Research Questions

This chapter would effectively focus on reflecting the research methodology that would be followed for carrying out the research in a timely and effective fashion. It would also highlight on the research questions and hypothesis that needs to be addressed by the research activity.

The positivism research paradigm would be incorporated for carrying out the research regarding social media’s influence on consumer buying behavior. The application of positivism research paradigm implies the incorporation of statistical and diagrammatic tools for evaluation of inferences gained based on carrying out a survey activity on a target population. Owing to the incorporation of quantitative techniques, the positivism research paradigm is considered to be scientific and rationalistic in nature as compared to interpretivism research paradigm. The inferences gained in case of positivism research are identified to be specific and quantifiable in nature.  Further, the application of diagrammatic tools in case of analysis of the inferences regarding positivism research enhances the level of its significance and makes it easy to be interpreted (Rubin, 2008).

The current research activity is to be conducted through the employment of deductive research approach. Selection of the deductive research approach potentially implies the development of research hypotheses and thereby in formulating structured survey questions for carrying out a survey on target respondents. The inferences gained based on carrying out of the survey being quantifiable would be tabulated on an excel sheet for carrying out needed analysis. The inferences gained from the analysis would be applied for evaluation of the research hypotheses. The application of deductive research approach ideally contributes in making the research activity focused or narrowed upon (Bynner & Stribley, 2010).

The research design for the current research activity would evidently focus on the incorporation of both secondary and primary analysis. Secondary analysis would be carried out in terms of consulting books, journals and other online articles associated to the understanding of consumer buying behavior and the impact of social media on such. The secondary analysis would serve an effective background for the carrying out of primary research activity in the form of surveys and interviews. Further, secondary research is encouraged in that it stands out to be cost effective and also can be carried out in an independent fashion to gain access to authentic data published in secondary sources. For the primary research activity, the application of survey research is required to be undertaken (Rubin, 2008). Structured questionnaire sets are required to be formulated for carrying out the survey on a specific population. Specific, structured and quantitative inferences would be gained from the survey activity for carrying out further analysis. Primary research activity though time and cost consuming in nature is encouraged owing to the fact that it helps in generating practical and current inferences associated to the research issue. Further, the incorporation of both qualitative and quantitative data sets for carrying out the research activity signifies the application of triangulation research activity. Triangulated Research potentially contributes in enhancing the depth and quality of the research activity  (Brown, 2010).

Research Paradigm and Approach

1. What are the social media platforms that are most frequented by customers?
2. What type of information is accessed by customers in terms of accessing social media networks?
3. How does the information accessed by customers via the social media platforms influence their purchase decisions?
4. How can the use of direct links enabled in the social media platforms to e-commerce sites contribute in attracting and converting potential customers?

H₀: The accessibility of customers to social media platforms of product and service brands fails to generate potential influences in affecting their consumer behavior.

H₁: The accessibility of customers to social media platforms for product and service brands tends to cast an influence on the shopping and purchase behavior of the consumers.

Data collection activity for the research activity would be carried out based on sourcing information from secondary and primary sources. In terms of secondary sources, books, journals and articles would be searched from the online library and studied for gaining access to relevant data regarding the influence of social media activities on the buying behavior of the consumers. Other than the use of secondary sources, survey activity would also be carried out to collect primary data from the larger market. The  carrying out of the survey activity in terms of designing of close-ended questions and disseminating it amongst the target population through the use of different tools like SurveyMonkey that serves as an online survey tool, social media networks like Facebook and Twitter and also based on the use of physical mailing system (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2013). Further, the responses to the structured questionnaires would be gained based on the use of multi-dimensional rating scales that would help generate diverse responses from the respondents.  The data collected from secondary sources would be qualitative in nature while that collected from primary sources would be quantitative in nature (Tingli & Chengqing, 2010).

The data analysis would be mainly carried out based on the quantitative data derived from the respondents associated to close-ended questions. The quantitative data generated from carrying out of survey activities would be determined based on percentage of responses to the different options linked to the survey questions. The same would be tabulated in the excel sheet under different categories and parameters developed based on the survey questions (Golafshani, 2003). Further, the application of diagrammatic research tools like pie, bar and line charts as well as scatter diagrams would be incorporated for rendering needed clarity to the research inferences. Interpretation of the inferences would also be made for generating effective understanding (Babbie, 2009).

