INTRODUCTION

With the advancement of Technology and Internet, traditional electronic and print

media has shifted to social media. In present generation, the readership of printed

newspapers, journals, magazines and billboard has dropped significantly. The

main reason for this is the increase in the invention and massive use of internet.

With the use of WWW any one can become publisher and send his message across

the globe with very low cost.

Now a days most of the companies are using social media tools for promoting their

products and services, making online sales, attracting potential customers,

connecting with buyers and sellers and so on. Also with the advancement of

Smartphone it becomes very easy for the sellers to connect with the buyers and

vice-versa. They use their opinion, views, feeling, attitude, experience towards

usage of products and services. Also, social media provide consumers the

opportunity to compare prices, features, quality of different products and services

of the same kind, they can also compare the reviews of different consumers of the

particular product before the purchase.

The concept of social media is top of the agenda for many business executives

today, so firms try to identify ways in which they can make profitable use of

applications such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Linkedln. Each social media

application usually attracts a certain group of people and firms should be active

wherever their customers are present. Thus, social media can be an important

marketing tool for companies to engage with their customers. In a competitive

environment, businesses can use social media as a communications tool to attract

their customers and reach their target group with low costs and effective

messages.”

Mangold and Faulds (2009) additionally propose that "internet based life has

significant impacts on each phase of customer basic leadership forms including

data securing, brand mindfulness, buy conduct and post-buy correspondence and

assessment. These days shoppers trust more client audits and online customer

suggestions via web-based networking media sites instead of conventional media

before settling on a buy choice.

The customers' remarks about an item on an internet based life stage produce

negative and positive virtual messages and these messages influence their

acquiring choice".
1.1 SOCIAL MEDIA

USERS (billion)
2.5

1.5

0.5

0
Facebook YouTube WhatsApp Facebook Instagram
Messenger

Graph – Popular social media tools as of January 2019

1.1.1 DIFFERENT FORMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA :

I. BLOGS :

Blogs are personal pages of social networking tool where the content writer

writes his or her own article about any topic.

ii. REVIEWS AND RATING SITES :

Reviews and rating sites allows consumers to rate companies product or

services based on their experiences. Most common example of this sites is

Review centre.

iii. FORUMS:

Forums are like yahoo group and google group they make their own forum for

discussion.

iv. SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES :

 Social networking sites are most common among the social media tools. Social

networking sites enables sending and receiving personal message and

socializing with families and friends.

1.3 CONSUMER VIRTUAL PURCHASING BEHAVIOUR :

1.3.1 Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) :

Theory of reasoned action was formed by Icek Ajzen and Martin Fishbein in 1975.

It clarify the connection between human activity and their conduct and frames of

mind. It clarifies how people will follow up based on their expectations and

existing demeanours (Mishra et al., 2014). The primary goal of the theory is to

comprehend the conduct of people by assessing the profound lying social aim to

complete an activity. This theory clarifies the conduct aim contingent upon three

key components; attitude of individuals, subjective norms and individual’s

perceived control of the behaviour.

Attitude of individuals :

Subjective norms :

Individual’s perceived control of the behaviour :

“Describes the individual’s perception on the ability that individual possesses to

do a specific behaviour”

1.3.2 Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)

TPB is the expansion of the TRA. This theory clarifies that the essential

components of the TRA, for example, perceived control of the behaviour,

subjective norms and intentions impact the intention to follow the behaviour

(Kautonen et al., 2015).

For instance, if a client has the emotional standard, right frame of mind and

conduct expectation to purchase from on the web, they may have a social

purpose of purchasing. But it is not essential the purchaser will purchase online

as they probably don’t know about online instalment process.

Figure- Planned behaviour theory of online consumer behaviour

1.3.3 Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

TAM has been created by Fred Davis based on the Theory of Reasoned Action.

Moreover, this model is organized to anticipate how clients will acknowledge

and apply new innovation like online business (Marangunić and Granić, 2015).

This model has been figured to recognize the agreeableness of the innovation

and play out the alterations to guarantee that it is adequate to the clients. This
model likewise clarifies the way that adequacy to clients is reliant on two key

factors, for example, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Usability

mirrors the standard to which individuals trust that they can utilize the

framework easily. In addition, helpfulness traces the standard to which

individuals trust that they would almost certainly increment their exhibition

with the utilization of framework.

