PROJECT DISSERTATION

ON

A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL MARKETING ON CONSUMER

BEHAVIOUR

Submitted By

Harsh Srivastava

(2k17/MBA/031)

Under the Guidance of

Mr. Chandan Sharma

Assistant Professor

DELHI SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

DELHI TECNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Bawana Road Delhi 110042

 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation report titled “Study of the impact of digital
marketing on consumer behaviour”, is a bonafide work carried out by Mr.
Harsh Srivastava of MBA 2017-19 and submitted to Delhi School of
Management, Delhi Technological University, Bawana Road, Delhi-42 in partial
fulfillment of the Requirement for the award of the Degree of Masters of Business
Administration.

Signature of Guide Signature of Head(DSM)

Place: Seal of Head

Date:
 DECLARATION

I, HARSH SRIVASTAVA, student of MBA 2017-19 of Delhi School of

Management, Delhi Technological University, Bawana Road, Delhi – 42, hereby
declare that the dissertation report “Study of the impact of digital marketing on
consumer” submitted in partial fulfillment of Degree of Masters of Business
Administration is the original work conducted by me.

The information and data given in the report is authentic to the best of my
knowledge.

This report is not being submitted to any other University, for award of any other
Degree, Diploma or Fellowship.

PLACE: HARSH SRIVASTAVA

DATE:
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I would like to thank Mr. Chandan Sharma, who was my guide and my
mentor during this project, for providing me with the opportunity to do this
dissertation under his guidance and expertise.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to my Parents, Mrs. Anshu Srivastava

and Mr. Harsh Srivastava, who provided me with their love and support whenever
I needed it.

Lastly, I would like to thank God for giving me the skills and the patience because
of which this project was made possible.

Harsh Srivastava
 Executive summary

Technological advancements, the rise of the internet and development of

Web 2.0 has enabled the interconnectivity of consumers to increase. As a
result consumer behavior has changed and organisations needed to
understand the impact of digital marketing on the consumer decision making
process.
The research study analysed the impact of digital marketing on consumer
Conversion/Sales and Influence of Gender impact on Consumer Behavior
and also Demographic impact on Consumer Behavior.
Research Methodology will be exploratory research using primary research
using questionnaire. The research is to understand the impact of decision
making on conversion or sales of the product and Gender impact like is there
any preference in Male or female and which age group is influenced the most.
Analysis will be done with the help of SPSS to understand if there is any
impact. To understand the impact we are taking Dedit Card as our Product in
financial Services.
Due to these shifts in technology and consumer behavior need to develop
marketing strategies that reach out to consumers at moments that most
influence their decisions.
 Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION……………………………………………8
1.1: Introduction………………………………………………….
1.2: Objective of the Study…………………………………......
1.3: Research Scope……………………………………………
1.4: Chapter Outline…………………………………………….
1.5: Summary……………………………………………...........
CHAPTER 2: THEORY AND LITERATURE REVIEW…………………
2.1: Introduction………………………………………………….
2.2: Literature Review Methodology…….………..………......
2.3: Digital Marketing and Consumers…..……………………
2.4: Consumer Decision Making………………………………….
2.5: Consumers in India……………….……………………….
2.6: Summary……………………………………………...........
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH QUESTIONS……………..…………………
3.1: Introduction………………………………………………….
3.2: Research Question 1…………. …….………..………......
3.3: Research Question 2…..………………………………….
3.4: Research Question 3………………………………………
3.5: Summary……………………………………………...........
CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY………..…………………
4.1: Research…………………………………………………….
4.2: Questionnaire……….…………. …….………..………......
4.3: Limitations…..………………………………………………
4.4: Summary……………………………………………...........
CHAPTER 5: RESULTS……………………...…………..…………………
5.1: Introduction………………………………………………….
5.2: Questionnaire Results…………. …….………..………......
CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS……………..…………………
6.1: Introduction………………………………………………….
 6.2: Understanding the impact of Digital Marketing on
Consumer Behavior …………. …….………..………......
6.3: Understanding the influence of Gender Impact on
Consumer Behavior …..………………………………….
6.4: Understanding the Geographic Impact on
Consumer Behavior ………………………………………
6.5: Summary……………………………………………...........
CHAPTER 7: Conclusion……………………….………..…………………
7.1: Principal Findings………………………………………….
7.2: Business Recommendations…..….………..…..……......
7.3: Future Research Recommendations….…….……………
7.4: Conclusion……………………………………………...........
 CHAPTER 1: INDUSTRY

1.1 Introduction

Due to the advances in technology, the rise of the internet and the
development of Web 2.0, interconnectivity between individuals has risen
substantially. The evolution of Web 2.0 as a technological advancement has
changed the way organisations interact with consumers, and as a result has
caused a shift in digital marketing strategies.

Human interactions have changed significantly due to engagement on social

networks; the rapid growth of web platforms has facilitated behavioural
changes related to activities, habitats and interactions. Consumer behaviour
changes require organisations to re-strategise their marketing activities in the
digital space thus organisations must understand how digital and social
media marketing impacts consumers’ purchasing decision processes.
Together with these processes, organisations must also be aware of how
consumers’ attitudes, values, and beliefs impact their digital marketing.

With the rise of social media, marketing departments now have various
options available to them for branding their products, such as advertising,
publishing of brand content, participation in social networks and developing
engagement opportunities for consumers to participate with the brand.
According to Stone and Woodcock (2013), applications or content for digital
marketing can be designed to engage with the consumer at any time and in
any place, with the purpose of informing, educating, entertaining or providing
insights for the brand.Due to the recent trends in technological
advancements, marketing channels and consumer behaviours have seen a
shift, which has impacted the consumer decision making process when it
comes to product purchases. Consumers’ engagement with brands has
changed, thus organisations need to adapt their marketing strategies to reach
1
them.

