Does the Internet Influence the Consumer Decision Making Process (Essay Sample)

To What Extend Does the Internet Influence the Consumer Decision Making Process
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Results Chapter
Hypothesis Tests
Hypothesis 1 Question 1
Table 5-1 Hypothesis 1 Question 1
AcceptedHypothesis1: Online information is most considered when consumers want to buy products in comparison to Newspaper/Magazine ads, TV Commercials, advice from sales people, Reviews in consumer reports and Recommendations from friends or family.
Hypothesis 1 is concerned with whether online information is most considered when consumers want to buy products in comparison to Newspaper/Magazine ads, TV Commercials, advice from sales people, Reviews in consumer reports and Recommendations from friends or family. Respondents are requested to clarify the major sources of information they consider before making purchases of their products. The results show that 92% of the 300 respondents feel that one of their major contributions of motivation to purchase products is reading comments of an item online, 7% of the total respondents felt that Newspaper/Magazine ads would serve them with better information before purchasing a product, while only 1% vouched for other methods such as TV Commercials, advice from sales people, Reviews in consumer reports and Recommendations from friends or family.
Fig 5-2 Sources of information to consider when purchasing a product


According to the above findings, it is clear that hypothesis 1 accepts the fact that Online information is most considered when consumers want to buy products in comparison to Newspaper/Magazine ads, TV Commercials, advice from sales people, Reviews in consumer reports and Recommendations from friends or family. due to this development the investigation of this issue is considered necessary and worth the effort.
Hypothesis 2 Questions 2
Table 5-2 Hypothesis 2(Question 2)
AcceptedHypotheses 2: Believability in online sources of information is rated highly compared to Newspaper/Magazine ads, TV Commercials, advice from sales people, Reviews in consumer reports and Recommendations from friends or family. 
Hypothesis 2 is concerned if online sources of information believability are rated highly compared to Newspaper/Magazine ads, TV Commercials, advice from sales people, Reviews in consumer reports and Recommendations from friends or family. Respondents were requested to evaluate if indeed this was the case in question 2. Fig 4-3 indicates that 83% of total respondents rate highly the believability of online sources of information. Of the 83%, 44% said they highly believed comments from online articles while 39% said they held in high esteem product reviews and ratings online. Only 7% of respondents believe in Newspaper/Magazine ads while 10% of the respondents believe in TV Commercials, advice from sales people, Reviews in consumer reports and Recommendations from friends or family.
Fig 5-4 How Consumers grade the believability of a number of information sources


(Source: Van de van, 1995)
According to the findings above, it is approved clearly that hypothesis 2 which is “Believability in online sources of information is rated highly compared to Newspaper/Magazine ads, TV Commercials, advice from sales people, Reviews in consumer reports and Recommendations from friends or family.” should be accepted. As a result, the investigation of this issue is considered worth and necessary.
Hypothesis 3 Question 3
Table 5-3 Hypothesis 3 (Question 3)
AcceptedHypotheses 3: People will search online after watching TV Commercials for products which interested them.
Hypothesis 3 is concerned with whether People will search online after watching TV Commercials for products which interested them. Respondents were asked to evaluate the possibility of them searching online after watching TV Commercials for products which interested them. Fig 4-4 indicates that 43% of respondents agree where 30% of them strongly agree to this fact that they will search online after watching TV Commercials for products which interested them while 13% fairly agree, 7% of respondents strongly disagree, while 50% are neutral.
Fig 5-5 The likelihood of people searching online after watching TV Commercials of products which interest them