Figure- TAM of online consumer behaviour (Marangunić & Granić, 2015)

1.4 FACTORS INFLUNCING ONLINE PURCHASING DECISSION:

Online purchase decision is determined by the internal as well as the external

factors.

1.4.1 INTERNAL FACTORS INFLUENCING ONLINE PURCHASE

DECISION

i. Ease of use

E-Commerce company provides wide variety of products with many options based

on consumer satisfaction level (Gong et al., 2013). The fact that consumers had the

option of selecting wide range of products easily from their home is a huge

advantage which influence the online purchasing decision.

ii. Previous Experience

Users previous experience with other e-tailer also influence the consumer current

purchasing decision (Wu, 2013). If the consumers have good previous experience

then it influence the online purchasing behaviour.

iii. Personal Traits

Personal traits reflect the attitudes, self-image and perception of the consumers.

The attitude of the consumers’ outlines if the consumer believes in having the feel-

good factor through brick and mortar outlets prior to purchasing. Self-image

illustrates the image that the individual carries and what they consider themselves

once it involves on-line looking. The perception of the shoppers additionally holds

important price because it goes to influence their on-line getting call.

iv. Time management

In the event that the purchasers face a scarcity of time, at that point they are

probably going to settle on web based looking for their required items or

administrations (Gong et al., 2013). Then again, in the event that they are not

bound by whenever requirements they may choose both physical outlets and web

based shopping.
1.4.2 EXTERNAL FACTORS INFLUENCING ONLINE PURCHASE

DECISION

i. Service quality

A buyer is pulled in toward specific merchandise and administration dependent on

the nature of the item ((Malik and Guptha, 2013). In the event that the

administration quality does not coordinate with the normal standard of the shopper

then it will impact their purchasing decision.

ii. Easy payment option

Payment option have been never so easy with internet business firms adjusting

various procedures viewing instalment choices, for example, COD, EMI choices,

instalment through net banking, apathetic pay choices and so on (Wu et al., 2014).

iii. Easy accessibility

The accessibility facilitate by most of the e-commerce platform like one click

purchase, easy payment are main the main drivers that influence consumer

purchasing decision (Chocarro et al., 2013).

iv. Consumers reviews and recommendations

The reviews and ratings given by other consumers to a particular product will also

influence consumer purchasing decision (Jiménez & Mendoza, 2013). Positive

reviews of the product makes a positive image of it and helps consumers in

decision making.

2.2 NEED AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY

2.2.2 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study will focus on the impact of social networking media

platform on consumer purchasing behavior with particular reference to the students

of Mizoram University. It focuses on studying the impact of social media on

students purchasing decision. This will help the marketers in making better

strategies and understand various aspects of social media in purchasing decision of

consumers. It reflects how consumers decide to purchase from online and

highlight the factors that occur during pre, actual purchase and post purchase

stage. Business will benefit by making appropriate strategies that makes consumers

to spend more time on the organizations website or advertisement in organization

social media to make the actual purchase.

2.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

i. To analyse the social media impact on purchasing decision.

ii. To study the attitudes of MZU students towards social media.
iii. To identify the factors influencing in online purchasing decision among
the students of Mizoram university.
iv. To find the role of social media in pre-purchase, purchase and post
purchase decision.
 CHAPTER – 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research is based on the primary as well as secondary data. Primary data are

those data which are collected for the first time and are also known as raw data.

The primary data are collected through questionnaire which consist of 21 multiple

choice questions and are distributed to the 100 respondents of the students of

Mizoram University. The respondents are selected based on the convenience

sampling. Secondary data are those data which is collected by some one else other

than the user.

3.1 PRIMARY DATA

The data were collected through questionnaires (closed end questions) among the

100 respondents of students of Mizoram University.

3.2. SECONDARY DATA

The secondary data were collected from literature, websites, journals, articles in

concerned fields.
SELECTION OF SAMPLE

The sample were selected randomly among the students of Mizoram University.