Limited research has been done on digital marketing from an organisation’s

perspective, as studies have focused more on the consumer. Digital
marketing media, which is regarded as a new marketing tool, has much to offer
academics in the field of research; Digital technology and consumers are the
current trending topic and identified it as a top tier research area. Research
has been conducted, both from a consumer and an organisational
perspective, on digital marketing and consumer decision making. With the
emergence of the online platform, organisations need to adapt to reach out to
consumers and remain competitive in the business environment.

Figure 1: Active internet, social media and mobile connections in India,

2018

https://www.statista.com/statistics/278407/number-of-social-network-users-in-
india/

The above penetration statistics for India as at January 2018 indicate that
digital marketing is a significant platform that organisations can use to reach
2
consumers.
One can see the revolution in the internet which is in full swing. Five years
ago there was limited internet access. Many of small to large internet service
providers have set up shop as we can term them as e commerce website
where there is price of war .Even small internet kiosks have been opened in
small town as well Nowadays internet represents for people in different way
such as for middle class it may be a good job and for some it may be a chance
to go abroad .But still there is realization that the internet can reach only to
the wealth people which actually is not the fact and which actually should not
be there . We all have heard about the term net neutrality and the government
is working on it which basic aim is to provide internet to every individual no
matter where he or she lives in the same amount in which others are getting.
For the Indian businesses which are set up in abroad net provides them
efficient medium of communications. Email and websites are available 24 *
7, One can do video conferencing and move ahead with his business
practices sitting anywhere so this is the ease which we have got after the
internet came into the existence. On one click we can pay, book tickets,
communicate, learn, search etc. The demand have still not met efficiently and
it’s still represents a barrier to business and societal development. Even the
government of india is working towards the laying down of the infrastructure
so that there is no lack of development. Providing the net to the rural areas is
the main aim for the government because it also creates employment.

1.2 Objective of the study

The purpose of this study is to analyse the following points as stated below:

1. The impact of digital marketing on consumer Conversion/Sales.

2. Influence of Gender impact on Consumer Behavior.

3. Geographic impact on Consumer Behavior.

3
1.3 Research scope

The scope of the study remains within the geographic region of India.

1.4 Chapter outline

Chapter 1 is the introduction to the research proposal and illustrates the

problem identified, the evidence thereof and the relevance of the project topic.

Chapter 2 is the literature review of the research problem, which describes

digital marketing and its consumer impact, a consumer behaviour model, the
consumer decision making process.

Chapter 3 specifies the research questions for the study.

Chapter 4 explains the research methodology used in the study. It further

describes the choice of methodology, sampling criteria, data gathering
process and analysis approach used, as well as any limitations.

Chapter 5 illustrates the analysis of results.

Chapter 6 is a discussion of the results, which provides answers to the

research questions posed in order to meet the objectives of the study.

Chapter 7 is the conclusion of the research study. The chapter describes the
limitations of the study and makes recommendations for business and future
studies in this field.

1.5 Summary
The advancement of technology, the rise of the internet and the development
of Web 2.0 has increased the interactions between, and the connectivity of,
individuals. Due to these developments there has been a shift in consumer
behaviour, thus organisations have had to change the way they interact with
consumers. In turn, this has led to a shift in digital marketing strategies.

4
Due to these changes there has been an impact on the consumer decision
making process. The aim of the research study is to gain an understanding of
the impact of digital marketing on the consumer decision making process.

The results of this study can be used by organisations in the industry to

understand the impact of digital marketing on their businesses, and help them
to align their marketing strategies to reach out to consumers and create the
pull through strategy for products in their organisations.

5
CHAPTER 2: THEORY AND LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

The literature review explained in detail the impact of digital marketing on

consumer decision making. The first section covered the aspect of digital
marketing with regard to its marketing channels and thereafter the impact on
consumers. The next section is a description of the consumer behaviour
model, followed by the third section which is the description of the consumer
decision making process. Thereafter the fourth section discusses consumers
in Delhi and understanding the impact if the crowd present in the region,
impacting their decision and is it the Geographic location that impacts the
decision making.

2.2 Literature review methodology

The search for relevant literature was mainly conducted through academic
textbooks and research databases such as Google Scholar. Journal articles
were sourced from the research databases and focus was placed on peer
reviewed journal articles within the last five years. The literature review search
was focused on the relevant aspects of the research study, which were digital
marketing, consumer behaviour, consumer decision making, consumers in
India.

At first searches on these aspects were only done for Delhi but limited
information was found and in order to increase the understanding of impact
on demographic influence I tried to widen my presence and was successful
in widening the presence and understand the impact.

6
2.3 Digital marketing and consumers

Simply put, marketing is the creation of demand for a product/service, and

the demand created should transform into sales and thereafter revenue.
Digital marketing can be defined as the use of digital channels to market a
brand. To build on these definitions, in digital marketing demand creation is
driven by the internet, which is an interactive medium that allows for the
exchange of currency and value.

2.1.1 Digital marketing channels

Table 3: Digital marketing channels

Digital Marketing Channels Definition

Email Marketing Digital marketing that delivers messages audience

though electronic mail
Online Advertising Advertisements that are displayed on the
internet
Affiliate Marketing An online Affiliate markets products of an organisation
and gets rewarded for referrals
Search Engine Marketing that is related to searches on the
Marketing internet
Pay Per Click Advertising
An online ad Advertising system whereby the advertiser
pays for clicks on their advert
Social Media Marketing The creation, publication and sharing of
content by individuals such as blogs, images
and videos on the internet

The channels to reach consumers through digital marketing are indicated in

Table 3 above, which are email marketing, online advertising, affiliate
marketing, search engine marketing, pay per click advertising and social
7
media channels.

