“

Name :- MOHAMMAD RAZA

Registration no :- KU2021018052
University Roll no :- 220705438208
College Roll no :- 152
Semester :- VI
Submission Year :- 2024

Dr. MITU AHUJA

 Certificate
The foregoing project report entitled “INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR” a bonafide record of project done by
MOHAMMAD RAZA. Reg No. KU2021018052, University Roll No:-
220705438208, is approved as a creditable study of project topic and has been
presented in satisfactory manner to warrant its acceptance as prerequisite to the
degree for which it has been submitted. It is understood that by this approval, the
undersigned do not necessarily endorse any conclusion drawn or opinion
expressed there in, but approved the project report for the purpose for which it is
submitted.

Dr. MITU AHUJA

Project guide
I express my deep sense of gratitude and indebtedness to my project supervisor

Dr. MITU AHUJA, for providing precious guidance, inspiring discussions and

constant supervision throughout the course of this work. His timely help,

constructive criticism and conscientious efforts made it possible to present the

work contained in this project. I am also thankful to our H.O.D Dr. V.K. MISHRA,

for his help during my project work. My sincere thanks to all faculty members of

Commerce who helped directly or indirectly in the completion of this project. Last

but not least I feel pleasure and privileged to fulfill my parent’s ambition and I am

greatly indebted to them for bearing the inconvenience during my B. Com Course.
Social media is one of the greatest platforms to connect people around the world and it
has become a vital component of the marketing process in Bangladesh. Due to the
penetration on internet, social media have become a vibrant industry for marketing and
communicating any product or services to target consumers. Businesses are using the
services of social media extensively and are increasing day by day throughout the world.
Using of social media, the e- commerce sectors in Bangladesh can gradually become an
online giant business and reach their consumers very quickly. By leveraging the social
media technology, companies in Bangladesh can attract more consumers efficiently and
effectively.
The true goal of this study is to determine the impact that social media has on
Bangladeshi consumers' decision-making processes. This research also discusses the
concept of contemporary Bangladesh, how social media influences consumer
purchasing behavior, and how social media is affecting online, internet-based, and
social media businesses, among other things.
We attempted to locate relevant data using a qualitative approach in our paper. This
study adheres to the primary data collection mode and is entirely dependent on the
information gathered.
Customers' total purchasing behavior is significantly influenced by social media at each
phase. The major reasons are that social media provides convenience to users, allows
them to choose from a selection of items or services they require, and allows them to
compare alternatives.
SL
No. PARTICULARS PAGE No.

1. Introduction to Social Media. 06-11

2. Literature Review. 12-15
3. Consumer Buying Behaviors. 16-23
4. Conceptual Framework. 24-25

5. Research Methodology. 26-36

6. Survey Analysis and Discussion. 37-40
7. Conclusion And Further Implication. 41-42

8. Limitations of Research & Suggestions to the Future. 43-44

9. References. 45
Social media marketing is crucial, because it is one of the most effective tools and
techniques in any form of advertisement. Any businessman's main goal is to
maximize the amount of sale articles using different marketing methods and
strategies, as is well known. Without a question, it will help a variety of
businesses increase their profits. The primary goal of this research is to determine
how social media marketing can influence final consumer behavior among people
who often use social media platforms, as well as to determine the predicted
relationships between different social media marketing practices, customer
activities, and consumer behavior.

The implementation of Social Media platforms is continually evolving to meet the

social needs of internet users, while also increasing the potential for corporations
to market their goods and services in a tailored manner. In the past, social media
has played a critical role in influencing consumer perceptions during the
purchasing process. Organizations cannot overlook the growing value of social
networking sites in terms of customer behavior and the impact they have on it.

The political system at the location where goods are distributed and bought
online has evolved as a result of social media. It describes their mindset and
potential position in business marketing strategy, as well as various approaches to
handling them as marketing methods and techniques. The passive emphasis is on
how social media is affecting customer behavior, while the aggressive focus is on
using social media ads as direct marketing and personalization tools. The use of
social websites by all users has largely grown in the digital century, and these
consumers' use of social networking websites has had a significant impact on
them in a variety of ways. To grasp this, consider how the internet, with its

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proliferation and diversity of content, has made a significant contribution to the

evolving lifestyle. Adoption of the internet and mobile marketing, as well as

evidence that electronic marketing adoption or denial is guided by sound
customer behavior. The use of the internet is spreading through virtually the
entire globe. It is more widely used due to simple payment choices, lower
hardware costs, low-cost internet communication, and dependable infrastructure.

Over the last five years, social media has transformed the way businesses conduct
business using machines online, and as a result, social media marketing has
earned its own name in the business community. There are numerous online
social networking sites that influence customer behavior. YouTube, Instagram,
Blogposts, Facebook, Wikipedia, Pinterest, and Twitter are only a few examples.
Now a days, nearly all ages of users use social media, including college students,
working- class residents, and even the elderly. Social networking sites are used by
millions of new young people. In today's world, social media has evolved into a
powerful mechanism that consumers can use to make purchasing decisions.
Consumers' lives have been altered by technological advancements.