(Source: Ulrich, 2009)
Therefore, it has clearly been approved that hypothesis 3 which states that People will search online after watching TV Commercials for products which interested them should be accepted.
Hypothesis 4 (Question 4)
Table 5-4 Hypothesis 4 (Question 4)
AcceptedHypotheses 4: Consumers consult online product recommendations to provide a personalized list of recommended product alternatives that help them to compare these alternatives in debt.
Hypotheses 4 is about whether Consumers consult online product recommendations to provide a personalized list of recommended product alternatives that help them to compare these alternatives in debt. Respondents are requested to evaluate the current way in which they do comparisons of products before making a purchase. It can be found that 91% of the total respondents usually consult and follow an online product recommendation. Moreover, only 3% of total respondents usually consult product recommendation but do not follow them while 6% do not pay attention to product recommendation. (See Figure 5-6).
Figure 5-6: The probability of consumers consulting product recommendations before making purchases


According to the findings above, it is approved clearly that hypothesis 4 which is “Consumers consult online product recommendations to provide a personalized list of recommended product alternatives that help them to compare these alternatives in debt.” should be accepted. As a result, the investigation of this issue is considered worth and necessary.
Table 5-5 Hypothesis 5 (Question 5)
AcceptedHypotheses 5: Consumers do not believe in Product recommendation because they rely on their own experience and knowledge.
Hypothesis 5 wants to know if the consumers who do not do consult product recommendation do so because they rely on their own experience and knowledge. Responses to question 5 display the importance of this issue. The cohort of Respondents who admitted to not doing product recommendation is requested to evaluate the reasons as to why they do not consult product recommendation. It can be found that 65% of the total respondents prefer relying on their own experience and knowledge. Moreover, only 10% of total respondents do not think that product recommendations are trustworthy/believable while 20% of the cohort do not know what product recommendation is. (See Figure 5-7).
Fig 5.7 The reasons why some consumers do not consult Product recommendation


According to the findings above, it is approved clearly that hypothesis 5 which is “Consumers do not believe in Product recommendation because they rely on their own experience and knowledge.” should be accepted. As a result, the investigation of this issue is considered worth and necessary.
Table 5-6 Hypothesis 6 (Question 6)
AcceptedHypotheses 6: Consumers prefer using the internet in doing their product research because it provides a better platform to carry out debates and discussions in an efficient and huge coverage way.Hypothesis 6 is wants to find out if indeed it is true that Consumers prefer using the internet in doing their product research because it provides a better platform to carry out debates and discussions in an efficient and huge coverage way. Responses to question 6 display the importance of this issue. Respondents are requested to evaluate the current product research impact done on the internet in comparison to other platforms. It can be found that 91% of the total respondents agree where 76% of them strongly agree while 15% fairly agree with the fact that they prefer using the internet in doing their product research because it provides a better platform to carry out debates and discussions in an efficient and huge coverage way. Moreover, only 1% of total respondents disagree with this fact while 8% were neutral. (See Figure 5-9).
Fig 5-9 The internet is preferred in Consumer research because it provides a better platform for debates and discussions


According to the findings above, it is approved clearly that hypothesis 6 which is “Consumers prefer using the internet in doing their product research because it provides a better platform to carry out debates and discussions in an efficient and huge coverage way.” should be accepted. As a result, the investigation of this issue is considered worth and necessary.
Table 5-7 Hypothesis 7 (Question 7)
AcceptedHypotheses 7: The increased use of online consumer research is because the Web helps consumers make better purchase decisions.Hypothesis 7 sought to find out if indeed it is true the fact that the increased use of online consumer research is because the Web helps consumers make better purchase decisions. Responses to question 7 display the importance of this issue. Respondents are requested to evaluate if the increased use of online consumer research is because the Web helps them make better purchase decisions. It can be found that 65% of the total respondents agree whereby 44% strongly agree while 21% fairly agree with this fact. Moreover, 3% strongly disagree, 6% of total 300 respondents fairly agree, while 26% were neutral. (See Figure 5-11).
Fig 5-11 The increased use of online consumer research is because the web helps consumers make better purchase decisions


According to the findings above, it is approved clearly that hypothesis 7 which is “The increased use of online consumer research is because the Web helps consumers make better purchase decisions.” should be accepted. As a result, the investigation of this...