The digital marketing channels of social media are Instagram, Tumblr,

Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Google and Email. The main digital marketing
channels for the Delhi environment are Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Google
and Email. Google marketing is done through search engine marketing and
placement advertisements, whilst Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are the
social media channels.

Digital marketing performance on consumer influence can be measured

through metrics such as conversion rate, engagement rate and click through
rate. Conversion can be defined as the action the internet website wants the
user to take, which generally leads to revenue for the website, for example
users purchase a product or subscribe to a newsletter. Conversion rate
expressed as a percentage is calculated by the number of conversions
divided by the number of visitors to the online marketing channel. Information
on conversion rates is limited, however data were found on geographic regions.

Conversion Rate Optimization can be calculated/understood by

Revenue goal ÷ Average sales price = # of new customers

· # of new customers ÷ lead to customer close rate % = lead goal

· Leads generated ÷ website traffic X 100 = % conversion rate

Conversion rate optimization is important because it allows you to lower your

customer purchase costs by getting more value from the visitors and users
you already have. By optimizing your conversion rate you can increase
proceeds per visitor, earn more customers, and Increase your business.

For example, if a landing page has a conversion rate of 10% and receives
2000 visitors a month, then the page will generate 200 conversions per
month. If the conversion rate can be upgrade to 15% by optimizing different
8
elements on the page, the number of conversions promot jumps by 50% to
300 per month.

The Ecommerce Foundation (2016) also indicated that to be in the top 25%
of organisations one needs to have a conversion rate of 5.31%, while the top
10% of all organisations have a conversion rate of greater than 11%.

Online engagement with consumers played a significant role in building

advocates of a brand, whereby they purchase the brand or refer the brand to
other consumers, either through online or offline communication mediums
(Smith, 2009). Engagement rate is a metric that measures the level of
engagement digital content receives from an audience. Total engagement for
digital content constitutes aspects such as likes, comments, shares, clicks,
video views, re-tweets, replies and followers. Audience can be referred to as
reach, which indicates the number of unique users who have viewed an online
advertisement (Stokes, 2011).

The online presence of digital marketing is increasing day by day can be

explained by the fact that the e-commerce has transformed the way business is
done in India. The Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow to US$ 200
billion by 2026 from US$ 38.5 billion as of 2017.

The success and effectiveness of digital marketing online advertisement

campaigns are measured by whether users click on the advertisements.
Impressions are the number of times a web page or advertisement is viewed.
The metric used to measure clicks on digital content advertisements is called
the click through rate, which is the ratio of the number of clicks to the number
of impressions.

2.1.2 Consumer impact

The rise of the internet provided a new channel for consumers and brands to
connect, and also provided consumers with more choice, influence and power

9
(Stokes, 2011). According to Al Kailani and Kumar (2011), the internet
enabled organisations to reach consumers on a worldwide scale, whereby
consumers survey, select and purchase products from organisations around
the world. Due to the rise of the internet, consumers now have more control
of their media consumption than ever before.

Marketers influence consumer decisions by delivering an online marketing

experience that has a combination of functionality and information on
products and services. Web experiences such as searching, selecting,
evaluating information and online transactions assist marketers to determine
the potential of their online strategies. An increased amount of funds are
being invested into digital marketing, and organisations utilise different
techniques to expose consumers to their brands. Statistics published by
https://www.statista.com/outlook/216/119/digital-advertising/india indicated that
revenue in the digital Advertising Market amounts to US$3,375m in 2019. The
growth indicated is a result of organisations realising the power of digital
marketing to reach consumers, thus investments are being made into these
channels.

10
According to research, the web is a resourceful tool for organisations to create
strong brands and gain a competitive advantage. Firms have utilised the
benefits of the internet through the adoption of social media in order to provide
information and connect with consumers and stakeholders to generate sales.
Furthermore, consumers are responsive to social media marketing
implemented by retailers; it was argued that retailers need to plan and
coordinate their marketing strategies to implement them across the different
platforms to engage with consumers and generate sales. Research conducted
found that social media marketing is important, and that organisations use
these channels to communicate and manage consumer relationships. Social
media enabled consumers to be at the centre of an organisation’s activities and
is a new tool for interacting with consumers.

Interactive web tools enhance consumer experiences and contribute to

consumer engagement with organisations and their brands. Research
conducted showed that due to technological advancements, organisations
have adopted digital tools for consumer engagement and fostering
relationships. Research indicates that consumers who engage with their
favourite brands on social media have built strong relationships with these
brands.

Digital marketing is used throughout the customer cycle, from brand

awareness creation to encouragement to purchase, purchase assistance
support for convenient purchasing, brand usage assistance and management
of after sale consumer service. Research highlights that digital marketing
through social media leverages marketing communication channels, and is a
substitute for traditional marketing channels to connect with consumers.
These findings align with research which illustrated that social media is a
powerful marketing channel which attracts and influences consumers’
purchasing decisions.

The various studies discussed above found that digital marketing is a powerful

11
marketing tool for reaching consumers. There are various methods of
connecting to consumers through digital marketing which are listed above, and
as indicated by the research studies, digital marketing has a significant impact
on consumers through engagement, exposure to the brand, fostering
relationships and influencing purchases, which results in sales of the product.

2.2Consumer behaviour

As indicated in Chapter One of this study, due to consumer engagement in

social media and the rise of Web 2.0, there has been a shift in consumer
behaviour with respect to activities, habitats and interactions. Due to the
significant changes in the media environment, organisations have embraced
digital marketing as a channel to engage with their consumers. In digital
marketing, understanding consumer behaviour is key for marketing success
as consumers have embraced utilising the internet and online socialising tools.
Being a new tool for interacting with consumers, organisations have to be
cognisant of how social media has impacted consumer buying behaviour.