Today we are living in 21stcentury, it is very difficult for the consumers to spend
time on purchasing the product because of busy schedule. Now a days users are
acquiring followers and subscribers giving information by social media how to
purchase the goods online without wasting time to go personally. Consumers may
obtain information not only about businesses, but also about the companies,
through Social Networking Sites. Even social media is assisting customers in
purchasing products by interaction, which means that consumers and other
players such as companies, consumers, culture, and businesspeople are actors
rather than spectators. As a result, customers have the option to change their
minds before buying any product online.

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  Background of the study
This section is trying to focus on the core points and the main monograph of
the research. At present, social media has become an essential part of
businesses conducting promotional activities. Nowadays, social media services
are used and deployed widely in every industry all around the globe. The online
business enterprises will fleetly reach an outsized variety of Bangladeshi
customers by adopting the digital platform route. The social media business in
Bangladesh creates an opportunity to have interaction directly with customers
that gains them a lot of efficiency and effectivity. Most companies currently
utilize social media to higher perceive customers' attitudes relating to online
searching Through this exposure, businesses will simply have interaction with
their customers. Furthermore, the study also defines the social media
platforms and their roles by analyzing whether the platforms can create more
interest and more engagement or not.

There are more than 470 million social media users in India as per the report
published by oosga.com. Firms will increasingly enhance their productivity by
exploiting the large horizon of customers with the help of social media.
Consequently, all firm are trying to attract such huge mass of customers with
which their business's productivity can possibly escalate. Therefore, the
significance of this analysis are immiscible.

 Problem Statement
Social networks became a major element for promoting any product or
services for the businesses and management. Online businesses are currently

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partaking customers with the help of social media by fostering awareness and
peaking up the success of companies within online sector. The initial
hypothesis suggests that the customers are well prepared in relating to the
present market trends. Thanks to the social media companies that made the
service convenient and attractive for which customers are more and more
needing to purchase acceptable things from online enterprises.

The freedom of speech and expression has been modified by social media,
resulting in a shift in society in which individuals are increasingly judging,
expressing, and sharing their thoughts with the public. Customers can take part
in a variety of brand activities, product inspections, digital analysis, and
engagement activities. The media is becoming increasingly active, especially as
social media alters and influences customers' ideas and opinions. In today's
environment, social media plays a critical part in convincing what people think,
which has an impact on the performance of businesses and creates a tougher
competitive edge. Consumers' social media purchasing behaviors are inevitably
associated with their personal life. Every day, customers build many buying
choices and may get pleasure from knowledgeable recommendations.
however, online social networks will offer customers data and direction.

In Digital India, social media plays a significant part in human activity and
influences customer perceptions of businesses. Social media can help to raise
brand awareness, influence customer opinions, and crowdsource ideas, as well
as present many branding opportunities. It should work together to identify
opinion leaders, drive brand traffic, provide specialized data, build a user base,
and build trust. Such initiatives can promote brand confidence and improve the
image of the company. However, there are study gaps surrounding customers
buying behavior via social media with these two aspects: trust and perceived

9
market benefits, when it comes to India. Customers' perceptions regarding
internet shopping are influenced by these two factors. As a result, identifying a
lack of understanding about the role of trust and perceived market benefits in
the interaction between social media networks and customers' buying
behavior in India is problematic.

 Objectives of the study

The ultimate objective of this project paper is to determine the impact or effect
of social media on consumer buying choice or behavior. Some of the objectives
of this study are stated below:
 To study consumers' perception that is influencing online shopping.

 To determine factors that influence consumer’s buyers to purchase

online using social media platforms.

 To evaluate how social media platforms have affected buying or

purchasing behavior of the people of India.

While developing this research paper, the role and significance of social media
in India's digital transition was investigated; nevertheless, the study does not
go into detail about the societal challenges. Furthermore, the study focuses on
the Indian setting in general; the characteristics of customers' purchasing
behavior on social media are investigated, but no independent motivating
aspects are discussed.

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  Report Structure

The project was created with the following structure in mind:

 The first section provides an overview of the project's theme.
 The next section attempts to evaluate the prior analysis in order to
find the items that were overlooked.

 The conceptual model is the final section, and its goal was to
encapsulate the original ideas or thoughts that were suggested
throughout the literature review.

The strategies utilized and their descriptions are presented in the next section.
Following that, the knowledge obtained throughout the Qualitative
investigation was analyzed. The debate then shifts to comparing the findings of
the study's questions and qualitative investigations.

11
In this section of our project, we're attempting to focus on data from prior
studies based on consumer use of social media and online shopping trends. It
elucidates specific parallels in the relationship that are represented inside the
literature review, which elucidates how emotional engagement might
influence client purchasing behaviors. Social characteristics such as reference
groups, family or friends, and social standing can all be used to evaluate the
effectiveness of social media. Individual customers' purchasing patterns or
behaviors are affected by these elements as well. These elements, in turn,
create an infinite and strong flow through which people might learn a variety
of various consuming values. Finally, the influence of social media on consumer
purchasing decisions will be assessed.

