PROJECT REPORT

(Submitted for the Degree of B.Com

Honours in Accounting Finance under the
University of Calcutta)

Title of the Project

Impact Of Social Media Marketing on The Purchasing Decisions

Of Smartphones on Youth

Submitted by

Name of the Candidate: Swoyambhu Parida

C.U.Registration number: 434-1111-0256-21

C.U.Roll Number: 211434-21-0123

Name of the college: SHREE AGRASAIN COLLEGE

College Roll No: 211676

Supervised by

Name of the Supervisor: Priya Singh

Month & Year of Submission:

 SUPERVISOR’S CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that MR SWOYAMBHU PARIDA a

student of B.com Honours in Accounting and
Finance of SHREE AGRASAIN COLLEGE under
the UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA has worked
under my supervision and guidance for his project
work an prepared a project report with the title
“Impact Of Social Media Marketing On the
Purshasing Decisions Of Smartphones On Youth”
which he is submitting, is his genuine and original
work to the best of my knowledge.

Name of the Supervisor: PRIYA SINGH

Designation: Assistant Professor

Name of college: Shree Agrasian college

Signature:

Date:
 STUDENT DELACRATION

I hereby declare that the Project Work with the title :

“Impact Of Social Media Marketing on The Purchasing Decisions

Of Smartphones on Youth”

Submitted by me for the partial fulfilment of the degree of

B. Com Honours in Accounting & Finance under the University of
Calcutta is my original work and has not been submitted earlier to
any other University / Institution for the fulfilment of the requirement
for any course of study.

I also declare that no chapter of this manuscript in

completely or in part has been incorporated in this report from
any earlier work done by others or by me. However,
extracts of any literature which has been used for this report has
been duly acknowledged providing details of such literature in
this references.

SIGNATURE
Name : Swoyambhu Parida
Address: R.N mukherjee road ,Dalhousie ,Kolkata
C.U. Registration No: 434-1111-0256-21
Place: Dalhousie , Kolkata
Date:
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am sincerely thankful to Prof. PRIYA SINGH, under her

guidance I have successfully completed this project and time

spent with her had been a great learning experience. I think her

constant encouragement, warm responses and for filling every

gap with valuable ideas has made this project successful. She

made it possible for me to put all my theoretical knowledge to

work out on the topic: “Impact Of Social Media Marketing On the

Purshasing Decisions Of Smartphones On Youth”

A mammoth project of this nature calls for intellectual

nourishment, professional help and encouragement from many

people. We are highly thankful to all of them for their help and

encouragement. We wish to acknowledge our great debt to all of

them whose ideas and contribution influenced me to complete

the project work.

 Table of Content

Chapter 1 Abstract Page No. 6

Chapter 2 Introduction Page No. 7-13

Chapter 2.1 Background / Rationale Page 7
Chapter 2.2 Literature Review Page 8-11
Chapter 2.3 Research Gap Page 11
Chapter 2.4 Objectives Page 11
Chapter 2.5 Research Methodology Page 12
Chapter 2.6 Limitations Page 13
Chapter 2.7 Chapter Planning Page 13

Chapter 3 Conceptual Framework Page No. 14-15

Chapter 4 Data, Analysis, and Findings Page No. 16-21

Chapter 4.1 Area of Study Page 16

Chapter 4.2 Type of Study Page 16

Chapter 4.3 Tools for Data Collection Page 16

Chapter 4.4 Sample Size Page 16

Chapter 4.5 Period of Study Page 16

Chapter 4.6 Analysis and Research Findings Page 17-20

Chapter 4.6.1 Pictorial Representation Page 20-32

Chapter 4.6.2 Observations Page 33-34

Chapter 5 Conclusion and Recommendations Page No. 35

Chapter 6 References Page No. 36

Chapter 7 Annexure Page No. 37-41

 1. Abstract

This research studies the impact (Majorly positive) of social media marketing on
the purchasing decisions of smartphones among youth. This study shows us a
comprehensive and complete understanding of the impact through various
analysis and research findings. The future of purchasing decisions lies in the
online model majorly and the ability to adapt and change into the new state from
traditional marketing and buying method to online conventional method requires
much effort from the brand’s side as brands need to develop new
advertisements, understand the market segment, and target audience, use
effective social media marketing strategies to influence the minds of the people
to make them buy their products as well as from the customer side also as they
need to adopt the new mode and gain knowledge about things so that they can
purchase products properly with complete knowledge and in sound way.

Strategies used by brands like bringing out informative posts and reviews in
front of the public through online platforms as Instagram, YouTube and
Facebook, Unboxing videos and real-life user experience reviews also helps
youth to change their minds. These platforms serve as a direct communication
method between brands and youngsters allowing people to give real time
feedback and customer service. The ability to solve consumer issues and
concerns in a quick way helps the brand gain a good market reputation and
popularity. This study shows how people perceive online marketing to be as
how affected or influenced are they from the social media marketing. It was
observed that people tend to find reviews and advertisements attractive and
helpful in completing their decisions to buy smartphones. However, the impact
of social media marketing has its own challenges. People consuming too much
content and the addition of ad blockers gives a signal that brands need to
constantly update their practices to reach out into the minds of young people.

The research concludes that social media marketing has a great impact over the
young minds, and it plays a crucial role in shaping the purchasing decisions and
the endorsement of celebrities and young influencers have gained them a huge
positive response and if the strategies work out properly brands can have a huge
market amongst the young generation.

6
 2. Introduction

Social media marketing is an online way of marketing and selling different

products and services by showing them the product online and by gaining the
attention of young minds through various factors. In this study we will figure out
the actual impact of social media marketing on the purchasing decisions of
smartphones among youth as young generation has a lot of criteria to be
accomplished before any purchase and how social media marketing fulfils all
the required criteria. To showcase their product, they run advertisements
describing their product and its unique features. They promote influencer
endorsement so they can get people’s trust and confidence and real time 24*7
customer support so that the buyers do not face any problems and if they get
those are resolved quickly. There are numerous variables affecting the growth of
social media marketing and rise of purchase of smartphones. In this study we
will try to analyze all the possible factors affecting the purchasing decisions.