An organisation’s brand is a symbol which organisations leverage to attract

consumers and gain a competitive advantage. Advertisement as a marketing
strategy is impactful in attracting consumers to an organisation’s product and
having a positive influence on the buying behaviour of consumers. Consumer
buying behaviour is influenced by having knowledge and being orientated
with the brand. According to research, advertisements empower brand
awareness. In turn, brand awareness coupled with good brand perception and
loyalty results in a stronger brand image in the minds of the consumer, which
influences them positively and becomes part of their buying behavior .

Consumer behaviour is defined as the study of how individuals, organisations

and groups select, buy and make use of products, services, experiences or
ideas to satisfy their need and wants. Extensive research has been conducted
12
and models created on consumer behaviour, such as the Nicosia Model,
Howard–Sheth Model, Engel- Kollat-Blackwell Model, Stimulus-Response
Model and Foxall’s Behavioural Perspective Model of purchase and
consumption. For the purpose of this research study, the Black Box Consumer
Behaviour Model of Kotler and Keller (2012) was chosen.

Figure 3: Consumer Behaviour Model (Kotler & Keller, 2012)

The buying behaviour of consumers are influenced by consumer

characteristics and psychology, as indicated in Figure 3 above which is the
buyer’s black box. Marketing and other stimuli are critical components that
impact consumer behaviour and organisations must understand the theory
and reality of consumer behaviour (Kotler & Keller, 2012).

2.3.1 Consumer characteristics

Cultural, social and personal factors influence a consumer’s buying behaviour.

Factors of culture are made up of three aspects, i.e. culture, subculture and
social class. Consumers’ wants and behaviours are determined by culture
(Kotler & Keller, 2012). A consumer’s culture is influenced values and
perceptions learnt from family members or the society to which a consumer is
exposed. As culture has an influence on consumers buying behaviour

13
organisations have to be cognisant when developing digital marketing
advertisements as the content will resonate differently with consumers.

Culture can be broken down into smaller subcultures that provide a detailed
identification of the socialisation of consumers. Elements of subcultures are
geographic regions, nationalities, religion and racial groups (Kotler & Keller,
2012). Digital marketing channels need to be designed for a specific target
market, as consumers will relate to content in different ways.

Social classes are divisions in society, which includes consumers that share
similar behaviours, interests, and values, and these divisions are
hierarchically ordered (Kotler & Keller, 2012). The social standing of
consumers illustrates an aspect of a division in society, and through social
classes, consumers’ media engagement, lifestyle and consumption patterns
are impacted.

Social factors include reference groups, families, roles and status. Attitudes
and behaviours of consumers are directly or indirectly influenced by reference
groups, which include family, friends, colleagues in the workplace, and
professional or religious groups (Kotler & Keller, 2012). A consumer’s lifestyle
is adapted through the learnings derived from interactions and associations
with reference groups. The most influential consumer in the group is regarded
as the opinion leader, who is the consumer that offers advice and information
on a product (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Organisations need to be cognisant of
opinion leaders when developing digital media content.

Of all the consumer organisations in society, family is regarded as the most

important buying organisation, and has the most influence on buying
behaviour. Spouses generally have joint engagement in decision making,
however they might respond differently to marketing media (Kotler & Keller,
2012). With respect to the brand and product, advertised digital marketing has
to engage with the consumer that has the most influence on decision making.

14
Consumers in groups have a role and status, which influences their consumer
behaviour (Kotler & Keller, 2012). To illustrate, a director in an organisation
has a higher status than an admin clerk. Organisations need to know their
target audience and align their digital marketing channels to reach out to
consumers. Due to their role and status, a consumer’s behaviour and
purchase decisions are impacted.

The last concept of consumer characteristics is personal factors, which

consists of age and lifecycle, occupation and economic circumstances,
personality and self-concept, and lifestyle and values. Consumers’
behaviours and consumption are influenced by factors such as age and the
stage they are at in their life cycle (Kotler & Keller, 2012). As consumers age
their preferences change and they go through different life cycles, such as
moving from being single to being married, and having a family. Consumers’
preferences and perceptions change as they move through their life cycle, so
digital media content needs to be developed and adapted to these
behavioural changes to reach them.

The occupations of consumers influence consumption patterns as they have

different preferences. In times of economic expansion and retraction, the
spending patterns of consumers change due to the impact on their disposable
income (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Taking these changes into account, digital
marketing needs to be adapted to position the organisation’s brand in the
consumer’s mind to have an influence on their buying behaviour.

Personality incorporates the psychological characteristics of consumers that

respond to environmental stimuli and impact buying behaviour. These
characteristics include adaptability, sociability, autonomy, deference and
defensiveness. In relation to this brands also have personalities, which include
characteristics such as sophistication, sincerity, ruggedness, excitement and
competence. Consumers’ buying behaviours and preferences are impacted
as consumers choose brands that are in line with their actual self-concept,
their ideal self-concept and others’ self-concept (Kotler & Keller,

15
2012).Digital marketing of the brand needs to align with the personalities of
the target market to have an impact on the consumers’ buying behaviour and
preference.

The last concept of personal factors is lifestyle and value. Lifestyle is the
interests, activities and opinions that consumers live by (Kotler & Keller,
2012), while values are the belief systems of consumers that influence their
attitudes and behaviours. Organisations must design digital marketing
initiatives in order to create a relationship with targeted consumers based on
their lifestyles and value systems.

As illustrated, the above consumer characteristics have an impact on consumer

behaviour. Taking the above factors into consideration, organisations need to
adapt their digital marketing initiatives to reach out to the different segments
of consumers to create awareness and influence their buying decision.