SAMPLE SIZE

The sample size is 100.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

The sampling technique is convenience sampling.

A convenience sampling is a type of non-probability sampling method

where the sample is taken from a group of people easy to contact of to reach. There

is no other criteria to the sampling method except that people be available and

ready to participate.

3.3. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES USED FOR ANALYSIS

Descriptive Statistics such as percentage and tabulation were used with the help of

Microsoft Excel.
 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

In this chapter, we will be knowing the different responses from the respondents

regarding their online purchasing behaviour and the role social media played

during their online purchase. The questionnaires are provided to them to collect the

required data for the dissertation.

4.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE SAMPLE

4.1.1 GENDER

44 Male
56 Female

INFERENCE

Table 1. gives the details of which gender does the respondent belong. As indicated

by the table, male carries 44% and female carries 56%. So, we can conclude that

female carries the highest weight age of percentage.

4.1.2 AGE

Age of the resondent

50 43
40
21
30 29
20
10
0 7
18- 22 Years
22-26 Years
26-30 Years
More than
30 Years

INFERENCE

Table 2 shows the age of respondents. 43% were the age of 22-26, 29% comprised

the age of 26-30, 21% consist of 18-22 years, while the least represented were the

age of more than 30 years with only 7% as shown in Figure 2.

4.1.3 SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE

SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE

1
7
20
Less than 6 months
6 months to 1 year

72 1 to 2 Years
More than 2 years

Figure 3: Social media usage of the respondents

INFERENCE

72% of the respondents are using social media from last 2 years, 20% are using

from last 1-2 years and remaining 7% are using from last 6 months to 1 year and

only 1% are using from last 6 months.

4.1.4 HOURS PER DAY YOU SPEND ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Time spend on social media

1.2
1.4
Less than 1 hour

3.2 1-2 hours

8.2
2-3 hours
More than 3 hours

Figure 4: Time spend on social media

INFERENCE

As shown in the table 4, 43% of the respondents use social media 2-3 hours in day,

23% are using more than 3 hours in a day and 17% are using 1-2 hours and also

17% are using less than 1 hour in day.

4.1.5 SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS

 Social media tools
Whatsapp
Instagram
Google+
Linkedin
Facebook
Twitter

0 10 20
30
40
50

Table5: Different social media tools used by the respondents

INFERENCE

As shown in the table5 41% of the respondents are using whatsapp, 22% are

using instagram whereas 20% are using face book whereas only 6% are using

twitter. Other social media like linkedin, google+ are also preferred.

4.1.6 PURPOSE OF USING SOCIAL MEDIA

 PURPOSE OF USING SOCIAL MEDIA

Socializing

Information

For online offers and discounts on products

Exchanging view about the product and

services

Connecting with families and friends

0 10 20 30 40 50

Figure 6: Purpose of using social media

INFERENCE

The study revealed that among the respondents 48% are using social media for

connecting with friend and families, 21% are using for information search, 18%

are using for socialising, 9% are using it for exchanging view about the product

and only 4% are use it for online offers and discount on products.
4.2 BRAND ENGAGEMENT

4.2.1 BRAND FOLLOWING

26

Yes
No
74

INFERENCE

74% of the respondents follows brand on social media.

4.2.2 REASONS TO FOLLOW BRANDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

 Reasons to follow a brand

You are a current customer of the brand 7

To communicate with the brand 19

Loyality towards brands 8

Brand information 44

Promotional offers and discounts 22

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

INFERENCE

As shown the figure7 there are several different reasons for following a brand on

social media. Among all the respondents 44% follow brand for getting brand

information, 22% follow because of promotional offer and discounts, 19% follow

to connect with the brand, 8% follow because of the loyalty towards the brand and

7% follow because they are the present customer of the brand.

4.2.3 RECOMMEND A BRAND TO FOLLOW AFTER YOU ARE BEING

FOLLOWER
 Brand recommendation

20
Yes, depends on the brand
No
I don’t know

71

Figure 8: Brand recommendation

INFERENCE

As shown in the figure 8, 71% of the respondents recommend a brand to their

friends based on the brand type, 20% don’t recommend the brands to their friends

after being a follower of the brand.