2.1. Background / Rationale of the Study

During recent years the social media sector has gained a huge importance and
audience and its impact can be felt worldwide. Social media became a second
home for many people and as it grew promotion also started related to different
products and services. Brand marketers started promoting their brand as all
forms of content was being promoted here. There was a sudden rise in the
number of influencers and people tended to buy products suggested by their
favorite influencer. People change their way of purchasing if they find right
product according to their satisfaction at some other place and the rise of online
advertisements, user generated genuine reviews and vast scale promotion helped
the social media marketing sector to grow profusely and it helped in the sale of
many products including smartphones majorly. Brands started promoting ads
and influencer endorsements so that people get convinced to buy their products.

The rationale or reason to choose this topic was to gain knowledge about the
impact of social media marketing as in today’s world social media has already
gained and is gaining huge popularity. People tend to buy things online and the
reason was to find the impact as in how social media marketing helps or changes
the purchasing decisions of smartphones among youth as the youth age is a very
sensitive age and they can change or shift brands at any time if they get their
required features and functions at a reasonable price in a different brand. To
know how people respond to online advertisements, reviews and feedback and
to know if they get positively impacted or negatively impacted by the marketing.

7
2.2. Literature Review

1. “A study on shopping behavior of young adults towards purchase of

smartphones” by R. Satish Kumar, Ramu Nilagiri and M. Govindaraj.

To identify the key factors motivating young adults' choice to purchase and
use smartphones and to know if there is any significant difference between
genders regarding the purchase of smartphones and to develop a model
describing the factors that influence the acquisition of smartphones. This
paper researched and identified prestige, product features, product reliability
and usage are the factors which influence consumer choice to purchase and
use smartphones. Gender does not influence the buying criteria while
purchasing a smartphone. Various demographic variables and consumer
choice and influence of brand has its effect on it.

2. “A The role of online advertising on purchase intention of smartphones:

mediating effects of flow experience and advertising value” by Mohitul
Ameen, Ahmed Mustafi and Md. Sajjad Hosain.

The paper aims at identifying the role of online advertising on the purchase
intention (PI) of smartphones of Bangladeshi customers. The independent
variable (online advertising) has been divided into five dimensional
segregations: informativeness (INFO), irritation (IRR), entertainment (ENT),
incentives (INC) and credibility (CRD). For increasing the value of
investigation to further extent, the authors included two mediators termed as
flow experience (FE) and advertising value (ADD).

3. “Factors affecting smartphone buying decisions among youths in

Kathmandu” by Amrita Shrestha and Dr. Deepmala Singh.

The paper aims to determine significance of relationship between price and

smartphone buying decisions in youths, and to assess the degree of
relationship between brand and smartphone buying decision in youths, and to
explore significance relationship between social influence and smartphones
buying decisions among youths and it researched that price positively
influences buying decision and social influence positively influences buying
decision. It can be so, because social influences determine the overall
functioning and performance of smartphones as well as their uniqueness, so
the youths are encouraged to buy.

8
4. “A study on the influence of online reviews on online purchase decision
with reference to smartphones” by Ms. Akansha Agarwal, Dr. Nitesh
Behare and Dr. Rashmi Mahajan.

The context of the paper was to find the influence of Online Reviews on pre
conceived notion of the purchase of Smartphone, To study the importance of
consistency in Online Reviews in online purchase decisions for Smartphones,
To know the preference of Online Reviews over other factors influencing
online purchase decision for Smartphones and it showed that consistency in
online reviews is important and Majority of the respondents would not prefer
to buy a Smartphone online without any reviews. The overall satisfaction
level towards the smartphone purchased based upon good online reviews was
found to be satisfied according to the respondents.

5. “Factors affecting the purchase intention of smartphone: A study of

young consumers in the city of Lucknow” by Dr. S.K. Kaushal and
Rakesh Kumar.

To explore the factors affecting consumer's purchase intension of Smart

phones and to find out if there is any significant difference between the male
and female consumers in their response towards the factors affecting
consumer's smartphone purchase was the key objective of the paper and it
showed that only Compatibility, Dependency and Social Influence were the
factors which significantly affect the purchase intension of the Smartphone
consumers. The significant difference was found in the responses of male and
female only for the convenience factor.

6. “Factors affecting purchase intention of South East Asian (SEA) young

adults towards global smartphone brands” by Wahid Zahid Omkar and
Dastane.

This paper investigated the extent to which brand awareness, perceived

quality, perceived price and social influence impacts purchase intention of
SEA Young Adults towards global smartphone brand perceived and it was
concluded that the extent to which brand awareness, perceived quality,
perceived price and social influence impacts purchase intention of SEA
Young Adults towards global smartphone brand no other factor does the
same.

9
7. “E-WOM effect through social media and shopping websites on purchase
intention of smartphones in India” by Asif Iqbal, Noor Alam Khan,
Azam Malik and Mohammad Rishad Faridi.

The objective of this study was to evaluate E-WOM influence on online

shopping platforms
and social media platforms on buying intention of smartphones and E-WOM
affects the purchase intention of consumers, and E-WOM on online shopping
platforms is more effective in terms of credibility, quantity, and format as
compared to E-WOM on social platforms toward purchase intention of
smartphones was found after research.

8. “Factors Affecting smartphone purchase among Indian youth: A

descriptive Analysis”
by Joshi Sujata, Jog Yatin, Chirputkar Abhijit, Shrivastava Noopur and
Doshi Ruchi.

The objective of this study is to understand the technology and hardware

factors affecting the purchase of smartphones among Indian youth. The study
showcased that the young student’s choice of smartphone is affected by five
factors namely as Technology factors, Hardware factors, Basic factors, Brand
factors and financial factors. Out of these, Technology has the most
significant influence. OS version and Hardware features have a significant
effect on young student’s choice while purchasing a smartphone.

9. “Influence of social media marketing on buying behaviour of millennial

towards smartphones in Bangalore city” by Jagadeesh Babu MK, Dr.
Saurabh Srivastava,
Smita Manohar Gaikwad, Dr. Aditi Priya Singh, and Mahabub Bahsa S.

To study the usage of social media by Millennials in Bangalore city, study

the demographic variables and the perception of the Millennials on social
media Marketing and to analyze the impact of social media marketing on
buying behavior of the Millennials towards smart phones. Study findings
revealed that Facebook is the most preferred platform for social media
marketing, they expressed strong positive perceptions. The majority said that
the social media marketing influences their buying behaviour.