2.3.2 Consumer psychology

To understand the link between marketing stimuli and consumers’ purchasing

decisions, organisations must be cognisant of five important psychological
processes that influence the consumer. These are motivation, perception,
learning, emotions and memory (Kotler & Keller, 2012).

Consumers have needs, which turn into motivation to act to satisfy those needs
when there is a sufficient level of intensity for action to be considered. Once a
consumer is motivated they are ready to act, and their actions are influenced
by their perceptions. A perception is an illustration created by a consumer
through the process of information selection, organisation and interpretation
(Kotler & Keller, 2012). Consumers’ exposure to digital marketing content has
increased on the internet due to technological advancements. The vast
exposure of digital media has led consumers to be more selective about
engaging with products being advertised, therefore organisations need to
16
drive marketing activities that attract consumers’ attention.

Through actions learning takes place, and through learning a behavioural

change takes place because of experience gained from the action taken
(Kotler & Keller, 2012). The buying experience of consumers evolves as they
learn. A purchase might not be made from the first action, but brand
awareness may be created which can then lead to a future purchase.
Organisations should develop their digital marketing initiatives to drive brand
awareness.Consumers have emotional responses and may relate to a brand
or advertisement with different emotions. With a brand a consumer feels
proud, confident or excited, whilst with advertisements they feel wonder,
disgust or amusement (Kotler & Keller, 2012). These emotions have an
influence on the buying behaviour of consumers, thus organisations should
develop digital marketing content that impacts positively on consumers’
emotions.

Through learning experiences consumers create memories, storing the

knowledge they have acquired over time, including aspects such as products,
services, purchasing and experience of product usage. There are two types
of memories, i.e. short- term memory and long-term memory; long-term
memory is more permanent and is where a consumer’s life experience and
the information they encounter ends up. Information may be in the memory
but may not be recalled by consumers unless they are exposed to retrieval
cues or reminders (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Digital marketing is a powerful tool
that can be effectively used for retrieval cues and reminders.

Organisations need to understand the five key psychological processes which

are motivation, perception, learning, emotions and memory that link
marketing stimuli to consumers’ purchasing decisions, and adapt their digital
marketing initiatives thereto to enable the purchase decision to take place.

17
2.4 Consumer decision making

Consumers have evolved and no longer make purchasing decisions in a linear

approach; they enter at various points, which are dependent on their first
engagement with the brand, product research or word of mouth from their
social networks.

Brands that adopt digital and social media build relationships with consumers,
and in turn gain consumer loyalty to the brand. Organisations must be aware
of social media sites and how they influence consumer buying behaviour.
Consumers constantly consider potential purchases and evaluate alternatives
in the market. Research undertaken by Meera and Gayathiri (2015) found that
consumer expectations of interactive visual experiences such as moving
images and clickable videos have increased, which allows the consumer to
learn about products. Powers et al.’s (2012) research findings also indicate
that consumers use social media to gather information about potential
purchases and to introduce them to new products, and can also cause them
to have a mind-set change about a brand. Due to digital connectivity and the
time spent online by consumers,they now view shopping as an everyday
activity (Powers et al., 2012). Increased consumer exposure to a brand on
social media increased the likelihood of the consumer to purchase the brand.
In relation to this, research conducted indicated that 53% of consumers get
their information from forums, social media, organisations’ websites and peer
reviews before purchasing a product.

18
Figure 4: Consumer decision making process (Kotler & Keller, 2012)

The consumer decision making process illustrated above is an essential

aspect of the research study, as it is the next step in the Consumer Behaviour
Model indicated in Figure 4, taking into account the buying behaviour of
consumers.

The five-stage consumer decision making process was first introduced in

1910 by John Dewey, include: problem recognition, information search,
evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post purchase behaviour.
According to Kotler and Keller (2012), consumers do not always pass through
all the stages, skipping some to get to the purchasing decision. The decision
making process occurs daily in consumers’ minds, however the extent of this
depends on whether the product is expensive or inexpensive (Noel, 2009).
The consumer generally passes through more of the stages for an expensive
product, whereas for an inexpensive product the consumer experiences
problem recognition for the product and makes a decision to purchase the
product without gathering information or evaluating alternatives. As
inexpensive products are a low financial risk, consumers evaluate these
products after trial (Noel, 2009).

The first step in the decision making process is problem recognition. This is
where the consumer purchase process begins, as the consumer recognises
a problem that is triggered by internal or external stimuli (Kotler & Keller, 2012).
A problem is identified when the consumer’s existing state differs from their
ideal state. Marketers in organisations also attempt to motivate problem
recognition by initiating the decision making process through advertising. This

19
is done by creating a new ideal state for the consumer or creating
dissatisfaction with the consumer’s current state (Noel, 2009). With digital
marketing,external stimuli such as advertisements will trigger the consumer
problem recognition phase and organisations need to understand the
dynamics at play.

The second step is information search, whereby the consumer searches for
information to attend to the problem recognised, and does so by gathering
information about different brands and their features (Kotler & Keller, 2012). A
consumer’s information search process is internal and external, whereby
internal is information in the consumer’s memory, and external are sources of
information through advertising and external media (Noel, 2009). As the
consumer gathers information, a few brands are strong contenders for the
final choice to be made (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Organisations should thus
identify the consumer choices to search for information in the digital space
and prepare marketing initiatives that will reach out to the consumer.

The third step in the process is the evaluation of alternatives, whereby the
consumer evaluates product brand alternatives to satisfy their needs and
attain benefits. Beliefs and attitudes acquired through learning and
experiences influence the buying behaviour of consumers and play a role in
the evaluation of alternatives (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Organisations should
design their digital marketing initiatives to attract and retain consumers based
on their values and beliefs.