4.3 NEED RECOGNITION

4.3.1 MOST INFLUENT INFORMATION CHANNELS ON CONSUMERS

 INFLUENT INFORMATION CHANNELS ON CONSUMERS

Posters 8

Radio ads 6

Social Media 42

T.V 39

Newspaper 5

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Figure 9: Influent information channels on consumers

INFERENCE

As shown in the figure 9, 42% respondents have select social media as most

influential tool. followed by T.V adds with 39%. Then comes Poster, Radio ads

and Newspaper with 8%, 6% and 5% respectively.

4.3.2 NEED RECOGNITION OF CONSUMERS

 Need recognition of consumers
50 46
45
40
35 31
30
25
20
15 12
10 6
5
5
0
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor Disagree Strongly diagree
diagree

Figure 10: Need recognition of consumers based on their friends activity on social

networking sites

INFERENCE

As shown in the figure 10, 46% of the consumers agree with the statement that

they recognise a need based on their friends activity on social networking sites,

while 31% neither agree nor disagree with the above statement and 6% strongly

disagree with the above statement.

4.3.3 NEED RECOGNITION BECAUSE OF FRIENDS ACTIVITRY

 Categories of product consumer could recognise a need

Travel 8

Health and beauty products 27

Household appliances 11

Electronics 13

Clothes 41

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Figure 11: Categories of product or services consumer could recognize a need

INFERENCE

There are different categories for which consumer their needs based on their friend

activity on social networking sites. As shown in the figure 11, 41% consumes

ranked clothes as their firs category, health and beauty products (27%), Electronic

products (13%), Household appliances (11%) and travel services (8%).

4.4 INFORMATION SEARCH

 26 Yes
No

74

INFERENCE

As shown in the figure 12, 74% of the consumers use social media for getting

information about the products/services..

4.5 EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES

4.5.1 USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR COMPARING PRODUCTS

 32

Yes

68 No

INFERENCE

As shown in the figure 68% of the consumers use social media to compare the

products and service

4.5.2 DO CONSUMER SEEK OPINIONS BEFORE PURCHASE?

 60

53
50

40

30 To friends
To people you don’t know
24
20

13
10
8

2
0
Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always

INFERENCE

As shown in the figure 15, 53% of the consumers never seek opinions from the

people they don’t know before making purchase whereas 31% of the consumers

sometimes seek their friends opinion before making purchase decision.

4.5.3 TRUST LEVELS

 Figure 16: Trust levels in friends reviews an

45
39
40

35
31
30

25 22
20 17
15
11
10

0
Strongly disagree Disagree Neither disagree Agree Strongly agree
nor agree
d

INFERENCE

As shown in the figure 16, 39% of the respondent agrees with the statement that

they trust the reviews and comments on products or services in social media and

11% disagree with the above statement.

4.5.4 IMPACT REVIEWS IN PURCHASING DECISSION

 Positive review

13
12 9 Strongly disagree
Disagree
41 25
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree

Negative review

2
12 4
16
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
66
Strongly agree

INFERENCE
As shown in the figure17 and 18, 41% of the respondents agree with the statement

that positive reviews on social networking sites impact on their purchasing

decision while 66% also agrees that negative review also impact in their

purchasing decision. So, the study revealed that most of the consumers prefers the

products which have positive reviews and comments on it.

4.6 PURCHASING DECISSION

4.6.1 CHANCES OF PURCHASE AFTER READING POSITIVE REVIEW

1
Always
2

3
Frequently
13

14 Negative review
Sometimes
51
Positive review

54
Rarely
31

28
Never
3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

INFERENCE
As shown in the figure19, 51% of the respondents said they they sometimes

purchased after reading positive reviews ion social media.

4.6.2 CHANCES OF PURCHASE AFTER CLICKING A ADD ON SOCIAL

MEDIA

Likelihood to purchase after clicking a add

2 6
15

Always
Most often
Sometimes
35 Rarely
Never
33

INFERENCE

From the figure 20, it shows that 35% of the respondents sometimes purchase a

product after clicking a advertisement on social media, 33% rarely purchased, 15%
never purchased, 6% most often purchased and only 2% always purchased the

product.