10
 10. “Factors leading to consumer perceived value of smartphones and its
impact on purchase intention” by Herman Fassou Haba, Zubair Hassan
and Omkar Dastane

To find the impact of CPV, social value, perceived usefulness, economic

value, and brand image on smartphones’ purchase intention among
Malaysian working professionals. The findings show that social value and
perceived ease of use do not have a direct or indirect effect on smartphone
purchase intention, but perceived usefulness, economic value and brand
image have an indirect effect on smartphone purchase intention.

2.3. Research Gap

After reviewing various research papers and articles i found that they have
researched on the various factors affecting the purchase decision through
online ads in case of men and women but they all have researched in previous
years and by analyzing their researches I found that: -
• There was no research based majorly on Kolkata during 2024 on this topic
and
• There was no research on the topic of impact of social media influencers
who endorse the brand and promote these ads and reviews.
• There was no research done on the overall impact of social media
marketing on the purchase decisions.
So as part of my research my research gap would be this and I would be
collecting data and samples to accomplish the same and find the results.

2.4. Objectives of the Study

➢ Understanding how advertisements on social media influence a person's

decision to purchase smartphones.
➢ How different age groups respond to advertisements of smartphones.
➢ Trying to understand the satisfaction of customers when they purchase
smartphones influenced by online advertisements.
➢ Trying to understand the overall impact of advertisement on purchasing
decisions of smartphones on youth.

11
2.5. Research Methodology

The methodical approach and techniques used by researchers to investigate the

matter and resolve research issues or problems are referred to as research
methodology. The study design, data collection techniques, sample strategies,
data analysis processes, and ethical issues are all described in a clear approach.
The methodology employed in this research paper involves sampling
techniques in which convenience sampling was used for collecting primary
data through surveys and interviews with members of the public.

Primary data is the most suitable method for this study because it offers first-
hand insights into people's attitudes and knowledge about social media
marketing and its impact on the purchasing decisions of the youth in Kolkata.
By this method, the study can ensure that the data is latest & up-to-date,
relevant, and specific to the research question and includes the complete
unbiased opinion of the respondents.

We can say that collecting primary data through surveys is a very reliable and
compatible method to determine the impact of social media and its growing
marketing and how it is affecting the minds of the young.

Data was collected from completing surveys as in by filling the forms. It was
made sure that every sample participant could easily read and comprehend the
questionnaire and the time and energy requirements of the samples were
calculated after drafting the questionnaire so that the form could be
administered in not more than three to four minutes as people are less likely to
fill time consuming forms. Use of multiple-choice questions and all the
alternatives were decided and set in the form so that respondents did not have
to unnecessarily think about it.

The target audience were young adults aging from 18 to 32 years old to analyze
the young minds and their perception about the impact they are facing from
social media marketing and whether their purchasing decisions have been
influenced by these advertisements and reviews of social media or not.
Respondents were taken majorly from Kolkata to cater to the demand of the
research.

12
2.6. Limitations of the Study

Following limitations were faced while conducting the survey:

➢ Limited sample size as only 150 responses could be collected within the
given time frame and if the scope of the survey had been wider, the size of
respondents may have gotten a whole different set of results.
➢ As the study was conducted within a limited time frame so there was no
option of meeting the respondents personally and gain their unbiased
opinion and due to the same some potential factors might have been left and
further thorough research would be necessary to clarify things.
➢ Lack of different resources (time and monetary factor) and broad
networking hindered the way to collect much respondents due to which the
survey could not be reach to wider range of people and significantly gain
proper results.
➢ Narrow focus, i.e., only niche category and people containing fair enough
knowledge would understand such research related to social media
marketing and effectively respond to the study
➢ Data collection was majorly primary and respondents responded according
to their interests which are subject to change given certain circumstances.

2.7. Chapter Planning

This research project consists of the following topics:

1. Conceptual Framework: Providing some details about the topic.

2. Data Analysis and Findings: The data has been analyzed using pie charts,
other graphical representations and is also interpreted.

3. Conclusion and Recommendations: Giving a concluding paragraph and

stating my opinion on the entire findings of the research.

4. References: Reference of the sources from where some information was

gathered.

5. Annexure: Consisting of the questionnaire

13
 3. Conceptual Framework

Starting from the very beginning one should know what is social media and
how does it help in marketing. Social media platforms, a new age virtual meetup
area for people is no more just an online entertainment platform, rather it is
much more of what it seems. During the recent times it has grown tremendously
from promoting ads & campaigns to making people buy products and services
online. Different brands and entities with their various vast range of products
and services launch their products and different services in these platforms
through online advertisements and influencer endorsements. In today’s online
world social media and its marketing has changed the way youths buy various
products and services in which technical equipment including smartphones
majorly online which earlier people used to go to offline shops to gather
knowledge and check the product physically, verifying and making sure about
their product. But the growth of trust of brands along with natural user generated
context topping off with influencer endorsements with genuine and paid reviews
on various social media platforms have highly impacted and changed the
purchasing decisions of youth. The personalized and interactive nature of these
platforms have given the permission to marketers to engage with young public
in a more dynamic and systematic way catering to their personalized needs
individually.

Different advertisements released by the brands showcasing the new and

exciting features of their smartphones and online reviews of celebrities as well
as common people encourage youngsters and affect their mind to buy
smartphones online. Youths are more likely to connect with brands through
direct interaction and studies prove that the recommendations given by people
online who have used a similar product and reviews as in judgements and
unboxing videos of new smartphones of youtubers coming through online
platforms are considered more authentic and provide a positive influence over
the minds of the people. These reviews and videos help a lot in the process of
online marketing as in they increase the sale of online products to a large scale.

There are numerous numbers of online products and services available online. In
the technical equipment market Smartphones are a niche category all together.
Niche but one of the most important categories. There are different variables
affecting the purchase of smartphones in youth. Considering the independent
variable of social media marketing – Content marketing relates to informative
posts, tutorials and reviews help in spreading positive and negative impact of
that specified product of any brand, Influencer marketing provides endorsements
14
from trusted and iconic figures from which people feel connected through and
feel comfortable and safe to buy those products, User generated Content refers
to reviews and recommendations of public doing comparisons with different
models of other brands and showcasing with unboxing videos so that the
consumer can get a brief knowledge about the purchase, Targeted advertising as
in advertisements drafted personally based on different interests of people and
interactive features such as polls and q & a sessions for people to participate and
engage so that brands get to know what consumer wants.

