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Marketing-Research-Proposal-Group-3

Marketing Research (University of Melbourne)

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INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

MARKETING
RESEARCH
How social media affects consumer’s behavior?

Group 3

NGUYỄN HỒNG ANH THƯ BABAIU17157

TẠ THỊ THU HÀ BABAIU17114
VÕ TRẦN THÚY NGA BABAIU17162

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Abstract
This study examined the impact of social media platforms and brand awareness in relation to the consumer
decision-making and buying behavior patterns influenced by social media. It also depicts how companies can
effectively make use of social media platforms as marketing strategy tools in business performances. Social
media platforms seem to be increasingly and effectively bringing brand awareness and influence consumers’
purchase decision-making and later on realize repeat purchases that -bring about customer loyalty. Social media
also has some influence to both the consumer and the marketers and is becoming the most welcomed online
selling point by the millennial. Marketers/producers have noticed the rise in social media consumers; however,
most of the business entities have not yet utilized social media to its fullest in their marketing activities and
business strategies and performances. The study highlights the benefits of using social media platforms and
brand awareness strategies that can be utilized through the online social media systems and gives a
contemporary research gap, in how frequent businesses are engaging with social media.
Keywords: social media; consumer decision-making; information search; consumer behavior; consumer
satisfaction
Introduction
In todays’ globalized world, the communication technology has revolutionized all aspects of life, new
innovations are introduced. Social media is a typical example. Social media is playing an important role in
various ways such as social networking, e-mail marketing and advertising. Nowadays, establishing
communication processes through the widespread use of social media has created a significant transformation.
In business, organizations are using social media as an effective tool that has started to integrate system that
meet consumer’s demands. Forms of marketing through social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram are
influencing buying behavior. In this research study, how consumer’s behavior is affected through the use of
social media will be evaluated.

1.1 Research objectives:

 To analyze why, when and how social media has impacted on consumer’s behavior.
 To examine the factors that motivate consumers through social media.
 To enable companies in evaluating the marketing strategies to reach customers through social media.
 To find out what is the exact role of influence played by Social Media at the various stage of consumers’
purchasing decision-making process
1.2 Research questions:
 What perception do customers have through social media?
 What factors motivate customers to buy through social media?
 How have social media channels affected decision-buying behavior of customers?
 What is the role of social media in marketing?
1.3. Hypothesis:
Ho: The social media marketing has no effect on customer’s decisions.
H1: The social media marketing has significant effect on customer’s decisions.
2. Research Approach/Methodology

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Retrospective questioning through a questionnaire survey was chosen for the study. The research focuses on
complex purchases that require extended problem solving, where social media is more likely to be utilized. To
focus on complex buying, respondents were asked in the survey to think of a recent purchase situation
involving extended problem solving, such as the purchase of a computer, a mobile phone, a camera, or a vacation
package, and to recall the search activities undertaken during decision-making.
Respondents were then asked whether or not they had used social media in their decision-making. Those
answering ‘no’ were marked as the ‘no social media group’. Those answering ‘yes’ were further asked to specify
how much social media helped them. If social media contributed 30% or less towards their decision-making, and
they had to seek out other information sources, the respondents were marked as the ‘no social media group’.
The rest were all classified as the ‘social media group’. Both groups were directed to basically the same
questions customized according to their media sources (social media or other). The questions measured the
same concepts in the different contexts, and differed only very little in their wording.
As indicated previously, the need recognition stage is not considered; therefore, information search is named
here the first stage, alternative evaluation the second stage, and purchase decision as the third stage. The post-
purchase stage is regarded as the outcome of these three stages.
Information source utility is measured here through the attributes of accuracy and reliability of information.
For personal factors, besides the basic questions like age and gender, respondents were asked about their
internet usage habits (time spent on internet per day, proficiency in using social media, and participation in
online discussions). Product factors are not considered as the research focuses on complex purchases.
Consumers’ emotional experiences differ for the different stages, with varying levels of emotions like anxiety,
joy, trust and confidence felt during each stage (Powers et al., 2012). Questions to measure the satisficing and
maximizing tendencies of respondents were taken from Schwartz et al. (2002), with their wordings slightly
adjusted to make them more in tune with the times. Additionally, questions were formulated to measure the ‘herd
behavior’ tendencies of the respondents through the importance placed on the opinions of family and friends,
and of other people. Information quality and quantity are among factors that affect decision quality and were
measured for social media users. At the end of each stage, respondents were asked about their satisfaction with,
and their quality ratings for, the stage. For the final post-purchase evaluation, the survey asked about the
overall satisfaction with the purchase, and the perceived quality of the product or service purchased.
The survey was conducted through an online questionnaire created with Google Forms in two languages:
English and Viet. Convenience sampling with snowballing (requested forwarding) was used to distribute the
online questionnaire through e-mails and social media channels (Facebook and Twitter). Respondents who
could not be reached through these channels were personally contacted and asked to fill out the questionnaire
on a tablet computer.