4.7 POST PURCHASE DECISSION

4.7.1 LIKELIHOOD TO WRITE OR RATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER

THE PUCHASE

60 51
50
40
30 27

20 18
10
0 3
2
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Always

INFERENCE

Figure 21 revealed that the most of the respondents (51%) never rate or write a

review about the product or services after the purchase, 27% rarely write or rate
their experiences, 18% sometimes write their review and only 2% always write the

review after the purchase.

4.7.2 LIKELIHOOD TO SHARE OPINIONS ABOUT PRODUCTS WITH

FRIENDS AFTER A PURCHASE

35
33
31
30
27
26
25
23
20 20
19
18 When satisfied
15 When not satisfiede

10

5
2
1
0
Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always

INFERENCE

As shown in the figure23, 27% of the respondents said they sometimes share their

experience about product after purchase when satisfied against 26%when not

satisfied. 19% says that they will frequently share experiences when satisfied while
3%when not satified. 23% of the respondents said that they will rarely share

experience when satisfied while 29% rarely share when they are not satisfied.

4.7.3 HOW MANY TIMES YOU HAVE POSTED GRIEVANCE/

COMPLAINTS ON THE WEBSITE OR SECIAL NETWORLING SITES?

42
Always
58 Sometimes
Never

INFERENCE

The study shows that among all the respondents majority of the respondents (58%)

sometimes post grievances or complaints after the purchase while in against 42%

of the respondents never post any complaints about the product or services.
 FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION

5.1 FINDINGS

1. Majority of the respondents are females (56%)

2. It has been observed that among the entire respondents majority (43%) of the

respondents belongs to the age group of 22-26 years.

4. 43% of the respondents are using social media 2-3 hours in a day.

5. It has been found that most preferred social media tools among the respondents

are Whatsapp followed by Instagram.

6. It has been found that majority of the respondents are using social media for

connecting with friends and families and only 9% of the respondents are use it for

exchanging view about the product and services..

8. It has been found that 46% of the respondents agrees that they recognise a need

by seeing their friends displaying or talking about a product on social media and

mostly they recognise need for clothing products.

9. It has been found that 74% of the respondents use social media for getting

information about product or services and among all the social media tools review

sites is most preferred one for getting information.

12. Among all the respondents 39% of the respondents trust the reviews posted by

friends on social media for a particular product.

13. 41% of the respondents agrees that the positive review on a product influence

their purchasing decision.

15. It has been found that 35% of the respondents sometimes purchase after

clicking a add on social media sites.

17. It has been found that 31% of the respondents share their opinions about the

product when they are satisfied and 33% share it when they are not satisfied.

18. It has been found that majority of the respondents sometimes registered a

complaint or grievance on social media sites and 42% of the respondent never

registered a complain.
5.3 CONCLUSION

Toward the finish of this research, it is recommended that internet based life got

especially notoriety in a decade ago and its clients are expanding in all respects

quickly. Presently ordinary citizens are utilizing Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp

and other media for reason of excitement and socialization as well as for business

contact. There are various social sites which give stage and chance to a huge

number of individuals over the globe to convey in less expensive, quicker and

simple way. Consequently, generally individuals visit informal organizations all

around much of the time and get associated with one another. Alongside people

client, presently advertisers, makers, merchants and organizations are utilizing

internet based life to advance their items, urging purchaser to purchase their items,

expanding brand mindfulness, brand reliability, brand trust and at last boost their

benefits. Organizations additionally getting criticism from buyer on the web and

after that build up their promoting blend appropriately.

This study is significant, as it essentially adding to comprehend that how web

based life effect on decisions, frame of mind and conduct of buying and purchasing

choice of students of Mizoram University. In addition, to see all the more

profoundly, comparison has been made among male and female purchasers.
Comparison has appeared there is contrast in use example of online life among

people, it might be because of their diverse way of life and expectation for

everyday comforts.

At last, it is proposed that advertising supervisor ought to receive progressed

advanced showcasing devices utilizing web-based social networking to pull in their

potential clients, as these strategies are shabby, snappy and viable as contrast with

out-dated promoting systems.