There are different moderating and intervening variables like demographic

knowledge of the target audience knowing about their age, gender, social
background, tastes, and preferences along with their budget and desired features
from a particular brand. It also includes commonly used platforms and average
time spent on them. Intervening factors include information about new
smartphones, their specifications, their brand image and reputation and their
display of association with lifestyle and status. It also includes recommendations
of close friends who have more knowledge and the desire & aspiration to
purchase.

The most dependent variable is the mindset of youth and his/her choices as in
selecting a brand and its model and their eagerness or likeliness to purchase a
smartphone. The impact of influencers and their endorsements and reviews
make youngsters tend towards buying that brand’s smartphone but a youth’s
mind is very dynamic and they can shift from one brand to another any moment.
So, the mindset of the young generation needs to be understood and brands
should focus more on that.

There are different policies launched by the government so that fair practices are
used. Online marketing and buying selling products have always endured a
hidden risk so keeping things in mind different brands have to follow those rules
set by the govt. For content creation and management, influencer collaboration,
data privacy and protection, feedback and reviews and follow of regulations and
compliances there are several rules and regulations issued which must be met.
Brand marketers and people selling smartphones and different services and
products in online market must comply with these rules so that social media
marketing becomes an effective tool for influencing the minds of young adults
in a positive yet informative way.

15
 4. Data, Analysis, and Findings

4.1. Area of Study

This study focuses broadly on the concept of “Social media marketing and its
impacts on youth’s purchasing decisions” under which the niche category of
smartphones was selected so that proper concentrated research could be done on
the identification of impact of social media marketing upon the purchasing
decisions of smartphones on youth residing in Kolkata.

4.2. Type of Study

To conduct the study in this topic primary data was used as a major source to
collect information. To get people’s unbiased opinion and complete my research
properly primary data was considered more efficient and time saving too.

4.3. Tools for Data Collection

To conduct a primary survey, a questionnaire was prepared in a manner that would

make the respondents answer all the questions with ease. Hence, questions were
kept short, straight, and simple to avoid any kinds of confusion. Use of multiple-
choice questions and all the alternatives were decided and set in the form so that
respondents did not have to unnecessarily think about it. The responses were
collected through Google forms and the final responses were extracted into an
Excel sheet. The data was arranged, and various kinds of charts were used to
analyze the same.

4.4. Sample Size

A random sample size of 150 respondents was collected for research purposes.
People from different age groups comprising majorly young and young adults,
backgrounds, technical knowledge, and occupations have taken part in the
research.

4.5. Period of Study

The whole survey continued for a period of 25 to 30 days so different responses

could be collected from young students and young adults of Kolata. To achieve
the desired number of respondents sample amount of time was given for the
survey circulation and response collection so it took a long time.
16
4.6. Analysis and Research Findings

4.6.1 Pictorial Representation

Pictorial analysis in the form of pie chart analysis has been used for
demographic analysis which is as follows:

1. Distribution of Gender:

Interpretation- Coming to the gender ratio the responses were fairly but
unbiasedly dominated by male. Out of 150 respondents 83 of them (55.3%)
were male and 66 of them (44%) were female and only 1 person preferred not
to reveal his gender publicly.
TABLE: GENDER WISE RESPONDENTS
MALE FEMALE PREFER
TO SAY
NOT
TOTAL
RESPONSES 83 66 01 150
PERCENTAGE 55.3 % 44 % 0.07 % 100 %

2. Distribution of Age:

17
 Interpretation- Out of the 150 respondents 138 people (92%) were in the age
group of 18 to 24 years, 9 people (6%) were in the age group of 25 to 34
years, 2 of them were of 35 to 44 years and lastly only 1 respondent was there
who was in the category of more than 55.
TABLE: AGE WISE RESPONDENTS
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ TOTAL
RESPONSES 138 09 02 00 01 150
PERCENTAGE 92 % 06% 1.25% 00 0.75% 100 %
3. Distribution of Educational Qualification:

Interpretation- Out of the 150 respondents, 23 respondents (15.3%) are of

higher secondary class, 97 respondents (64.7%) are undergraduate, 24 of them
(16%) are graduated and only 6 of them were post-graduated or doing their
masters.
TABLE: EDUCATIONAL WISE RESPONDENTS

HIGHER UNDER POST TOTAL

SECONDARY GRADUATE GRADUATE GRADUATION
RESPONSES 23 97 24 06 150
PERCENTAGE 15.3% 64.7% 16% 04% 100 %

18
 4. Distribution of Occupation:

Interpretation- Out of the 150 respondents 130 (86.7%) of them were

pursuing their studies. 3 of them were self-employed, 8 respondents (5.3%)
were salaried employees, 5 of them were engaged in business, 1 of them was
a homemaker, and lastly 3 of them are doing their professional job.

TABLE: OCCUPATION WISE RESPONDENTS

STUDENT SELF- SALARIED BUSINESS HOMEMAKER PROFESSIONAL TOTAL
EMPLOYED EMPLOYEE
RESPONSES 130 03 08 05 01 03 150
PERCENTAGE 86.7% 02% 05% 03% 0.6% 0.2% 100 %

5. Distribution of Annual Income:

Interpretation- Out of the 150 respondents, 108 respondents (72%) had an

income below 3 lakhs, 16 respondents (10.7%) were in the earning category
of 3 lakhs to 5 lakhs. 12 respondents (8%) were in the category of 5 lakhs to
19
 10 lakhs and lastly only 14 respondents (9.3%) were in the category of
earning 10 lakhs or so.
TABLE: INCOME WISE RESPONDENTS
BELOW 3 3 LAKHS - 5 LAKHS - 10 LAKHS TOTAL
LAKHS 5 LAKHS 10 LAKHS
RESPONSES 108 16 12 14 150
PERCENTAGE 72% 10.7% 8% 9.3% 100 %

Pictorial analysis in the form of pie-chart analysis has been used for
understanding the
variables which were as follows:

1. What Social Media Platforms Do You Use Regularly? (Multiple options can be
chosen)

Out of 150 responses, when the population was asked which social media
platforms, they use regularly, 133 responded with Instagram and WhatsApp
which is around 89%, 80 responded with Snapchat, 55 responded with
LinkedIn. Other social media apps like Twitter, Facebook were voted with less
than 35 responses. This shows today most people use Instagram and WhatsApp
in social media much more than other apps.