The fourth step is the purchase decision, which comes after the evaluation of
alternatives when the consumer derives a preference among the brands
considered and intends to buy the preferred brand (Kotler & Keller, 2012). The
purchase decision is influenced by perceived risk, whereby the purchase can
be modified, postponed or avoided. Perceived risk attributes consist of
product attribute uncertainty, amount of money involved in the purchase, and
the level of consumer self-confidence (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Organisations

20
should provide information through digital marketing to reduce the perceived
risk consumers face so that the purchase can take place.

The final step in the process is post purchase behaviour, which is the level of
dissatisfaction or satisfaction the consumer derived from the experience post
the purchase of the product. Satisfied consumers promote the product and are
likely to purchase further products, whilst dissatisfied consumers will return
and complain about the product (Kotler & Keller, 2012). An organisation’s
response to consumer complaints plays a key role in its success; on average
a dissatisfied consumer shares their views with approximately ten other
individuals (Noel, 2009). Digital media connects consumers and provides a
platform for consumers to air their views, so organisations need to monitor
post purchase behaviours via these channels to attend to consumer
complaints and enable the retention and attraction of consumers.
Organisations can use information derived from post purchase behaviour to
understand consumers and build a relationship to entrench them and avoid
consumer brand switching.

With the rise of digital technology, it is valuable to understand how the trend
of digital marketing impacts consumers in influencing their decision making
processes. This research study aims to explore this concept from the
perspective of organisations.

2.5 Consumers in India

At present, around 35% of Indian population has access to the internet, and this
figure is expected to reach above 55% by the end of 2025, thanks to the rapid
development of telecom infrastructure.

A consumer is an individual who purchases products and services for personal

use, whilst a market is the grouping of consumers (Kotler & Keller, 2012).

21
2.6 Summary

The research problem in this study concerns the impact of digital marketing
on the consumer decision making. In the literature review, the methodology
and each aspect of the research problem was described, which included
digital marketing and consumers, the Consumer Behaviour Model, the
consumer decision making process and consumers in India. From the
literature review it is evident that due to the rise of the internet and Web 2.0,
consumer engagement, behaviour and decision making has changed.
Organisations thus need to understand these changes and align their
marketing initiatives accordingly.

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 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH QUESTIONS

3.1 Introduction

The literature review presented in Chapter 2 illustrates the need for

organisations to understand the digital marketing impact on consumer
decision making’ there is need to understand digital marketing and
consumers from an organisation’s perspective. The description to follow
outlines the study’s research questions.

3.2 Research Question 1: Understanding the impact of digital marketing

on consumer Conversion/Sales

Due to technological advancements and the enhancement of digital

marketing in the marketing mix, there has been a shift in consumer
engagement and behaviour. The aim of this research question was to
understand the impact of digital marketing on consumer behaviour on
purchasing the product through online medium.

✓ What is the consumer’s perception around the trend of digital marketing?

✓ What are the characteristics of these consumers?

✓ How does the digital marketing environment influence consumer behaviour?

3.3 Research Question 2: Influence of Gender impact on Consumer

Behavior

Due to technological advancements, the presence of internet has widened

over the year and it has decreased the gender gap in terms of reaching
technology reaching and its application. This study was conducted to
understand whether it is the male or female count that is increasing the

23
reducing this gap .

3.4 Research Question 3: Demographic impact on Consumer Behavior

Due to increased access to information via the digital space, consumers’

exposure to brands has increased. This section aims to explore the impact of
digital marketing across the demographic region of india.

The aim of the research question is to understand the impact of digital

marketing on the consumer decision making process indicated in the
literature review of this study.

3.5 Summary
The research questions derived for the study focused on three sections with
regard to digital marketing and its impact on the consumer decision making
process. The first research question consisted of a set of questions that were
created in order to understand the impact of digital marketing on consumer
behaviour; the second research question consisted of a set of questions that
were created to understand the impact of digital marketing and the last
research question was created to understand the impact of digital marketing
on consumer decision making. Analysis of the questions were carried out with
the results being depicted in Chapter 5, followed by a discussion of the results

24
CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

4.1 Introduction

Research can be conducted using different methodologies, such as

exploratory, descriptive and explanatory research. Exploratory research can
be conducted by gathering information through academic literature and
conducting interviews; the intention is to gather new insights, ask new
questions and assess on which topics little research has been conducted.
Descriptive research aims to gain a more accurate description of situations,
persons and events, and can be conducted through interviews, sampling,
questionnaire surveys and the reanalysis of secondary data. Lastly,
explanatory research focuses on the study of a situation to explain the
relationships between variables, and can be conducted through case studies,
statistical surveys, observation, attitude surveys and historical surveys

The research methodology chosen for this study was a hybrid approach, i.e.
exploratory (qualitative) and descriptive (quantitative). A hybrid approach
seemed appropriate as it is a mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative
testing, which leverages exploratory and descriptive research. The research
was conducted in two phases, with the first phase being exploratory and the
second phase being descriptive.

4.1 Research

4.1.1 Choice of methodology

The choice of research methodology for phase one was exploratory, which was
undertaken to expand on the limited research done on this topic. In the
research process, primary and secondary data were gathered whereby the
primary data was specific to the research study, whilst the secondary data
were retrieved from data collected for other purposes.

25
4.1.2 Population

Population can be defined as a complete set of group members. Region taken

under considered is primarily Delhi but data considered is Pan India in order
to understand the geographic mentality of the people towards digital
marketing.

4.1.3 Data gathering process

In order to understand the customer’s preference towards digital marketing a
Questionnaire was developed and was circulated Pan India and responses
were recorded through this survey.