The application of random sampling approach would be carried out for effective selection of the sample respondents needed for carrying out the survey. The use of simple random sampling approach would be made for selection of 50 respondents. The application of simple random sampling ideally helps in the easy and faster selection of sample respondents for conducting the research activity (Thyer, 2009). However, care must be taken for selection of such sample respondents that are frequent users and visitors to different social networking platforms and also focus on both gaining and discussing product, brand and services related information of different consumer companies with other community members (Bryman & Bell, 2007).

Research Design

The application of survey research activity requires the researcher to focus on fulfilling the following ethical objectives. Effective clarification of objectives and rationale behind carrying out the research with the usability of the results gained from the research findings are required to be made to the survey respondents. Further, consent and permission from the respondents is also required to be gained by the researcher before publicizing the responses gained from them (Cohen et al., 2013). The researcher is required to generate a written promise to the respondents that in any case no part of the responses generated by them would be publicized either in printed or in digital form without their effective consent. Fulfillment of the above ethical objectives contributes in enhancing the trust and commitment of the respondents for effectively participating in the survey activity (Wimmer, 2012).

Owing to time constraints the research activity is carried based on incorporating survey activity. However, the research could be better enriched in terms of amalgamation of survey research with carrying out of interview and also observational study. The analysis of interview transcripts and also ethnographic notes based on conducting of observational or field study would have helped in enhancing the depth of the research and helped in gaining much refined information and understanding of the influence of social media activities on consumer behavior.

The objective of the chapter is to analyze the influence of the social media networks on the shopping behavior of the customers in the Australian region. It would focus on gaining inferences based on carrying out a survey on Australian customers to evaluate their social media networking habits and thereby its influence on converting them as potential purchasers of goods and services rendered by consumer brands.

The data for carrying out the research is essentially gathered by surveying 50 customers that focus on conducting purchases either by visiting online or brick-and-mortar stores or both. These customers would be evaluated based on their access, visits and usages of social media platforms and also on the influence of social media networks on their shopping behaviors.

The age groups of respondents related to online purchases and involved in social media commerce are essentially divided along four main categories. Out of the four categories, maximum number of customers belongs to the age group 35 to 44 years.

The income groups of the respondents are reflected as follows.

The above illustration reflects that the maximum percentage of consumer respondents essentially belong to the weekly income category of 1500AUD to 1749AUD. They tend to account to around 40 percent of the respondents.

Hypotheses

The gender based categorization of the respondents is reflected as follows.

The above illustration reflects that the majority of the respondents essentially were women customers. The rate of female shoppers is found to be greater both in respect of physical and online shopping.

The above pie chart sets reflect that maximum of the respondents of around 40 and 20 percent reflected that they visited social media sites like Facebook and Twitter respectively. Following them were 14 percent respondents that showed their interest in visiting social media sites Instagram and LinkedIn. Finally, around 12 percent of the respondents reflected their interest in visiting Pinterest. Facebook thus ranks the highest visits of the web traffic followed by other social media sites. The reason for growth of visitor traffic to Facebook can be effectively understood by the following comments.

A customer reflected, ‘I tend to visit Facebook in that the same helps me to effectively interact with my friends and relatives living far away.’ Another customer noted, ‘Facebook helps me both in posting and also viewing different types of interactive posts like videos, podcasts and also a wide array of different pictures associated to an event, place or object.’

Likewise, the respondents also reflected on using Twitter, ‘We use Twitter for instantly sharing of different types of news feeds related to different issues with friends, colleagues and relatives. It helps in carrying out live-interactions with our known ones on issues impacting our personal and social lives’.

Regarding the use of social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest the respondents reflected, ‘We can upload, share and also save different pictures on Instagram and Pinterest such that the same can be accessed by us and others on our networks even after longer durations’.

The inferences gained from the tabular and graphical representation ideally reflect that the maximum number of respondents of around 46 percent reflected that they accessed the different social media sites for gaining needed information regarding new product/service launches, promotions and marketing campaigns and also for seeing the activities of the consumer brands. Further, these respondents also reflected that the social media sites were used by them to gain effective association with the diverse consumer brands. On the same note, around 44 percent of the respondents reflected that though in an infrequent fashion yet they also shared an inclination for visiting the social media platforms for gaining effective information regarding the consumer brands. Finally, only around 10 percent of the respondents reflected that they never visited the social media sites for gaining of commercial information. Rather they felt inclination in using the social media sites for seeing posts and also communicating with friends and relatives.