TABLE: USERS WISE RESPONDENTS

INSTAGRAM SNAPCHAT LINKEDIN OTHER APPS
AND
WHATSAPP
RESPONSES 133 80 24 LESS THEN 35

PERCENTAGE 89% 53.3% 36.6% --

20
2. How Often Do You Come Across Advertisements For Smartphone On Social
Media?

Out of 150 responses that were collected, 40% of people agreed that they come
across advertisements for smartphones on social media platforms frequently.
34% of the respondents believe they come across such advertisements often.
Around 17% respondents voted that they come across such ads sometimes while
6% replied with rarely and remaining responded with Never. Every person has a
different perception and following that, they chose the options.

TABLE: ADVERTISEMENTS WISE RESPONDENTS

FREQUENTLY OFTEN SOMETIMES RARELY NEVER TOTAL
RESPONSES 60 52 25 9 4 150
PERCENTAGE 40% 34% 17% 6% 3% 100 %

3. How Influential Do You Find Advertisements On Social Media In Shaping

Your Perception Of Smartphones? (Rate From 1-5 Where 1 Being The Least
And 5 Being The Most)

21
 When the respondents were asked the reason how influential they find
advertisements on social media in shaping their perception of smartphones, out
of 150 respondents, 74 of the respondents believe it is fairly important, while 25
were of the opinion it is quite important. 20 respondents responded with it not
being significantly important, 17 with it being very important and 14 with it
being not at all important.
TABLE: INFLUENTIAL WISE RESPONDENTS
1 2 3 4 5 TOTAL
RESPONSES 14 20 74 25 17 150
PERCENTAGE 9.3% 13.5% 49.3% 16.7% 11.3% 100 %

4. Have You Ever Made a Smartphone Purchase Based on an Advertisement

You Saw on Social Media?

When asked from the respondents have, they ever made a smartphone purchase
based on an advertisement they saw on social media, almost 61% responded
with “Yes” while the rest 39% responded with “No”. This shows the majority of
the population does consider buying phones based on ads they see on social
media.

TABLE: PUCHASED BASED ON ADS WISE RESPONDENTS

YES NO TOTAL
RESPONSES 91 59 150
PERCENTAGE 60.7% 39.3 % 100 %

22
5. Which Factors Influence Your Decision to Purchase a Smartphone The
Most? (Multiple options can be chosen)

When asked which factors influence their decision to purchase a smartphone

the most, out of 150 responses, almost 79% responded with features, while
104 respondents believe Brand matters as well and 100 respondents say Price
to also be a factor. 70 respondents say reviews are also an important factor.
More than 60 people are also of the opinion that warranty & servicing and
appearance of the phone matters as well. Less than 20 believe advertisements
and other factors are influential.
TABLE: USERS WISE RESPONDENTS
INSTAGRAM SNAPCHAT LINKEDIN OTHER APPS
AND
WHATSAPP
RESPONSES 133 80 24 LESS THEN 35

PERCENTAGE 89% 53.3% 36.6% --

6. How Likely Are You To Consider Purchasing A Smartphone After Seeing

An Advertisement On Social Media?

23
 When the population was asked how likely they are to consider purchasing a
smartphone after seeing an advertisement on social media, around 47%
responded with being neutral about it, while 19% responded with it being likely
and 9% being very likely. 16% responded with it being unlikely for them and
10% with it being very unlikely. Hence we can see almost half the population is
neutral about it and the other half is split in being likely and unlikely.

TABLE: ADVERTISEMENTS (LIKE) WISE RESPONDENTS

VERY LIKELY NEUTRAL UNLIKELY VERY TOTAL
LIKELY UNLIKELY
RESPONSES 13 28 71 23 15 150
PERCENTAGE 9% 19% 47% 16% 10% 100 %

7. Do You Believe That Advertisements on Social Media Accurately

Represent the Features and Benefits Of Smartphones?

On asking do they believe that advertisements on social media accurately

represent the features and benefits of smartphones, around 45% responded with
a not-so-sure answer of “Maybe”, while 31% voted for “Yes” and 24% voted
for “No”. Hence most people are not sure about whether ads on social media
accurately represent the features and benefits of smartphones or not.

TABLE: FEATURES AND BENEFITS WISE RESPONDENTS

YES NO MAYBE TOTAL
RESPONSES 46 36 68 150
PERCENTAGE 30.7 % 24 % 45.3 % 100 %

24
8. How Often Do You Research or Seek Reviews About Smartphones After
Seeing an Advertisement on Social Media?

When the respondents were enquired how often they research or seek reviews
about smartphones after seeing an advertisement on social media, out of 150
respondents, 38% of them researched sometimes whereas more than 25% often
researched and were review seekers. 16% of the respondents researched rarely,
13% very frequently and more than 7% never. Hence the majority of the
respondents researched sometimes or often about smartphones after seeing ads
on social media.

TABLE: REVIEWS WISE RESPONDENTS

FREQUENTLY OFTEN SOMETIMES RARELY NEVER TOTAL
RESPONSES 20 38 57 24 11 150
PERCENTAGE 13.3% 25.3% 38% 16% 7.3% 100 %

9. How Does Your Age Influence Your Response to Advertisements for

Smartphones on Social Media?

25
 On asking how their age influences their response to advertisements for
smartphones on social media, 40% of the population responded with it
influencing moderately, more than 30% significantly. 12% influencing slightly
and more than 9% influencing very significantly whereas 8% influencing not
at all.

TABLE: AGE INFLUENCES WISE RESPONDENTS

VERY SIGNIFICANTLY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY NOT TOTAL
SIGNIFICANTLY AT
ALL
RESPONSES 14 46 60 18 12 150
PERCENTAGE 9.3% 30.7% 40% 12% 8% 100 %

10. Why Have You Ever Felt Deceived or Misled by A Smartphone

Advertisement on Social Media?