 The social networks

Social media is the platform where people open their social account to show or
express their ideas, information, memories, or knowledge with the world.
Social media is the platform where people communicate with those that have
similar interests. Nowadays, brands are using social media platforms as a way
of communication tool with their targeted customers and building relationship
with them. It is because of social media that the traditional communication
way has shifted to modern technology-based communication where the
consumers control what they want to see and what they want to get.

12
Social media portals are an important aspect of human interaction and
engagement that has a variety of effects on people's attitudes and
communication. The value of products and brands is affected by consumers'
virtual synergy with firms. The following are the various societal forces that
may influence a consumer's purchasing decision.

i. Individuals rate compliance when they understand that a social actor

wants them to perform something specific.

ii. Individuals tend to adapt to perfect aims that they share with others
when they internalize (group norm).
iii. When people embrace power, they frequently feel compelled to
form a link with another person or a group, which is known as
identification (social identity).

The strength of the three group action types may change depending on the
circumstances. Customers' actions can vary as a result of their interactions with
one another. One of the most important characteristics of online social
networks is that users can share facts and opinions. Social media has evolved
into a powerful platform for product and service data and action. Social media
platforms have risen to prominence as the most essential networking platforms,
resulting in a shift in power from users to conventional messages to data
producers. Users can also utilize social networking sites to connect and build
virtual communities based on shared interests and perspectives. There are
completely different styles of virtual communities that have an effect on
consumers' purchase choices in several ways; such as virtual games where
gamers from various countries can play and interact while gaming, chat rooms,
various interest groups, blogs, weblogs, etc. There are also some other

13
platforms like – TikTok, Snapchat where videos are being used to create
awareness about a product or service which determines the choice of individual
customers. In these places, the online community is growing rapidly.

People who are using social media are actually looking for sharing their
knowledge, ideas, or opinions and their experiences with the world that they
have in common. There are several advantages to sharing such common
interests.

Most people in specific communities, for example, communicate, which may

make it easier to reach out to other communities. Customers could use virtual
communities to get more information about a company, a product, or a
service. Customers search for products and firms through social networks,
which have eclipsed traditional company records as a credible and meaningful
source of information. Customers interact and enjoy them other because social
networks have control over their purchasing decisions. They prefer to receive
positive or negative feedback on a variety of items or services.
We all know that social media is an important aspect of many people's lives,
but it's also a significant part of their life. According to an Experian marketing
services report, in the United States, 16 minutes out of every hour was spent
online on social networking and forums, accounting for nearly 27% of total
time spent on computers. Recreation sites (9 minutes/hour) and purchasing (5
minutes/hour) were the two closest online actions.

While these figures are impressive, the pace has slowed slightly from 2011,
when social networking accounted for 30% of all time in the United States.
Instead, the extra minutes went to the "other" category of online time, which
increased from 14 to 16 minutes. It was also discovered that in the United
Kingdom and Australia, people spent 14 minutes and 13 minutes, respectively,

14
using social networking sites. Time spent on social networking sites decreased
in both the United Kingdom and Australia from 2011 to 2012. The United
Kingdom's usage dropped from 25% to 22%, while Australia's usage dropped
from 27% to 24%.

The rise of mobile may be to blame for the decline in social on personal
computers. Personal computing is no longer required to gather complete
expertise, thanks to the widespread availability of applications and mobile
experiences. Although the study embraces mobile browsing, there is no
comparison baseline or app comparison information.

15
 Customers' behaviors (both online and offline) before purchasing a product or
service are referred to as consumer purchasing behavior. This strategy could
include using search engines, responding to social media posts, or a variety of
other options. Understanding this strategy is beneficial for organizations
because it allows them to better match their marketing attempts to the
marketing efforts that have successfully affected customers' purchases in the
past.
We've all had the experience of walking into a store and seeing something we
really must have. Every year, retailers spend billions of dollars striving to elicit
that feeling in their customers. Customers finally sense a connection to a
product and purchase it, thus Internet marketing, video and print commercials,
social media campaigns, and branding appear to combine.

There are numerous factors that influence purchasing customer behavior, but
we will just discuss a handful here. They will not result in an acquisition if taken
together. When used in any number of combinations, the chances of someone
connecting with a brand and making a purchase improve. The following are
four factors that may influence client purchasing behavior:

 Cultural Factors - The position of a person does not always define culture. It

could also be defined by their affiliations, spiritual beliefs, or geographical

location.

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 - elements in an exceedingly person's surroundings that
impact the means they see the product.

 - These might embrace someone's age, legal status,

budget, personal beliefs, values, and morals.

 - A personality's state of mind once they are

approached with a product can typically confirm how they feel not solely
concerning the item itself but the brand as a whole.

