Professional Documents
Culture Documents
( RESEARCH METHODOLOGY )
In view of the growing number of internet users, the factors of social media
that influence the purchase intention of customers need to be explored.
Among those customers, youth is the one that using social media
frequently than other categories. From that point of view, social media are
being considered as important elements in marketing tools as the function
and demand is increasing. Social media obviously can affect the customer
buying decisions, however there are little studies about its impacts to the
customer buying decisions especially in Malaysia.
It seems clear that we are currently living in the midst of the boom
of the use of social media. Social networks such as Facebook with some
400 million active members represent a larger community than most
individual countries. But research is somewhat lagging behind this rapid
development, and it is difficult to find relevant up to date studies on how
social media are to be part of the branding process, how this relates to the
strategy that companies have with the use of social media.
purchase intention means consumer will buy a product once again after she or he
evaluates a product and finds
out that the product worth buying. While consumers select one particular
product, the final decision on accepting a product to buy or rejecting it depends
on consumers intention. Also, a large number of external factors have
Why Teenagers ?
The uses and gratifications theory is built around the idea that audiences are
active and goal oriented, not just passive recipients of information. The need to
link gratification and media choice rests with the individual who ultimately has a
variety of alternative options of need satisfaction available. Gratification can be
described as a positive emotional response to having ones desires or goals
fulfilled. Using gratification as measure of success while researching online
communities it is possible to identify how members use of online communities
can influence their brand loyalty and intent to purchase. Gratification can be
difficult to measure because it is in large part an emotion in which each user will
experience at different levels (Sangwan, 2005). Community engagement refers to
the positive influences of identifying with the brand community, which are
defined as the consumers intrinsic motivation to interact and cooperate with
community members. Community engagement suggests that members are
interested in helping other members, participating in joint activities, and
otherwise acting in ways that the community endorses and that enhance its
value for themselves and others. Social Interaction/User-Participation is referred
to as Taking part, one participates when one has contributed to something
either directly or indirectly to the community (Vroom and Jago, 1988).
Hagel and Armstrong (1997) stated that, "those businesses that capitalize
on organizing virtual communities will be richly rewarded with both peerless
customer loyalty and impressive economic returns" (p. 2). A site that supports an
active "critical mass" of involved consumers can be a valuable information
resource (Hanson, 2000). Holland & Baker (2001) discovered that site users who
became community members increased the length of time spent on the site,
returned more often, and generated more activity (as measured by community
postings) compared to users who were not community members. A survey of site
users indicated that community members were more likely to visit the site daily
and refer others to it. Additionally, Holland & Baker (2001) refer to a Yankee
Group Report in which a survey of companies implementing a community
strategy showed an increase in brand loyalty. In addition to brand loyalty the
survey indicated that across a variety of websites, online shoppers who are
community members buy at a much higher rate than non-members (p. 43).
Using the uses and gratification theory Sangwan (2005) explored the
success of online communities. This research focused on identifying what factors
motivate members to participate in an online community. Using an online
community of knowledge Sangwan proposed five categories of uses gratifications
cognitive, affective, personal integrative, social integrative and tension release
needs. Sangwan identified that, For virtual community users, spatial convenience
of information gathering and sharing, reducing time in receiving information by
choice, increased pleasure by ownership of actions and improved decision
making, and by being part of a larger knowledgeable community can be seen as
critical needs gratifications outputs. (p. 4)
Brand Loyalty
Intent to purchase
2.1 Does engagement in social media means that the user has the intention to
purchase
the brand ?
2.2 Why do teenagers involve with brand engagement social media activities ?
2.3 What is the role of brand loyalty on consumers engagement with purchase
intention
REFERENCES
Abdolrazagh Madahi & Inda Sukati, The Effect of External Factors on Purchase
Intention amongst Young Generation in Malaysia, International Business
Research; Vol. 5, No. 8; 2012
Cathy, B., & Vincent, W. M. (2006). Male versus female consumer decision making
styles. Journal of Business Research, 59, 1297-1300.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2006.09.008
Fon, S. O. J., Philip, K., & Ata, T. J. (2008). Consumption patterns and silver
marketing: an analysis of older consumers in Malaysia. Marketing Intelligence &
Planning, 26(7), 682-698. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02634500810916663
Martin,C.A.andBush,A.J.
(2000b),VicariousrolemodelinfluenceonAfricanAmericanand
Caucasianadolescentspurchaseintentions,availableat:www.sbaer.uca.edu/resear
ch/swma/2000/28.pdf(accessed15March,2008)4