When the population was asked whether they ever felt deceived or misled by a
smartphone advertisement on social media 53% agreed with feeling deceived
or misled whereas more than 47% disagreed with this. This helps us infer that
around half the people feel deceived and other half do not.

TABLE: DECEIVED OR MISLED WISE RESPONDENTS

YES NO TOTAL
RESPONSES 71 79 150
PERCENTAGE 47.3% 52.7 % 100 %

26
11. How Satisfied Are You with Your Most Recent Smartphone Purchase
Influenced by an Online Advertisement?

On asking how satisfied they are with their most recent smartphone purchase
influenced by an online advertisement, 46% were neutral regarding the same,
34% responded with being satisfied with their purchase. While 13% responded
with being highly satisfied, the remaining 6% were together dissatisfied and
highly dissatisfied. Hence, majority of the population were neutral about being
satisfied with their most recent smartphone purchase influenced by online
advertisements.

TABLE: SATISFACTION WISE RESPONDENTS

HIGHLY SATISFIED NEUTRAL DISSATISFIED TOTAL
SATISFIED AND HIGHLY
DISSATISFIED
RESPONSES 20 51 69 10 150
PERCENTAGE 13.3% 34% 46% 6.7% 100 %

12. What Factors Contribute to Your Satisfaction Level with Your

Smartphone Purchase Influenced by Online Advertisements? (Multiple
options can be chosen)

27
 On asking what factors contribute to their satisfaction level with their
smartphone purchase influenced by online advertisements, more than 100 of
the population responded with features and performance, whereas more than 60
– 70 responded with price and brand reputation. Only 46 responded with
customer service and hardly 9 responded with other factors. Hence features and
performance itself are the most important factors contributing to the
population’s satisfaction level with their smartphone purchase influenced by
online advertisements.
TABLE: FACTORS WISE RESPONDENTS
PRICE AND FEATURES AND CUSTOMER OTHER
BRAND PERFROMANCES SERVICES FACTORS
REPUTATION
RESPONSES MORE THAN MORE THAN 46 LESS THE 10
60-70 100
PERCENTAGE 30% 50% 15% 05%

13. Do You Feel That the Smartphone You Purchased Meets Your
Expectations as Advertised on Social Media? (Rate From 1-5 Where 1 Being
the Least And 5 Being the Most)

Out of 150 responses, when the population was enquired whether they feel that
the smartphone they purchased meets their expectations as advertised on social
media, more than 45% responded with their expectations being somewhat
moderately met. 29% responded with their expectations being met to quite some
extent, and only 9% of the participants believe it highly met their expectations.
According to a bit more than 5% of participants, it did not meet their
expectations at all and for around 11% it did not meet their expectations that
much.
TABLE: EXPECTATIONS WISE RESPONDENTS
1 2 3 4 5 TOTAL
RESPONSES 08 16 68 44 14 150
PERCENTAGE 5.3% 10.7% 45.3% 29.3% 9.3% 100 %
28
 14. Would You Recommend the Smartphone You Purchased to Others Based
on Your Experience with Online Advertisements?

When the respondents were asked would they recommend the smartphone they
purchased to others based on their experience with online advertisements, out of
150 respondents, more than 43% were neutral about it, 32% believe their
probably would and more than 14% would probably not. Out of the remaining
5% responded with definitely recommending the same and the other 5%
responded with not recommending it at all. Hence, almost half of the respondents
believe in being neutral for recommending their purchases to others based on
their experience with online advertisements.

TABLE: RECOMMENDATION WISE RESPONDENTS

DEFINITELY PROBABLY NEUTRAL PROBABLY DEFINITELY TOTAL
NOT NOT YES YES
RESPONSES 6 22 65 48 8 150
PERCENTAGE 2% 14.7% 43.3% 32% 3% 100 %

15. How Likely Are You To Purchase A Smartphone Again Based On Your
Experience With Online Advertisements?

29
 When asked how likely the customers are to purchase a smartphone again
based on their experience with online advertisements, 51% were neutral
regarding the same, 26% respondents were likely to purchase. While 13%
respondents were unlikely to repeat the purchase, the remaining 10% were
together responded with very likely and very unlikely. Hence, most of the
population were neutral about their likelihood of purchasing a smartphone again
based on their previous experience with online advertisements.

TABLE: ONLINE ADVERTISEMENTS (LIKE) WISE

RESPONDENTS
VERY LIKELY NEUTRAL UNLIKELY VERY TOTAL
LIKELY UNLIKELY
RESPONSES 9 39 76 23 6 150
PERCENTAGE 6% 26% 50.7% 13.3% 4% 100 %

16. How Often Do You Engage With Smartphone Related Content On Social
Media?

When asked about the frequency of consumers getting engaged with

smartphone related content on social media, 44% of the respondents said that
they sometimes do the same, 24% of them were often engaged with such
content. While 20% of them rarely get involved with smartphone related
content, the remaining 9% and 3% responded to frequently and never
respectively about such engagements. Hence, we can interpret that consumers
sometimes only engage themselves with smartphone related content on social
media.

TABLE: ENGAGEMENT WISE RESPONDENTS

FREQUENTLY OFTEN SOMETIMES RARELY NEVER TOTAL
RESPONSES 13 36 66 30 5 150
PERCENTAGE 8.7% 24% 44% 20% 3.3% 100 %

30
 17. Do You Feel That Social Media Advertisements Influence Your Overall
Perception Of Smartphone Brands?

On asking the consumers whether social media advertisements influence their

overall perception of smartphone brands, 45% said that these advertisements
had a moderate influence in their perception, 29% replied to a significant
influence for the same. While 11% of them said that the effect is slightly
influencing, 10% of them say that this advertisement had a very significant
influence on the opinion regarding the smartphone brands, the remaining 8%
respondents said that it does not have any such influence at all. Here, most of
the consumers agreed to the fact that smartphones advertisement on social
media platforms moderately influences their perception towards smartphone
brands.
TABLE: PERCEPTIONS WISE RESPONDENTS
VERY SIGNIFICANTLY MODERATELY SLIGHTLY NOT TOTAL
SIGNIFICANTLY AT
ALL
RESPONSES 13 43 68 17 12 150
PERCENTAGE 8.7% 28.7% 45.3% 11.3% 8% 100 %

18. Have You Ever Switched Smartphone Brands Based on An

Advertisement You Saw On Social Media?