The interaction setting in which consumers get data influences their

purchasing decisions. Market behavior includes more than just decision-
making or the act of purchasing; it also includes customer involvement and
interactions that are related to consuming. Customers' decision- making
process is depicted in Figure 2, which depicts how consumers decide whether
or not to purchase a given item. It consists of a succession of processes, as well
as what purchase in the sense of problem recognition, data search, and
evaluating the available choices. Finally, they make a purchase from the
options, and following their decision, a post-buy dialogue is produced in the
form of feedback.

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  Problem Recognition
This is the stage where the consumer will recognize their problem and
therefore develop a need to solve the problem. The consumer after identifying
the need will undertake the purchase decision that will solve his or her
problem. For example, suppose an undergraduate student needs to prepare a
thesis report for his project topic and thus he needs to buy a laptop where he
can do his required task. Thus, due to this problem, the student has to buy a
laptop.

 Information Search
In this stage, the consumer already knows about the problem that he identified
in the first stage. As he knows that he has to purchase a product that will
resolve his problem or issues and thus he tries to find out more information
regarding the product. Therefore, he is actually conducting the information
search about the particular product. The consumer can attempt to conclude
the choices obtainable and also the best resolution for his problem. the buyer
can explore for information in internal and external business environments. A
consumer could investigate advertisements, print, videos, online and even
might enquire his friends and family. For instance, when customer wanted to
buy a laptop, he is looking for more information on social media about many
other brands, features, specifications, price, discounts, warranty, after-sales
service, insurance, and a great deal of alternative vital options. Companies
here are trying to highlight various information to the targeted consumers by
using social media. They are releasing videos, demos, blogs, reviews from
celebrities to create a positive sense in consumers' minds.

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  Alternative Evaluation

In this stage, the consumer will explore the available alternatives of the
product he or she wanted to buy and eventually analysis and compare each
alternative that can solve his problem and fulfill his need. The consumer will be
using various types of information collected from different sources and will
evaluate the available alternatives.

Generally, consumers appraise the alternatives supported by a variety of

attributes of the product. Looks, durability, quality, price, service, popularity,
brand, social media reviews are a number of the factors that customers think
about. At the top of this stage, the buyer can rank his decisions and choose a
product that best matches his wants and needs.

 Purchase Decision
This is the stage at which the consumer makes a final purchasing decision after
considering a variety of options. The customer will decide whether or not to
buy after considering all of the considerations. Even at this point, the
consumer may decide to abandon the purchase and go.
Two things, according to Philip Kotler (2009), could 'disrupt' the ultimate
purchasing call. Customers may receive comments from friends or other
customers who purchased it. For instance, a customer selected a portable
computer, but his friend provided input. This may cause him to reconsider his
decision. Furthermore, the option can be changed. Sudden changes in business
plans, a cash shortage, unexpectedly higher expenses, and other factors could
cause the customer to abandon the laptop purchase.

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  Post-purchase Decision Evaluation

This is the final stage and is occurred after the purchase is completed. This is a
vital stage where companies mostly ignore its value. When a consumer
completes their purchase, he or she may develop two perceptions, either they
are satisfied or dissatisfied. Thus, their level of satisfaction will determine
whether the consumer will be a repeat customer or it’s the end of that
particular customer. A dissatisfied customer would possibly feel like he took
the wrong decision incorrectly. However, even if a consumer is satisfied, there
is no assurance that the customer will return.
Customers, whether pleased or disappointed, will take action to share their
knowledge in the form of customer reviews. This could be accomplished
through consumer forums, websites, social media discussions, or word of
mouth. In order for a seller's competence to result in recurring consumers, he
must ensure that the buyer is satisfied with the goods. Brands must be forced
to take extra precautions to ensure a nice post-purchase experience.

 Types of Consumer purchase decision process

The amount of buying or purchasing obligation is expressed since the demand

to think about a certain purchase evolves the level of concern or interest inside
the buying procedure. There are many distinct sorts of customer purchase
processes, each with a varying level of client involvement. Because customers
have a limited level of participation with the order, nominal decision-making
occurs. Limited decision-making occurs because limited decision-making is
similar to trivial decision-making, except that there is a limited amount of
external search in limited decision-making, whereas extended decision-making

20
occurs because customers are deeply involved in the procured method, and
the decision-making process becomes more complicated.

Figure interprets the customer decision method, that relies on those factors
which are beyond control and affecting the buying choice. The consumers'
decision-making method is modified or fluctuated based on perceptions,
personal experience and definitely the social media based on previous
purchases and promoting combinations. Nowadays, individuals are becoming a
lot of inspiration to shop using social media that make their life more
manageable. Consumers' attitudes or approach to social media purchasing
varies based on the goods or services price, quality, engagement, dependable,
security and amusement during which online or social media businesses work.

