Introduction:

As the internet day by day is creating additional importance in every person’s life, social media
websites has also generated or gained its acceptance in today’s world. It’s also aims to judge its
influence of these websites on consumer buying behavior and assessing the problem which
consumers acquire at the time of evaluating the brands and products. Thus, this research justifies
the expense of the companies behind huge funds advertise their brands in social media websites.

The growth of these social networking websites through such forums, blogs, groups, photos and
videos produced not just to consume information, but also it has becomes a source of
understanding and developing perception among people and consumers. The social network
websites give amenities to their consumers to communicate with one an other to share
information, reviews, comments so that could help them in purchasing decisions in different
methods ( Heinrichs, Lim & Lim, 2011).

Through these social networking websites anyone can post their advice to anyone who would
listen. And many of these posts have a great influence on what consumers feel, believe and do.

With consumers developing their own content and evaluation of the brands to generate and to
influence public opinion to promote sales, thus social media could have a better effect on
consumer’s perception and purchasing decisions.

Social Networking:
Social networks just like Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Myspaceetc, where people make their
accounts to share experiences, knowledge and information about them selves to connect with
other peoples which are similar in their interests. ( Cheunge, & Lee, 2010). Social networks
modify the way of our thinking about the entire market, there are direct relationship and
interaction of companies and consumers with each other. ( Solomon, et al, 2010). In these days
the method of interaction among companies and the consumers has modify and the power
modify from consumers to the company according to the social networks (Hagel&
Armstrong,1997).

Social networks are become an effective and essential part of the people’s communication and
through this they becomes interconnecting with each other and social networks influenced in lots
of methods on the human’s communication and their behavior ( Cheunge& Lee, 2010).

The online social networks participation growth has influenced to consumer towards the brand
and product (Riegner,2007). The modification in human behavior and act are made by social
networking influences.
Purchasing decision:
It is the process of deciding to purchase something which is in need or want, decide to
buy/purchase the most suitable product/ service from the range of different alternatives offered in
the market. axlord(1968)

There are many factors which affect purchasing decision of customers including internal and
external factors. Internal factors are cultural influences, social influences, family influences and
psychological influences. That can be very from person to person.

External factors push customers to buy/purchase any product by indirectly as well as directly
influence the purchasing decision of customers.
 Literature Review

Social Media:
Social media are online submissions Social media are online submissions, stages and media
which purpose to enable connections, associations not only social networkers but Also
government and private firms are using it as message tools (Ko & Kim, 2011).. The Social
media has gradually developed a constant in our lives (Martinka, 2012). Many individuals
influence to their friends and family through social media often daily basis. Through Face book,
people can view pictures and read status updates. Twitter allows others to read status updates.
Both social media gears have benefits as well as negative aspects but each of these unlocks the
doors to generate an online linked with others (Martinka, 2012).

Social media has provided humans a channel to generate online communities creating it informal
to network with others, which contents certain of our earnest social requirements and desires.
Moreover, social media has permissible users to upsurge the volume of people comprised in their
private communities, as social media is both viral, which is to say that information voyages
quickly. (Martinka, 2012).

Social Network and its Influence

A social network is a graph of relationships and interactions within a group of individuals, which
often plays a fundamental role as a medium for the spread of information, ideas, and influence
among its members. (Kempe,2003).

A Web-based social network provides various methods such as a chat room and a discussion
forum for participants who can interact, exchange opinions, and compare experiences with
others. In the context of E-commerce, social networks emerge since many websites help a
consumer’s final purchase decision by sharing reviews written by previous customers and
evaluated by potential customers. Many online shoppers tend to wait for early adopters’ opinions
before making a purchase decision to reduce the risk of buying a new product. (Bearden et al
2004).

Internet and virtual communities have transformed consumers, societies, and corporations with
wide spread access to information, better social networking and enhanced communication
abilities (Kucuk and Krishnamurthy, 2007).

One of the burgeoning communication tools increasing immensely in popularity among both the
people in general and the companies in particular are the Online Social Networks. These
networks offer huge space for advertisements, the effectiveness of which depends on the
advertiser as to whether or not he/she uses this space up to its full potential and molds it
according to the needs and preferences of the users (Hadijaet al, 2012).
Importance and Use of Social Networks

Large number of customers uses online networks to interact with people comment and like the
pages or products. Mostly these networks and communities of brands are used by people to stay
up-to-date about the latest developments in brands and products by viewing the information that
are available on these online communities. Face book brand community is although situated in a
social networking site it however, connects its members to the brands. Companies that provide
brand communities should divert their focus on offering unique benefits to their customers in the
form of entertainment, social affiliation and economic benefits so that they can get satisfied after
purchase and loyalty to the brand and the company is increased (Gummeruset al, 2012).

Consumers use social networks in daily life for various reasons. Most of them want to maintain
relationships with relatives or colleagues/friends. Maintaining interpersonal connectivity
between online users of a social media channel has benefits derived from establishing and
maintaining contact with other people in a manner of giving social support, friendship, and
intimacy. (Utpaletal 2004).

Consumers ‘purchasing decision

In today’s aggressive era, consumers are exposed incessantly by various brands and through
different marketing strategies by the companies. Consumer behavior is a crucial and difficult
area for marketers to understand because different people have different needs and wants, As
satisfaction of customers is the main objective for a company to achieve, because the job of
marketer is to satisfy that product which satisfy the need of the customer (Lancaster et al.2005).