31
 When enquired to the consumers if they ever had switched their smartphone
brands based on an advertisement they saw on social media, 55% had a
straight no to such question, 24% of the population said yes. While the
remaining 21% of the population may act likewise in such a case. So, it is not
wrong to say that people generally do not shift their smartphone brands based
on a social media advertisement.

TABLE: CONSUMERS WISE RESPONDENTS

YES NO MAYBE TOTAL
RESPONSES 82 37 31 150
PERCENTAGE 54.7 % 24.7 % 20.7 % 100 %

19. Overall,How Would You Rate The Impact Of Social Media

Advertisements On Your Purchasing Decisions Regarding
Smartphones.? (Rate from 1-5 where 1 being the least and 5 being the most)

When asked to the customers to rate the impact of the social media
advertisements on their purchasing decisions regarding smartphones, a
majority of 53% gave a decent rating of 3 out of 5, 22% gave a rating of 2
out of 5. The remaining 10%, 8% and 7% of the population give the rating
of 2, 5 and 1 respectively. Hence it can be interpreted that yes social media
advertisements of smartphones in a way or other, somehow impacts the
purchasing decision of the customers.

TABLE: DECISIONS WISE RESPONDENTS

1 2 3 4 5 TOTAL
RESPONSES 11 15 79 33 12 150
PERCENTAGE 7.3% 10% 52.7% 22% 8% 100 %

32
4.6.2. Observations & Findings

My first objective was to ‘Understanding how advertisements on social

media influence a person's decision to purchase smartphones’. On
analyzing my responses to Q2 and Q3 of my questionnaire I was able to infer
some results. From Q2, which directly enquired from the respondents about
how often they come across advertisements for smartphones on social media?
We can infer that advertising through such social media platforms is so
common nowadays as 75% of the respondents agreed to fact being coming
across such advertisements very frequently.
Q3 asked the respondents how influential they are finding such advertisements
on social media to shape their perception of smartphones to which 50% of
them admit advertisement to be an influencing factor shaping their perception
towards smartphones.
So, we can clearly conclude that advertisement of smartphones through social
media platforms can influence a person’s decision to purchase smartphones.

My next objective was ‘How different age groups respond to

advertisements of smartphones’. This objective was achieved from the
analysis of Q9 of the questionnaire. Q9 simply asked the respondents how their
age influences their response to advertisements for smart phones on social
media. According to the opinions collected, it can be inferred that age is not a
controlling factor in the response of people towards such advertisements.

To achieve my next objective ‘Understanding the satisfaction of customers

when they purchase smartphones influenced by online advertisements.’
analysis of Q11, Q12 and Q13 was conducted. Q11 enquired from the
population how satisfied they are with their most recent smartphone purchase
influenced by an online advertisement. Only 6% of the population was there
which was not satisfied with their recent smartphone purchase influenced by
social media.
Q12 aimed at figuring out the factors which contribute to customer satisfaction
level. From its responses it was understood that factors like performance was
ranked first after which features was given a priority by the customers after that
when they are satisfied with discussed two factors another major factor, they
take into consideration was the price of their purchase.
Q13 discuss about how the respondents’ purchases were able to meet their
expectations as advertised on social media. On receiving a variety of answers
and analysis of the same, along with results of Q11 and 12, we can conclude
that people are quite satisfied with their purchase of smartphones influenced by
social media.

33
The last objective was ‘Trying to understand the overall impact of
advertisement on purchasing decisions of smartphones on youth.’ To
achieve this, the analysis of Q3, Q6, Q7, Q10, Q13, Q18 and Q19.
Q3 helped determine that social media advertisements are influential in shaping
the perception of smartphones. Whereas Q6 represented that today, almost half
the population is not affected by social media advertising while considering
purchasing a smartphone. Q7 resulted in us understanding that more than 45%
of the population are not sure whether social media advertisements represent
smartphone features correctly or not. Less 1 out of every 3 person believes they
do represent correctly. Q10 showed that almost 1 out of every 2 people feel
misled or deceived by smartphones advertisements on social media. Q13 was
in case people did purchase based on social media advertisements and it says
majority of the population were either somewhat satisfied or quite satisfied
with their purchase. So it can be concluded it was more of a success for them.
Q18 states that more than 50% of the population has not switched smartphones
based on social media advertising. This gives a clearer picture that today
almost 6 out of every 10 people would not switch smartphones based on social
media ads. Q19 was a summarizing question which asked the population how
they would rate the impact of social media advertisements on their purchasing
decisions regarding smartphones and more than half replied with its impact
being moderate. Hence, we can conclude that overall impact of advertisement
on purchasing decisions of smartphones on youth is not significant, it is neutral
for most people and amongst the remaining few, the impact is divided into high
and low equally in most cases.

34
 5. Conclusion and Recommendations

On conducting the survey, it helped me achieve my objectives and provided me with the
understanding of the mindset of the large number of respondents as per my understanding and
finding I would like to propose my recommendations and conclusion on the topic I have duly
worked upon:

Firstly, I would definitely agree upon the statement that yes social media does have a great
impact on the minds of individuals while purchasing smartphones. But just like a coin has two
sides heads and tail similarly social media here has its own advantages and disadvantages too.
“Social media will help you build up loyalty of your current customers to the point that they
will willingly, and for free, tell others about you.” --- Bonnie Sainsbury, Founder and CEO of
Social Media Smarter.

Social media can help us find the right thing for the right use but also can lead us to wrong
products for wrong use too. Advertisements, especially in case of smartphones have very
aggressive effects on children that is teenagers they see new things new features being
displayed how attractive the advertisement looks and quickly switches upon the products. This
type of market rarely has customer loyalty associated with itself, it’s all about how good a
company is at its marketing, especially social media marketing to be precise.
This social media marketing has changed and evolved the market at such a level that even apple
such a premium company which never used to advertise for its products now ahs to start
advertising its products on social media such great impact it is having on the minds of the
individuals. New brands have emerged and gained such great heights in such a short span of
time all because of social media marketing.
But in its initial days the marketing has been very aggressive with the advent of Redmi
smartphones because of its marketing strategy, low prices, and high-end products. Similarly
other companies went for the social media marketing too.
I have been a gamer person so what I have seen in myself and among my friends are the more
features the more it’s likely to be get attracted by the users. The most attractive among them
being g the camera, the processor, and battery.