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  Role of trust and perceived benefits using social media

In every business, trust and perceived advantages play elemental factors and a
distinguished role in consumers' purchasing behavior in this modern
Bangladesh. Customers trust on companies makes the business thrive and also
makes them aware of sensible benefits relating to social media. The internet-
based purchasing behavior can completely impact or effect on the success of
the business in Bangladesh. This analysis is a pilot study aiming to examine how
risks, perceived rewards, and trust influence consumers' mindsets and intents
from the perspective of customers and social media users. Although customers
perceive internet or social media awareness to provide numerous benefits, this
type of transition also tends to provide some hazards. There are numerous
reasons that cause a bottleneck in online shopping. As a result, establishing
trust should be a top priority when growing brand equity. Furthermore,
creating a pleasant online experience that promotes positive brand perception
and offers a value proposition is critical. However, previous research does not
give empirical data on how trust affects brand equity purchasing behavior. It
didn't look into how brand association, price, and perceived quality are linked
and influence online shopping. The concept of value derives from the
acceptance of consumers' vulnerability, which stems from good social media
impressions as well as implicit expectations that it will deliver on a promise.
Customers tend to have high risk perceptions when it comes to social media
buying, which can be broken down into three categories:

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 i. Product performance, in the sense that someone would not be able
to obtain the desired product.
ii. Monetary risk, which refers to the possibility of losing money;
iii. Convenience risk, which arises during online transactions (wrong
location, order submission, and late delivery, etc.)

Value is largely defined as a method for lowering consumers' perceived risk in

online shopping, as well as transaction-specific uncertainty and the spectrum
of hazards connected with the chance of acting opportunistically. Furthermore,
it lowers the perceived risk of a negative transaction outcome by reducing data
complexity, and it provides all necessary information about customers and
consumer behavior data with just one click.

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The following conceptual framework was developed to support the interaction
between social media and consumer purchasing behavior in Bangladesh's
growing market. In the current market, traditional and digital promotional
tactics are compared in this regard. Meanwhile, social media marketing has
expanded the number of product-to-buyer contacts.

Social media has a huge impact on people's lives and decisions. According to a
survey conducted by Brigitte et al., (2007), the majority of purchasers rely on
social media or online reviews to make purchasing decisions. Half of adult
online social network users publish and discuss their favorite things, according
to Bernoff & Li (2008) and Glass (2007). Many individuals check for word-of-
mouth recommendations (WOM) before making a purchase, especially for new
things. Rather than simply receiving advertising messages, customers now
participate in disseminating ideas through online social networks such as
Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, and others.

 Perceived
Consumers Benefit
purchasing  Trust
behavior

INDIA
Social media
(Facebook;
Instagram,
Tiktok, tec.)

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Consumers can share their experiences, thoughts, and other user data on
online social networks, making it easier for them to engage with one another.
According to Hennig-Thurau et al. (2003), many factors influence Consumers'
purchase or contact behavior after reading online comments (interaction with
alternative Consumers):

i. Obtaining information about prior purchases (reduce risks).

ii. For social orientation, material details are offered (Consumers will
assess and compare between completely different products).
iii. Being a member of a large group (Consumers belong and admire
totally different online social networks).
iv. Results (Consumers like prizes and awards).
v. Gathering information on how new items are used.

According to a report completed on behalf of DEI Worldwide by OTX analysis,

various online social networks have become a brand-new source of intelligence
(2008). Customers trust them the most, along with business websites.
Customers believe that internet word-of-mouth (recommendations from other
customers) is powerful and significant, and that it will influence their
purchasing decision, according to the study. Consumers can use a social media
website to discuss their positive and negative product opinions with one
another in a social setting that allows them to share their recommendations
and thoughts while comparing and contrasting their experiences with other
customers. According to Edison (2016), a fifth of online social network users
utilize these platforms to keep track of their favorite products, businesses, and
services, with 80% using Facebook and brand profiles.

25
The research objective is supported by scientific theory, technique, policy, and
tactics in this study. There are several debates of sample and data collection
methods, as well as all other methodologies required to perform thesis
research on the specified topic.

 Research Philosophy
According to Waterberg (2012), positivism, hermeneutics, and realism are the
three prominent viewpoints on understanding. They don't overlap in every
way, but they do in a few. Positivism asserts that one's viewpoint is valid and
autonomous.

The positivist method, according to Saunders et al. (2009), stresses

quantitative discoveries that will be statistically analyzed. In general, positivism
promotes methodological techniques and analysis that is narrowly focused. A
hermeneutic method, on the other hand, is primarily focused with study
domain explanations and comprehension. The research area will only be
adequately understood if the complete field's history and phenomena are first
known, according to Brigitte et al. (2007). As a result, hermeneutics is
employed to guide the research rather than positivism. Consumer views
regarding online social networks and online marketers will be easier to grasp
using the hermeneutic technique; survey responses can be understood by
comparing them to literature.