26
4.2 Questionnaire

27
28
29
 4.3 Limitations

Although the research methodology was well defined, there were limitations
to the study.
 Firstly Respondents may not be 100% true about the answers.
 Secondly, Some the questions may remain unanswered.
 Limited information and research were found on digital marketing
 Thirdly, there might be differences in understanding and interpretation.

4.4 Summary
The research methodology for the research study was a hybrid approach,
which consisted of an exploratory and a descriptive approach. The research
approach consisted of two phases - firstly exploratory, then descriptive. As
limited information and research were found on digital marketing and its
impact on consumer decision, an exploratory approach was used to gain new
insights into the research topic. The descriptive approach was undertaken
thereafter to supplement the exploratory approach.

In the exploratory approach, primary data were gathered through semi–

structured interviews and secondary data were retrieved through internet
sources. Analysis was done Excel and SPSS and information was used to
supplement the exploratory approach. The research process was subject to
limitations as indicated and acknowledged.
30
CHAPTER 5: RESULTS

5.1 Introduction

This chapter will first outline the data gathering process, after which a
description of the analysis approach will be provided. Next, the study’s
reliability and validity will be discussed, the detailed results derived for the
three research questions will be illustrated, and lastly the chapter will be
summarised.

5.2 Questionnaire Results

5.2.1: Age

5.2.2: Gender

31
5.2.3: Profession

5.2.4: Advertising is Essential

32
5.2.5: Online Advertisement helps to make better selection

5.2.6: Do You Click on Online Ad's to Companies Website?

33
5.2.7: Most of Online Advertising are highly educative

5.2.8: How Often do you enquire about the Online Ad's?

34
5.2.9: Do Advertisement actually leads you to buy the product74 responses

5.2.10: If Above question is Yes then how often in a week

35
5.2.11: Online Advertisement produce intense desire to buy the concerned
product

5.2.12: Who Influence your purchase decision the most

36
5.2.13: Do you see Online Ad's of Debit Card

5.2.14 Do you click and enquire about debit card features

37
5.2.15: Which debit Card Ad's do you see the most

38
CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

6.1 Introduction
The research findings discussed in Chapter 5 will be discussed in this chapter
in relation to the literature reviewed earlier in the research study. The layout
of Chapter 6 will be similar to Chapter 5, i.e. the research questions will be
addressed in order. The first aspect is understanding the impact of digital
marketing on consumer behavior and then, there will be a discussion
regarding the influence of Gender Impact on consumer Behavior and also
Geographic impact on consumer Behavior.

6.2 Understanding the impact of digital marketing on consumer

behaviour

For the first research question, three themes were identified - consumer
perception of digital marketing, digital marketing consumer characteristics,
and digital marketing influence on consumer behaviour. Results linked to
these themes are discussed below, linking it to the relevant literature.

6.2.1 Consumer perception of digital marketing

According to Haji (2014), interconnectivity between individuals has risen
substantially on the internet due to the advancement of technology, the rise
of the internet and the development of Web 2.0.

As at January 2016, 49% of the Indian population were active internet users,
and 24% were active on social media. To build on this, 60% of the adult
population owned a smartphone, 18% owned a laptop or desktop computer,
and 7% owned a tablet device (Kemp, 2016). Further statistics published by
Kemp (2016) showed that the number of internet users and social media
users in India grew by 5% and 10% respectively for the period from January
2015 to January 2016.

39
The results obtained from the respondents indicated in section 5.5 corroborate
the above statistics, as the insights obtained suggested that consumers have
an embracing perception of digital marketing and the uptake of consumers to
digital marketing is on the increase.

The results further established that in order for organisations to stay relevant
in the industry, they need to be present in the digital space to connect to
consumers. This is in line with the finding by Rasool Madni (2014), who
argued that social media enables consumers to be at the centre of an
organisation’s activities, and is a new tool for interacting with consumers.
Ultimately, interactive web tools enhance consumer experiences and
contribute to consumer engagement with organisations and their brands
(Paolocci, 2014).

Engagement rates and click through rates measure the success and
effectiveness of digital marketing advertisements. According to research
conducted by The Salesforce Marketing Cloud (2014) for 2013, Facebook
engagement rates ranged from 0.92% to 13.65% for the retail and e-
commerce industries, while research conducted by Salesforce Inc. (2013)
indicated that the average click through rate was 0.332% in 2013 for India for
Facebook advertisements.

The engagement rate of 22.43% and a click through rate of 2.69%. These
statistics, which are greater than the average engagement and click through
rates, cement the notion that consumers have a strong, embracing perception
of digital marketing. However, it must be noted that the click through rate
indicated in the digital marketing was 0.29%, which is lower than the average
of 0.332% published by Salesforce Inc. (2013).

Consumers engage with social digital media marketing through views, likes,
shares and comments.

Overall, it can be noted that consumers have an embracing perception of digital

40
marketing and the findings are in line with the literature reviewed in this study.
However it must be noted that other marketing means other than digital are
still relevant to consumers. The next section describes the characteristics of
these consumers.

6.2.2 Digital marketing consumer characteristics

Consumers who engage with their favourite brands on social media have built
strong relationships with these brands. Powers et al. (2012) indicated that
when brands adopt digital and social media, they build relationships with their
consumers and in turn gain consumer loyalty to the brand. The characteristics
of consumers, as per Kotler and Keller (2012), are age and lifecycle,
occupation, economic circumstances, personality and self-concept, lifestyle
and values, consumer influence and responding to external stimuli, which
include adaptability, sociability, autonomy, deference and defensiveness.