Data Collection

The maximum number of respondents reflected, ‘We visit our social media accounts in Facebook and Twitter for gaining new information regarding product or service brands. Different types of information associated to new launches, marketing and promotional campaigns and carried out by the firms inside and outside the retail formats and also of different events are searched by us by visiting the social media accounts. Similarly, news regarding offers and coupons are searched by us based on visiting the social media sites’. The respondents further stated, ‘We communicate with our near and dear ones regarding marketing and promotional offers seen by us. We then decide to make a program for dining in specific restaurants or visiting stores/brands that are providing rebates and discounts so that we can avail the benefit.’

The tabular and graphical illustrations depicted above potentially depict that maximum number of respondents of around 64 percent focused on procuring products and services by first gaining relevant information from the social media platforms. Information gained in the form of feedback offered to by the company and other users for the product/service helped them in making decisions for carrying out the purchase. Herein, a smaller number of respondents of around 24 percent reflected that they sometimes focused on visiting the social media platforms for gaining product information and also about consumer feedback for the product or service brands. Only a small population of respondents of around 12 percent reflected that they never depended on the information generated by the social media platforms for taking purchase decisions.

The maximum numbers of respondents reflected, ‘Before making our final purchase decisions we take resort in visiting the social media pages for the product or service brands and thereby tend to gain information by studying the testimonials of other customers or customer groups that have gained the product or service experiences. Information published by them regarding their personal experiences on availing the product or service helps use in making concerned decisions regarding purchases or rejections.’ The respondents further stated, ‘Facebook accounts to be an effective social media platform that hosts testimonials from different customers regarding diverse product or service brands. Positive testimonials generated by customers help others in deciding on making concerned purchases.’

The above pie chart and table reflect that maximum number of respondents of around 30 percent react on a positive note to the issue that they tend to get influenced by the direct links to product/service pages shared by the consumer brands on their social media pages. The respondents reflected that the direct links redirected them to concerned product/service pages thereby triggering conversions. Around 22 percent of the respondents reflected that they were somewhat influenced in terms of clicking the direct links and deciding on product/service purchases on visits to the relevant pages in the social media accounts. Only a small number of respondents of around 6 percent and another set of respondents around 12 percent negated or remained indifferent to the issue.

Data Analysis

The larger section of respondents stated, ‘The social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram hosts links to product or service pages of different companies. We tend to browse between different products reflected on the social media accounts by the different brands and thereby tap on the buy option for such which attract out interest. On tapping the buy option we are directly redirected to the product pages on the websites of the different brands for availing and choosing a payment option and thereby finalizing the concerned purchase’. They stated, ‘Social media are increasingly used by product and service brands for providing needed momentum to online purchasing activities.’

Conclusion

The analysis carried out in this section reflects that the Australian customers tend to visit a number of social media platforms for gaining information about product and service brands and also testimonials rendered by other customers. Information studied and evaluated on such accord helps them in making concerned purchases in an effective fashion.

In terms of visiting the social media sites, it is observed that a larger section of the Australians are addicted in gaining access to Facebook compared to other social media platforms. With the availability of Smartphone it has become easier for the people to access their intended social media sites in greater frequency than before. The same has triggered Facebook in opening up local offices in Australia for encouraging the growth of sales and advertising activities of allied consumer brands (Swan, 2017).  

An independent research carried out during 2017 reflect that on a cumulative note around 43 percent of the Australians tend to visit the social media platforms for gaining effective information associated to diverse consumer brands; for carrying out needed research based on studying of consumer testimonials for purchase of products and services and also for engaging with the consumer brands to gain needed customer services (Kettle, 2017).

A larger section of Australian consumers reflected that the different social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest help them in gaining significant information regarding product and service brands. The social media platforms also armed them with peer reviewed facts regarding usage of product or service brands and thus helped them in making their purchase decisions in an effective fashion (eMarketer, 2016).

Social media platforms like Instagram reflected that the generation of direct links to pages of product and service brands encourages around 200 million Instagram users to either follow different business profiles or to get potential updates from a specific product or service brand. The product or service brands tend to generate tags that help customers in directly visiting e-commerce sites for making direct purchases online or based on use of Snartphones (Koehn, 2018).

The study contributed in understanding the increasing and growing significance of social media platforms in influencing consumer mindset for procuring goods and services marketed by consumer brands. It thus reflects a potential opportunity for the consumer brand firms to exploit the social media platforms for targeting the right pattern of customers and thereby in generating greater sales.

The study can be enriched in a subsequent fashion based on understanding the fashion in which the social media platforms can be effectively used by consumer product and service companies for directly marketing their offerings to customers. It would thus reflect on the emergence of a new concept of social media consumerism thereby linking mobile and electronic commerce with social media platforms.

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