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  Research Approach
Deductive and inductive analysis are the two most popular methods of
analysis. A forecast based on well-known hypotheses could be scaled as part of
a deductive analysis. Hermeneutics, on the other hand, owes a lot to inductive
science, which entails creating opinions based on evidence and observations.
The thesis takes a more inductive approach, with descriptive facts
accompanying scientific discoveries and interpretations.
Nonetheless, the study examines the impact of social media on the shopping
patterns of Bangladeshi customers. Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok, and Instagram
are among the social media platforms investigated. The operation of such
locations is also investigated from the standpoint of Bangladesh's commercial
climate. Furthermore, this study investigates the critical role of social media
platforms in developing an online value proposition in Bangladesh. Finally, this
study looks at how social networking technology will alter or execute clients'
online purchasing intentions. This research also takes use of relevant resources
in order to gain a better understanding of how social media platforms may
influence client purchasing behavior.

 Research Design
An online survey could provide the key qualitative data for this investigation.
All interview questions were submitted to social media users who have
purchased items from the company's social media platform via Google forms.
In Bangladesh, secondary data was acquired through online retail and
shopping stores. The steps in the planning process are outlined below.

27
  Research Strategy
The study's purpose is to see how social media influences client purchasing
decisions by developing a link with online businesses. As a result, qualitative
information was chosen. The thesis is more concerned with demonstrating the
theory's existence than with assessing its dimensions. Consumers' purchase
decisions made through social media, as well as the reasons for their actions,
should be known to the author. However, in order to study the expected
results and facts for this thesis, a qualitative analysis approach was used. The
qualitative analysis, rather than data, focuses on impressions and thus the
interview content. Qualitative research, according to Zikmund (2010), can be
transmitted through stories, visual portrayals, substantive characterizations,
interpretations, and diverse communication descriptions. "The use of statistics
to determine the extent or scope of a phenomenon is quantitative analysis,"
he noted. Qualitative research is also more flexible and adaptable than
quantitative research since it allows the researcher to analyze and find using a
range of methodologies while allowing respondents to respond and share their
feelings and ideas in the background.

 Data Collection
Data will be collected from various sources and for various purposes.
Depending on the nature of the data, it will be utilized for a variety of
purposes. As a result, knowing where to get knowledge and information, as
well as how to get the most precise and appropriate data for certain study
needs, is crucial.

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  Primary Data
In the beginning, we're trying to gather primary data for certain roles in an
ongoing study. In terms of resources and time, primary data collection is often
more expensive than secondary data collection. For this research, a survey was
conducted using Google Forms to collect relevant data for further
investigation. On the other hand, this in-depth analysis yielded all of the
essential results for determining the link between social media and clients'
purchasing decisions.

 Secondary Data
Secondary data is information gathered for a purpose other than the present
analysis. For this report, it was planned to acquire secondary data from
Facebook and Instagram users who frequently make online purchases. This
analysis uses primary data collecting and bases the research entirely on the
information gathered. The data was gathered using Google forms and survey
questions to represent the overall impact of social media on customer
purchase behavior in Bangladesh. The survey had a total of 26 participants,
which was used to conduct this study.

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  Study Object Selection
We looked at various Bangladeshi internet merchants and other related
businesses that had set up public Facebook, Instagram, and other social media
accounts. Almost every well-known corporation has a public social media page.
For example, RFL, Bengal Meat, and Aarong have opened social media stores,
while their corporate headquarters manages existing locations in other cities.
Customers in Bangladesh increasingly prefer to make purchases via social
media, and social media influencers have a huge impact on customer opinions.
Participants should be active social media users who have purchased ads on
sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and others.

 Qualitative Research Design

Survey planning, focus groups, metaphor analysis, collage testing, and

projective approaches are all essential data collection tools in qualitative
analysis. The responses of the participants were collected using a Google form.
Participants from Bangladesh can access Facebook sites, Instagram pages, and
other social media platforms because most companies in Bangladesh have
their own Facebook accounts. We'll use a Google form interview to get exact
confirmation that they have direct, valuable data sources that aren't limited by
region. We used online questionnaires to find out how social media affects
customer purchasing decisions. We'll be able to see the consequences of
customer behavior as well as the causes behind the process with greater
clarity.

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  Survey Question Design
The first stage in designing interview questions is to examine the study's
objectives. It was suggested that we evaluate the study's goal as well as the
various types of material required when writing a report. In this sample, one of
the goals of qualitative research is to give meaningful data for the quantitative
survey. In addition, the study investigates online firms' perceptions on social
media and their impact on customers. According to Hurtado-de-Mendoza et al.
(2014), surveys are free to ask questions that encourage participants to answer
with relevant information and to do everything possible to collect the most
information. They also state that at least one guideline should be followed by
the participants: they should not try to influence the content of the
respondents' responses. We tried to look over the survey questions to make
sure there was no hidden meaning to them and that they were used correctly
inside the survey. As a result, the survey questions are divided into two
categories: study intent and check questions, allowing the researcher to ask
questions about the issue and then adjust the questions based on the
responses. The main question is whether customers prefer to buy things online
through social media. Customers respond to content or events on an online
business page on a social media platform by becoming more engaged with that
online business page.

