process. (Ngai, Tao and Moon 2015) The literature
study helps in identifying the core concept of the variables and establishing the links between
these variables. The theoretical knowledge obtained from the study helps in identifying the
secondary data for further evaluation. The literature study would also provide the insights
regarding the negative and positive impact on decision making behaviour of the consumers. The
information derived from this section would be utilized further.
2.1 Concept of Social Media
Social media is generally conceptualized as the series of applications and websites for
allowing people to share different contents efficiently, quickly, and in real-time (Dessart,
Veloutsou and Morgan-Thomas 2015). Most of the people use the social media on their mobile,
tablets, and different devices. It creates the interactions among the people for exchanging or
sharing information and experiences. In the corporate sectors, the social media marketing is
generally use for promoting brands, establishing communication with the customers, and
spreading information in the virtual communities and networks. In majority of the cases, the
business marketers use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchats for spreading awareness
among the customers. According to Kumar et al. (2016), social media is mainly used for building
the relationships and connecting with the audiences worldwide. However, on the other hand,
Godey et al. (2016.) argued that while using social media for customer services, it is necessary to
maintain the authenticity, open communication, and honesty.