A Study on the Impact of Social Media on Consumer Buying Behaviour of Mobile Phones in Chennai

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the impact of social media on consumer buying behavior. The primary purpose of this research is to identify the effect of social media on consumer buying decisions. Social Media have given many opportunities to consumers in adapting to different aspects of life. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have played significant roles in expanding consumer’s online purchases. This paper aims to know which consumers are mostly influenced by the online purchase of mobile through social media and the kinds of social media that are employed mainly by consumers in Chennai. The research carried out primary research methods and questionnaire to investigate the impact of social media sites on the user’s changing behavior who aim to purchase online. The target of the research is to elucidate why, when, and the way social media has impacted on the consumer decision process. The theoretical framework rests on the literature of the consumer decision-making process, social media, and previous studies relating to social media marketing. The quantitative research method is tailored to the aim of this research. The empirical data was gathered by sending out an opinion poll to individuals. The study explains how individuals are attending processing and selecting the knowledge on social media before a sale. The findings indicate that individuals pursue an active role in information search on social media comparing to mass media. Yet, information exposure is selective and subjective during knowledge search. Results show that social media usage influences consumer satisfaction within the stages of data search and alternative evaluation, with happiness getting amplified. The consumer moves along the method towards the ultimate purchase decision and post-purchase evaluation.