 Research Results Evaluation

In qualitative analysis, the procedures used to measure the conclusion are
either reliable or valid. As a result, these two elements are evaluated in this
section.

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  Data Reliability
The term "reliability" relates to the trustworthiness of the data as well as its
interpretation. It focuses on determining the validity of the analysis and the
accuracy of the data processing procedure. An online survey is used by the
researcher to learn how participants use social media. The interview questions
are specifically designed to allow participants to choose from a number of
options and express their own opinions.

 Data Validity
The analysis' viability was investigated in order to gather accurate information
from interviews and reduce the possibilities of incorrectly answering test
questions. The degree to which a study precisely calculates what it was
particularly designed to assess is known as validity. Validity could be used to
determine if participants would find relevant evidence to answer the analytic
questions and support the study's goals. In order to confirm the link between
data-based results and ensure that the material was relevant to the study
questions, the author prioritizes involving social media users. In order to get
acceptable data to answer research questions, the interview topics and
questions are organized based on the study queries. Respondents are
encouraged to offer their honest views and opinions because all interviewees
are regular social media users and have already experienced online purchase
through social media. As a result, all responses are real, and respondents are
encouraged to share their own feelings and opinions. The distinction between
conventional shopping and online buying among Bangladeshi customers is
obvious because the investigator gathered extra information from online retail
and shopping pages.

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 The Survey Responses

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To depict the analysis of our survey, we have conducted the research and
found about 26 respondents that participated and shared their views and
opinions. As per our research, 88.5% participants, which is 23 participants out
of 26 responded that they prefer and they like to conduct online shopping. This
shows that most of the young generation are involved in online purchasing
habits. In the second question, 22 participants responded that they prefer
Facebook to conduct their purchase. Other platforms like Instagram, Brand
Website or other e-commerce website have only 1 participant each in favor of
them. This is clear that Facebook is more dominant in terms of online business
in Bangladesh. In the third question, 61.5% which is 16 out of 26 participants
responded that they prefer shopping using social media because of the
convenience and time savings. As people are very busy these days, they limited
time to make their purchases by visiting stores and different places. Thus,
online shopping is booming in the country. Some 4 participants, which is 15.4%
responded that they use social media for their online purchase because of the
variety of product that is available throughout the platform. This clarifies that
people also want multi-variety of product all in one place. The remaining
participants responded equally that they prefer shopping using social media
because of convenience & time saving and competitive price availability. In the
fourth question, 92.3% which 24 out of 26 participants responded that they
online purchasing allows them to conduct research on the product or service
which helps them in making the purchase decision.

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According to Chiang, “a consumer is a person who has specific wishes and
demands that he wants to fulfill and has to purchase a product or commodity
online or physically to satisfy that requirement”. Social media has the power to
influence people and thus it makes them purchase in any way possible.
However, in the fifth question, 65.4% which is 17 out of 26 participants
responded that they prefer shopping offline or in-store shopping. This seems
that there is a contradiction on the opinion of the participants. Or we can also
assume, people do not possess enough trust and confidence in making online
purchase just by the picture or the video of the product as picture and video
can be distorted and have no similarities with the actual quality of the product.
This is an alarming situation for the e-commerce industries of Bangladesh as
people may lose faith in building relationship with the e-commerce industries
or online platforms that sells products or services. In the sixth question, 50%
which is 13 out 26 participants suggested that they want the sellers or
companies to ensure superior product quality and they are not ready to accept
any compromise on quality issues. This shows the companies are not ensuring
quality product and misleading the customers and thus customers are very
concerned about the product quality. If the product quality remains
standardized as per stated information, the business will have more returning
customers and their revenue will increase. Some 5 participants each also
responded for circulating no fake image or videos and also raised concerns not
to use wrong information, instead provide accurate and genuine information
of the product or service they offer. In the seventh question, about 50% or 13
participants prefers to buy branded goods from store and not online. This
shows that customers do not have the believe in the company’s product they
offer and thus they want to visit the store, check and evaluate its quality and
then only make purchase decision. This shall be of concern for online

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businesses that maintain customers trust and confidence is the key to success.
7 participants out 23 or 26.9% have the courage to make purchase of branded
product using online and so we can expect that those 26.9% are making their
purchase from those companies that have excellent brand value. The
remaining 23.1% or 6 participants are extremely focused on purchasing lower-
priced product using online as they are the price-sensitive customers and will
only make purchase while giving discounts or other various offers. Thus,
business organization must take serious note on increasing their position in
customer’s mind strongly to sustain their business growth. In the eighth
question, 96.2% or 25 out of 26 participants responded that social media can
enhance their knowledge about any product or service they would like to offer.
This shows that social media has the power to motivate consumers to anything
they require or they would require in the future. It is the responsibility of the
businesses to use the platform for a good cause, create positive awareness
that build their business and also create positive impact on the society. In the
ninth question, all of the participants responded that consumer buying
behavior can play a major role in building business strategies. Most of the
customers have different choices, needs and opinion regarding their purchase.
Some customer prefers to buy goods from those online shop that represents
from their same community. Some people focus on the online shops that sells
trendy products, some prefers those who provides fast delivery and some also
makes online shopping due to their limited time and cost-saving. People have
different choices over their purchase and thus such choices can play vital role
in building business strategies according to customers need. In the last
question, 42.3% or 11 out of 26 participants responded that when any product
or service gets viral on the internet, they may get attracted to it, however, such
attraction depends on their specific situation and self-perception. If they like