Let me give a glimpse of how this smartphone social media advertisement has changed the
overall customer expectations and needs.
Redmi entered the market with low prices and high-end products example Redmi 4A entered
the market in 2016 November with good and basic camera features at a low price. Then,
gradually it started getting people’s attention due to its social media advertisement as well as
word of mouth.
Now as soon as it caught attention enough it started disrupting the marketing by introducing
slightly better mobile phones and increasing the pricing to a certain extent.
Seeing how it is taking over the market, other companies entered the market as well, the market
we are here talking about here is budget segment market. As OnePlus and Samsung must come
out of their high-end league and enter this budget segment market now, satisfactory
smartphones are delivered at a price of between Rs. 10k to 30k.
The only recommendation I will provide to the companies for social media marketing is if they
want to continue longer, they must keep on improving their social media branding and
marketing because this market is highly unpredictable and can take a turn at any unexpected
moment because neither the improvement of technology is going to stop neither is the people’s
never-ending demand.

35
 6.References

❖ The Development of a Conceptual Framework for Mobile Social

Commerce and Purchasing Decisions: A Systematic Literature Review
from 2010 -2020:
https://www.academia.edu/50916525/The_Development_of_a_Conceptu
al_Framework_for_Mobile_Social_Commerce_and_Purchasing_Decisio
ns_A_Systematic_Literature_Review_from_2010_2020

❖ Impact of Social Media Influencer Marketing on Youth Purchase

Intentions in UAE: https://mediawatchjournal.in/wp-
content/uploads/2021/09/Impact-of-Social-Media-Influencer-Marketing-
on-Youth-Purchase-Intentions-in-UAE.pdf

❖ Predictive modeling of consumer purchase behavior on social media:

Integrating theory of planned behavior and machine learning for
actionable insights:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.02
96336

❖ Influence of social media marketing communications on young

consumers’ attitudes:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/YC-07-2016-
00622/full/html

❖ The impact of social media on consumer purchasing behavior:

https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/352736/Thesis%20Impac
t%20of%20social%20media%20on%20consumer%20purchasing%20b
ehavior_Susanne%20Autio.pdf?sequence=2

❖ Digital Transformation & Social Media Impact on Buying Behaviour of

Youth: https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRTZ020030.pdf

36
 7. Annexure
Section 1: Personal details of the respondents

1. Email:

2. Name:

3. Annual Income:
a) Below 3 Lacs
b) 3 lacs – 5 lacs
c) 5 lacs – 10 lacs
d) Above 10 lacs
4. Age:
a) 18-24 years
b) 25-34 years
c) 35-44 years
d) 45-54 years
e) 55+ years

5. Gender:
a) Male
b) Female
c) Prefer not to say
6. Occupation:
a) Student
b) Self Employed
c) Salaried Employee
d) Business
e) Homemaker
f) Professional
7. Educational Qualification:
a) Higher Secondary
b) Under – Graduate
c) Graduate
d) Post Graduation / Masters
37
Section 2 : Impact Of Social Media Marketing on Purchase Decisions Of
Smartphones On Youth :

1. What social media platforms do you use regularly? (Multiple options can be
selected)
□ Instagram
□ Facebook
□ WhatsApp
□ Twitter/X
□ Snapchat
□ LinkedIn
□ Other
2. How often do you come across advertisement for smartphone on social media:
a) Frequently
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never

3. How influential do you find advertisement on social media in shaping your

perception of smartphones? (Rate From 1-5 Where 1 Being the Least And 5
Being the Most)
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

4. Have you ever made a smartphones purchase based on an advertisement you

saw social media?
a) Yes
b) No

5. Which factors influence your decisions to purchase a smartphone the most?

(Multiple options can be selected)
□ Features
□ Warranty
□ Price
□ Appearance
38
 □ Brand
□ Advertisements
□ Reviews
□ Others

6. How likely are you to consider purchasing a smartphone after seeing an

advertisement on social media?
a) Very Likely
b) Likely
c) Neutral
d) Unlikely
e) Very Unlikely

7. Do you believe that advertisements on social media accurately represent the

features and benefits of smartphones?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Maybe

8. How often do you research or seek reviews about smartphones after seeing an
advertisement on social media?
a) Frequently
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never
9. How does your age influence your response to advertisement for smartphones
on social media?
a) Very Significantly
b) Significantly
c) Moderately
d) Slightly
e) Not at all
10.Have you ever felt deceived or misled by a smartphone advertisement on
social media?
a) Yes
b) No
39
11.How satisfied are you with your most recent smartphones purchase influenced
by an online advertisement?
a) Highly Satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
e) Very Dissatisfied
12.What factors contribute to your satisfaction level with your smartphones
purchase influenced by online advertisement? (Multiple options can be
selected)
□ Price
□ Features
□ Performance
□ Brand Reputation
□ Customer Service
□ Others
13.Do you feel that the smartphones you purchased meets your expectation as
advertisement on social media? (Rate from 1-5 where 1 being the least and 5
being the most)
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
14.Would you recommend the smartphones you purchased to others based on
your experience with online advertisements?
a) Definitely
b) Probably Not
c) Neutral
d) Probably Yes
e) Definitely Yes
15.How likely are you to purchase a smartphone again based on your experience
with online advertisements?
a) Very Likely
b) Likely
c) Neutral
d) Unlikely
e) Very Unlikely

40
16.How often do you engage with smartphones related content on social media?
a) Frequently
b) Often
c) Sometimes
d) Rarely
e) Never

17.Do you feel that social media advertisement influences your overall
perceptions of smartphones brands?
a) Very Significantly
b) Significantly
c) Moderately
d) Slightly
e) Not At All

18.Have you ever switched smartphones brands based on an advertisement you

saw on social media?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Maybe

19.Overall, how would you rate the impact of social media advertisements on
your purchasing decisions regarding smartphones? (Rate from 1-5 where 1
being the least and 5 being the most)
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

41
42