3. Method to collect data

The selection of data collection methods is one of the important elements in marketing research project. Data
can be collected through primary data as well as secondary data
a) Primary data is information is obtained by first hand sources by means of survey
- Personal interview: interviewer to ask questions generally in face to face contact to the other
person instead of writing the response. Through interview method, the interviewee responses to
these and the interviewer can take various information. The subjects will answer general
questions about their presence in social media. For instance "Do you have an account on any
social media?", “What do you use social media for?” or “Do you buy products through ads”.
Subjects can be on-campus students, housewives and family members. However, it is a time
consuming method.
- Questionnaire: distribution of questionnaire to the target who are expected to read, understand
and reply on their own. It consists of a number of questions printed on a typed in a definite order
on a form on set of forms. Submit the questionnaire form to study groups, consumer groups and
shopping groups on Facebook. This is a low cost and highly widespread method.

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b) Secondary is the data that have been already collected and available from other sources. Secondary can
be collect data via published sources such as technical and trade journals; Reports of various companies
and products and Statistical documents. Moreover, majority of data will be collected through Internet as
Google and other search engines

4. Scheduling / Plan (timeline)

No. Tasks Starting date Ending date Staff
1 Drawing draft for project, discuss with 10/03/2020 13/03/2020 All
teacher
2 Complete proposal research/ submitting to 13/03/2020 15/03/2020 All
teacher
3 Feedback from teacher and fixing 16/03/2020 17/03/2020 All
proposal
4 Drawing draft for survey 17/03/2020 18/03/2020 All
5 Collecting data/ Submitting to teacher 18/03/2020 05/04/2020 All
6 Analyzing data and repair report 06/04/2020 04/05/2020 All
presentation
7 Rehearsal and submitting report 05/05/2020 05/05/2020 All
presentation

5. Scope of the research:

This project is conducting from the perspective of consumers with an aim to gaining a better understanding in
the way social media marketing through customers. This will not mean as to help customers to identify or
realize the reasons social media has changed their behavior, life.
For more than that, by the way of collecting data from consumer’s point of view, the marketer will find out the
potential ways they can get into the decision making process via social media sites of customers. So this project
will only focuses on the behavior of individuals.
 To access the customer behavior through social media, response of customers regarding the social
marketing strategies launched by the companies.
 To focus only on Social Media Marketing without considering any other kind of marketing or comparing
to any king in the whole marketing are.
Reference
https://esource.dbs.ie/bitstream/handle/10788/3288/ma_chitharanjan_a_2016.pdf?sequence=1

https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/62367/Lee_Ethel.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

file:///C:/Users/Chris/Downloads/3912-Article%20Text-11768-1-10-20180318.pdf

https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/SJME-03-2018-007/full/html?
fbclid=IwAR0T45peuTcZtcmM8EkjvYVywR2mbpQKU2ANhjpjpQO4lFNQoRumwfKDgg8

https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/marketing/2015/05/how-social-media-influences-consumer-
buying.html?fbclid=IwAR2dLFDrkInvMgcNAOIGHpvrP7QS8-nltChYs4DBhyltDoxL9hBu22Coyrw

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