Social Media Marketing Analysis

1.9. Significance of study

In this modern era, the triumph of e-commerce in literally relies on the consumers’ willingness to participate in transaction over the Internet to purchase products and or services from the distribution channel members – manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. For this reason, the rationale of this research is to make available the better understanding concerned with the Malaysian customers’ purchase intentions, brand loyalty and their perspective of brand image towards online apparel. The results of this study are advantageous in the sense to equip the apparel companies in Malaysia with meaningful and helpful data as well as insights perception regarding to the past experiences of customer who purchases apparels

Theoretical gap

This research will carry out on the basis of the theoretical framework constructed by Balakrishnan, Dahnil and Yi (2014) whereby it examine on the impact of social media marketing activities has on the consumers’ purchase intention, brand loyalty and brand image. In that case, the social media marketing activities variables including E-WOM (Electronic Word of Mouth), online communities and online advertisement will remained independent whereas other variables implicate in this study such as consumers’ purchase intention, brand image and brand loyalty are the ones that will be influenced by the independent variable.

The research done contributes in helping the marketers to have in-depth insight on how those distinct social marketing activities or mediums implied will impact the consumers’ purchasing intention and brand loyalty as well as the increasing importance of social media marketing mediums as marketing tools to outreach the emerging young consumers. Lastly, it convince and provide global brand companies guidelines in term of considering to deploy social media marketing activities to promote their products alongside with the

Empirical gap

Social Media Marketing has been a common discussing topic and has yet to lose its trend since it was introduce as the marketing discipline. There are plenty of similar studies done concerning with social media marketing, however, has yet to be conducted in Malaysia’s Kuching city. There are several researches being done concerning with the relationship between social media marketing activities and consumers’ behavior, purchase intention, brand loyalty and brand image, however, it has been done in countries such as Jordan, Turkey and China. Besides, there are no studies being done in online apparel clothing yet.

There is an alike study being carried out in Malaysia, Sabah city that titled “The Impact of Social Media Marketing Medium towards Purchase Intention and Brand Loyalty among Generation Y” by Balakrishnan, Dahnil and Yi in 2014. Nevertheless, there is a little data being collected in Kuching city with regards to this specific topic.

1.9.3. Practical gap

In general, this study can assist related companies of all size by allowing them to have better understanding on how social media marketing is more time-saving and cost effective as compared to traditional marketing approach in term of market outreach. In addition, it also gives further in-depth insight to related companies on how social media marketing activities can affect the purchase intention, brand loyalty and brand image towards the company’s products and/or