This data has supported and said Consumer behavior defined as the behavior of individuals and
how they are use, dispose the products what’s their nature and standard of living, their behavior
about the products and services ideas to gratify needs and the collision of these process have on
the consumer and society (Perner 2009).

This information has allowed and tells that mostly consumers go from beginning to end the
process of attitude, faith and purchase decision not appear for the insight information and
contrast the obtainable products and buy the product they have well known and aware of it (
Scott 2007).

This data has granted and said that sometimes customers experienced cogitative dissonance
while making a decision for complex product purchase due to the risk level regarding the brand
in his or her mind. There are always a risk factor there while purchasing the expensive product,
because it posses monetary value, psycho-social loss and lack of product knowledge which
create uncertainty (Assael 1981).
Social Networking websites and Consumers:
Social media is one of the powerful medium of giving consumers a voice, companies are inviting
their customers with the purpose of making brand awareness, appealing their existing and new
customer (Lee, 2013) .

Social media plays a vital role in distribution of information, acceptance and transferring that
information to their customers without any borderline limits in very fast time (lee, 2013).

It has been observed that about 45% of people seek friends’ advice before they consider making
any purchase decision and most of the discussion on these subjects is done online on social
networking sites. This trend has increased the reason for buyers to pay more attention to social
media. 64% of the consumers make a first time purchase based on an online experience. Hence,
the digital presence of brands now-a-days has increased to a Magnanimous level mainly because
of online social media (Qualman (1994).

Several E-companies are promoting online social communities that enabled and encouraged
customers to write reviews, rate the reviews given by others and talk about products with people
they trust, thus sharing their experiences regarding product use and purchase over the internet.
This facilitated a positive perception towards companies’ products and lead to an increase of
confidence in purchasing them. The interactions and relationships that take place within a group
of people forms a graph. It facilitates methods for discussing and sharing people’s brand
experiences with others. These methods or mediums include messengers and online social
communities and blogs like MSN, Twitter, YouTube, Friend feed and Tumblr (Kim (2007).

Social Networking and Consumer Purchasing Decision:

Purchase decision simply is the degree of concentration and nervousness that purchaser tolerate
on an attainment decision task (Hyder, 2011).Author purpose that people who have great
attainment decision participation with a website will be more probably examination for content
and in results it saves more time and energy, which can be key to engage with social websites.
Thus purchase decision positively motivates web site appointment.

Emphasize two approaches marketers can use to influence their customers through social media:
The pull process involves firms to create link with the customers of social media to draw them to
connect with their brand online (Martinka, 2012).

Second process is push process in which firms pushing their marketing messages to the Internet
consumers after getting failure of first generating associations (Martinka, 2012). When firm uses
push process rather then pull process.
Thousands of internet newsgroups and online chat rooms have emerged which are influencing
the buying decisions of consumers. These are useful as when a large number of online users
provide the same opinion about a brand, the credibility of the brand is increased (Jonas 2010).

Factors associated with Social Networking Websites:

Online shopping is clear and easy method for a consumer to purchase products through internet
Identifies Online shopping is clear as the method a consumer takes to purchase a service or
product over the internet (Jusoh & Ling, 2012).

The Word-of-mouth is the factor which is linked to social networking websites and having very
crucial role in influencing consumer decision making. Consumers often depend on it when they
search for information on which they base their purchase decision (Chu & Kim, 2011).

It is stated that WOM is very influential in purchasing decision and effect on consumers’
purchasing decision performance (Li & Darban, 2012). The Particularly information search,
evaluation of alternative, and product choice, when consumers want to purchase any new product
then they become very dependent on Word-of-mouth and they really check other consumers’
recommendations before purchasing it. Consumers like to explore more about the product
information when they decide to purchase to decrease the risk of purchasing faulty product
which disturb consumers’ purchase decision and lead them to have a well and beneficial
purchase decision (Li & Darban, 2012).

Automobiles industry and social networking websites

When you look at social media and the automotive industry, on the surface, it appears they have
a relationship better than Brad and Angelina. We’ve all seen the great success stories of
companies like Ford with the launch of their Fiesta campaign and the YouTube sensation of VW.
All of these stories demonstrate the power of social media and telling a compelling story in the
automotive industry. 23% of car buyers ask their social media friends for a recommendation
before visiting a dealer, 71% of car buyers said information online impacts their buying decision,
53% of car buyers prefer to have their first experience with a dealership online, and while only
50% said a television advertisement impacted their purchasing behavior.

Brand storytelling is just one part of the picture. It’s a piece of the overarching social media
puzzle that drives true success for organizations. Brands like VW, Ford and Mini Cooper have
consistently excelled at telling their story on social media. That said, telling a compelling story
isn’t the only piece of the puzzle that is important for brands trying to be leaders online. At the
end of the day, business is about selling a product.
Studies show that while selling is one of the most important pieces of the business, it’s still one
that brands are struggling with on social media. The challenge with selling on social media is the
fact that brands are being forced to approach their customers in a different way. Instead of using
traditional sales tactics, brands are required to nurture their leads and build real, meaningful
relationships to close a deal. (Ross Simmonds April 24, 2013)