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the product and have enough money, they may involve in making the
purchase. Some 34.6% or 9 out of 23 participants also responded that they
prefer to buy the viral products or service if those products have unique
characteristics. Thus, it shows people want different, unique and useful
products or services that solves their problem or makes their job easier than
before. For any product to become successful, their usability is very important
to scale up. There are also about 19.2% or 5 participants that responded to
stay avoided to the viral products or service as they make think such products
or services are just creating a buzz without any effectiveness.

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  Integrated findings
When a consumer wants to make a purchase of anything, social networks
influence their search, purchase decisions, findings, and evaluation alternatives
that are required. The use of social media also affects identifying and analyzing
problems after purchase and determining effective solutions. This survey is
showing that social media is very confident and effective in making purchase
decisions among the users and they are now upgrading to a search engine
where consumers can avail a variety of information from diversified sources all
in one place. Consumers using social media can express their feelings and
opinions regarding any product or service they have acquired which will also
make influence other consumers. A business that is operating in social media
has the ability to connect and communicate with its customers and involve in
one- to-communication. This makes consumers feel more focused on the
business that influences them towards making the purchase. People can share
their knowledge and experience where other people can also see and evaluate
such experiences. They also like to receive suggestions and recommendations
from other consumers who have experienced those products or services. Thus,
we can conclude that social media is a major and significant role player in
online business in Bangladesh and have the potential to motivate and attract
buying behavior of consumers. It is primarily because social media avails easier
communication and convenience to people. Social media also helps in
interacting with other consumers to determine the perceived market
information which is a success factor for the consumer purchasing behavior.

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  Conclusion
The purpose of the survey question was to determine the impact of social
media on consumer purchasing behavior in Bangladesh. According to our
results, social media has a key role in influencing consumers to purchase the
current trends and influencers. Consumers when communicating with the
company that has presented on social media feel more connected and build
trust and faith. The use of social media allows companies to get more reviews
or opinions or feedback directly from the individual consumer without any
biased responses. The companies that are on social media can share their
company profile and their activities through posts, pictures, videos, live
recordings, comments, etc. This way, consumers can feel more connected to
the culture of the company which may increase consumers’ loyalty to the
company. Although, negativity excels more on the virtual platform, however,
this can be reduced if businesses remain and abide by the law and focus on
solving problems. As the company handles all negative issues, this also acts as
a motivation to the consumers that whatever situation arrives, the company or
business will be striving to serve the best and solve every problem. This is the
internet generation that is extremely fast-paced and the market is changing
dynamically. Brand visibility and brand recognition are becoming increasingly
sophisticated, necessitating a variety of strategies to set them apart from their
competition and provide consumers with a more secure experience. This study
may aid other researchers in determining how various variables affect
consumer purchasing behavior, which is increasingly becoming a dominating
factor influencing consumer purchase behavior.

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  Limitation
Because the study was conducted on a small scale in a local area with a small
proportion of the target group, the results cannot be generalized to a larger
population. To obtain generalized conclusions about consumer attitude as a
factor in purchasing behavior, future studies could incorporate a wide number
of factors as well as a large sample size. Including multiple areas of customers'
thinking in the same survey will result in a slew of specific leads. Qualitative
researchers appear to be a completely objective part of the research process.

 Suggestion to the future direction

The goal of the project paper was to determine what drives consumers to
purchase goods and, as a result, what role social media plays in this process. I
definitely practiced several areas that haven't been discussed previously
because I wanted to focus on my schoolwork. In the meantime, future studies
will incorporate more factors and a larger sample size in order to gain more
generic information regarding customer mentality and its impact on consumer
purchasing behavior. More consumer mindset features in the same survey
could provide more precise information in this area. Qualitative researchers
are more likely to take an objective approach to their research. As a result, in

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quantitative analysis, reasonable participants' reactions to the study's progress
are usually overlooked (Brigitte et al., 2007). Because it shows the in-depth
function of each feature as well as client buying behavior, a qualitative method
will lead to more qualitative studies on the features.

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 https://oosga.com/socialmedia/ind/#:~:text=Social%20Media's%20User%20Demographi
cs%20in,33.4%20%25%20of%20the%20addressable%20demographics.
 https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-india
 https://www.forbes.com/advisor/in/business/social-media-statistics/
 https://coschedule.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-marketing-books

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