Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior

Sosiaalinen media on tänä päivänä olennainen osa kuluttajien päivittäistä yhteydenpitoa ja lisäksi se toimii arvokkaana tiedonlähteenä. Kuluttajat ottavat vaikutteita toisilta kuluttajilta ja enenevissä määrin vaikutteille altistutaan offline ympäristön ohella online ympäristöissä, kuten sosiaalises...

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Main Author: Karjala, Pinja
Other Authors: Kauppakorkeakoulu, School of Business and Economics, Taloustieteet, Business and Economics, Jyväskylän yliopisto, University of Jyväskylä
Format: Master's thesis
Language:eng
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Online Access: https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/73581
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author Karjala, Pinja
author2 Kauppakorkeakoulu School of Business and Economics Taloustieteet Business and Economics Jyväskylän yliopisto University of Jyväskylä
author_facet Karjala, Pinja Kauppakorkeakoulu School of Business and Economics Taloustieteet Business and Economics Jyväskylän yliopisto University of Jyväskylä Karjala, Pinja Kauppakorkeakoulu School of Business and Economics Taloustieteet Business and Economics Jyväskylän yliopisto University of Jyväskylä
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description Sosiaalinen media on tänä päivänä olennainen osa kuluttajien päivittäistä yhteydenpitoa ja lisäksi se toimii arvokkaana tiedonlähteenä. Kuluttajat ottavat vaikutteita toisilta kuluttajilta ja enenevissä määrin vaikutteille altistutaan offline ympäristön ohella online ympäristöissä, kuten sosiaalisessa mediassa. Toisten kuluttajien mielipiteillä on todettu olevan merkittävä vaikutus kuluttajien ostopäätöksiin ja sosiaalinen sähköinen suusanallinen viestintä (sosiaalinen eWOM) eli sosiaalisessa mediassa tapahtuva keskustelu tuotteista ja brändeistä on noussut esiin uutena käsitteenä, jolla on tunnistettu olevan merkittävästi anonyymista eWOM:sta poikkeavia ominaisuuksia. Tämä tutkimus tarkasteleekin sosiaalisen eWOM:in konseptia ja kuinka kuluttajat hyödyntävät sitä päätöksentekoprosessissaan. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa arvioidaan COVID-19 pandemian vaikutuksia kuluttajien sosiaalisen median käyttöön. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin kvalitatiivisin menetelmin puolistrukturoiduilla haastatteluilla vähittäiskaupan kontekstissa. Aineisto sisälsi 17 haastattelua ja vastaajat olivat iältään 18-68 vuotiaita. Tämän tutkimuksen tulosten mukaan kuluttajat kokevat sosiaalisen median ja sosiaalisen eWOM:n merkittävinä tiedonlähteinä ostopäätösprosessissaan. Niitä hyödynnetään erityisesti tiedon etsintä- vaiheessa ja lisäksi sosiaalinen eWOM voi olla itse tarpeen tai ostohalun herättäjä. Toisten kuluttajien lisäksi, kuluttajat kokevat sosiaalisen median vaikuttajat merkittävänä sosiaalisen eWOM:n lähteenä. Sosiaalinen media ja sosiaalinen eWOM tiedonlähteinä on korostunut COVID-19 pandemian aikana. Kuluttajat ovat alkaneet seuraamaan enemmän sosiaalisen median vaikuttajia tyydyttääkseen kasvaneen sisällön kuluttamistarpeensa, jonka lisääntynyt sosiaalisessa mediassa vietetty aika ja samaan aikaan vähentynyt kuluttajien jakama sisältö ovat aiheuttaneet. Tutkimuksen tulosten pohjalta voidaan todeta, että sosiaalisella eWOM:lla on merkittävä vaikutus kuluttajien ostopäätöksiin ja COVID-19 pandemia on korostanut entisestään sosiaalisen median merkitystä tiedonlähteenä. Poikkeukselliset olosuhteet edellyttävät yrityksiltä mukautumista kuluttajien käyttäytymisessä tapahtuviin muutoksiin, jotta toiminta pystytään pitämään tehokkaana ja kilpailukykyisenä. Social media is today an integral part of consumers´ daily communication and, in addition, it is a valuable source of information. The influencing power of peer consumers has moved from the offline environment strongly to the online environment, including social media. The effectiveness of traditional word-of-mouth (WOM) and electronic WOM (eWOM) affecting consumers' purchase behavior is widely recognized. Social eWOM, an emerging concept concerning eWOM in social media has gained interest recently and is proposed as a separate concept from anonymous eWOM. However, conceptual knowledge about social eWOM is lacking and it is unclear how consumers utilize it to support their purchase decisions. Thus, this study investigates how consumers utilize social eWOM in their decision-making process. The aim of the study is to develop theoretical knowledge about the concept of social eWOM. In addition, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers´ social media behavior is examined. The research data consists of semistructured interviews in a retail context including 17 participants between the ages of 18 and 68. The main findings of the study reveal that consumers perceive social eWOM as a significant source of information supporting their decision-making. Social eWOM is utilized mostly in the information search- phase of the process. In addition, consumers seek inspiration from social eWOM and it can be the trigger of the need recognition or purchase intention. In addition to peer consumers, consumers perceive social media influencers as a significant source of social eWOM. However, the persuasive power of the influencer is affected by several factors including authenticity and transparency. During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have searched for more information about products and brands from social media. They have begun to follow more social media influencers when the hunger for new content has evoked because of the increased time spent on social media and declined content shared by peer consumers. The results suggest that social eWOM has a significant influencing power on consumers' purchase decisions and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the significance of social media as an information source. These exceptional circumstances require companies to adapt to the changes in consumer behavior in order to maintain their profitability and competitive advantage.
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spellingShingle Karjala, Pinja Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior electronic word-of-mouth social eWOM social networking sites Markkinointi Marketing 20423 COVID-19 kuluttajakäyttäytyminen sosiaalinen media digitaalinen markkinointi päätöksenteko consumer behaviour social media digital marketing decision making
title Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior
title_full Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior
title_fullStr Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior
title_full_unstemmed Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior
title_short Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior
title_sort social ewom in consumers decision making process and the effect of covid 19 pandemic on consumers social media behavior
title_txtP Social eWOM in consumers ́ decision-making process and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers ́ social media behavior
topic electronic word-of-mouth social eWOM social networking sites Markkinointi Marketing 20423 COVID-19 kuluttajakäyttäytyminen sosiaalinen media digitaalinen markkinointi päätöksenteko consumer behaviour social media digital marketing decision making
topic_facet 20423 COVID-19 Marketing Markkinointi consumer behaviour decision making digitaalinen markkinointi digital marketing electronic word-of-mouth kuluttajakäyttäytyminen päätöksenteko social eWOM social media social networking sites sosiaalinen media
url https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/73581 http://www.urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202101121060
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