Article: Impact of social media on consumer behaviour Journal: International Journal of Information and Decision Sciences (IJIDS) 2019 Vol.11 No.3 pp.209 - 233 Abstract: The goal of this paper is to research empirically the role of social media in consumers' decision-making process for complex purchases - those characterised by significant brand differences, high consumer involvement and risk, and which are expensive and infrequent. The model uses the information search, alternative evaluation, and purchase decision stages from the classical EBM model. A quantitative survey investigates up to what degree experiences are altered by the use of social media. Results show that social media usage influences consumer satisfaction in the stages of information search and alternative evaluation, with satisfaction getting amplified as the consumer moves along the process towards the final purchase decision and post-purchase evaluation. The research was done among internet-savvy consumers in South-East Asia, and only considered purchases that were actually made by consumers, not including searches that were abandoned. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Impact of social media on consumer behaviour

Authors: Duangruthai Voramontri; Leslie Klieb

Addresses: George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology, Webster University, Bangkok, Thailand ' George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology, Webster University, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract: The goal of this paper is to research empirically the role of social media in consumers' decision-making process for complex purchases - those characterised by significant brand differences, high consumer involvement and risk, and which are expensive and infrequent. The model uses the information search, alternative evaluation, and purchase decision stages from the classical EBM model. A quantitative survey investigates up to what degree experiences are altered by the use of social media. Results show that social media usage influences consumer satisfaction in the stages of information search and alternative evaluation, with satisfaction getting amplified as the consumer moves along the process towards the final purchase decision and post-purchase evaluation. The research was done among internet-savvy consumers in South-East Asia, and only considered purchases that were actually made by consumers, not including searches that were abandoned.

Keywords: social media; consumer decision-making; EBM model; EKB model; information search; complex purchase; online consumer behaviour; consumer satisfaction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIDS.2019.101994

International Journal of Information and Decision Sciences, 2019 Vol.11 No.3, pp.209 - 233

Received: 31 May 2017
Accepted: 23 Feb 2018
Published online: 03 Sep 2019 *

Title: Impact of social media on consumer behaviour

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