Table 20: Research and literature comparison of consumer

characteristics
Research: Consumer Literature: Consumer
Characteristics Characteristics
Brand Loyal Brand Loyal
Younger Generation / Millennials Age / Lifecycle
Technology Savvy Adaptability
Follow Icons Consumer Influence
Follow Trends -
Educated Lifestyle
Open Minded Values
Liberal Values
Self-Expressive / Communication Sociability
Social Information Seeking -
Convenient Shopping Lifestyle

Table 20 above compares consumer characteristics from the research

41
conducted and the literature retrieved. Alignment was established for the most
part, with the exception of trend followers and social information seeking. This
is due to the internet bringing in a new dimension that consumers have
access to, which has the ability to facilitate behavioural changes. With the
emergence of social media and the high volume of information that can be
accessed on the internet, consumers are finding it easier to follow trends in
the global and local environment as well as seek information through websites
and social media.

Overall, consumers who access the digital environment have a diverse set of
characteristics and are evolving. However the older generation and consumer
who do not have access to digital are still accustomed to the traditional
channels of marketing which cannot be ignored but changing nature of
industry demand the adaptability also.

To build onto the insights of the research question, the section below
discusses digital marketing’s influence on consumer behaviour.

6.2.3 Digital marketing’s influence on consumer behaviour

Consumers have embraced the internet and online socialising tools, and
understand that consumer behaviour is key for marketing success. Human
interaction has seen significant changes due to engagement on social
networks, and the growth of web platforms has facilitated the human
behavioural change of activities, habitats and interactions. As per Stokes
(2011), the internet has provided a new channel for consumers, offering them
more choice, influence and power. Consumers now view shopping as a daily
activity due to digital connectivity and the time spent online by consumers
(Powers et al., 2012).

The quotes by the respondents are in sync with the above literature regarding
the impact of digital marketing on consumer behaviour. Digital marketing has

42
provided a new channel for consumers to connect with an organisation’s
brand, and has facilitated a human behavioural change as consumers are
now turning to the digital space to follow trends, obtain information and get
the latest updates on brands. It was also indicated that digital media
consumption by consumers is now part of who they are. Consumers who
engage through social media enjoy way communication with retail
organisations and is a move away from the traditional marketing method of
one way communication to the consumer.

According to Smith (2009), engaging with a consumer online plays a role in

building advocates of brand, whereby they purchase the brand or refer the
brand to other consumers, either through online or offline communication
media. According to the respondent, there is an internal concept in their
organisation called the “last mile”, i.e. a consumer who purchases a product
through online engagement promotes the organisation.

Overall, the research shows that digital marketing has an influence on

consumer behaviour, which is in line with the literature reviewed for this study.

6.2.4: Digital marketing’s impact on consumer behaviour - discussion

summary

The research findings when compared to the literature review of the study,
and the results were aligned to the literature. In summary, consumers have
an embracing perception of digital marketing, a diverse set of characteristics
and digital marketing influences consumer behaviour. These aspects were
also evident in the literature review however consumer characteristics such
as following trends and social information seeking emerged as new aspects.

6.3: Understanding the influence of Gender Impact on consumer

Behavior

For a successful consumer oriented market service provider should work as

psychologist to procure consumers. The study of consumer buying behaviour
is gateway to success in market. The field of consumer behaviour tells us that
how individuals, groups, services, ideas, or experiences to satisfy their needs
43
and services. Until the consumer behaviour is not recognized, it is impossible
to establish a logical and systemic relationship between industry and
consumer, and those organizations and companies are successful that adjust
their goals, methods and structure based on ever increasing recognition of
their customers and consumers. Purchase decision-making styles fuse
cognitive as well as affective features of a consumer. The process of decision
making is one of the most complex mechanisms of the human thinking.
Gender is the major factor out of all the other factors that affects consumer
purchasing behaviour. When gender differs, the perception of consuming the
product is different as well. Men and women tend to have different choices
while shopping because of the difference in their upbringing and socialization.

6.3.1 Conclusion

We can draw inferences from the above discussion that gender is a very
important factor among all the factors; it plays a very crucial role in purchase
decisions. Women are more internally focused whereas men ought to be
externally focused. Gender shapes different characteristics of female and
male shopper. It has been suggested that male and female consumers
demonstrate considerably different approaches in their decision- making and
purchasing behavior when shopping.

6.4 Understanding the Geographic impact on consumer Behavior.

Geographical mobility is the important characteristic of the population that is

used in the process of the segmentation of tourism market. The demographic
profile of consumers in the segment of tourism changes together with the
changes in the place of residence. A change of location causes changes in
the preferences of potential tourists depending on the geographical
determinants of the place of residence.

There are significant differences in the behavior of people who live in urban
areas, rural areas and in the suburbs. The greater mobility of the urban
population has instigated the need for numerous and various services
44
(transport, restaurants, travel agencies, etc.). Variety of service choices
increases differences in the behavior of potential tourists in the process of
choosing a tourist destination in metropolises worldwide.

As we can also understand the data that is collected from the Survey is that
most of the people are from Delhi and also that there is statics that suggest
number of active users of internet are more in the urban area than rural area.

6.5 Summary

The research findings discussed in Chapter 5 were examined in Chapter 6 in

relation to the literature reviewed earlier in the study.

The results were discussed in relation to the themes identified, i.e.

understanding the impact of digital marketing on consumer behaviour;
understanding the Gender impact on digital marketing; and understanding the
impact of digital marketing on consumer decision making

The literature was aligned to most of the results, however certain key
differences were noted and discussed. Consumers who enter the digital
space have a diverse set of characteristics, and as a result of digital marketing
they can make a decision on which product to purchase before entering a
retail outlet. Brand loyal consumers also add a new dynamic, as aspects such
as gathering information and evaluating alternatives are limited for these
consumers.

45
CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION

7.1 Principal findings

This research study was conducted in order to gain insights into, and an
understanding of, digital marketing’s impact on the consumer decision making
process. The research methodology for the study was a hybrid approach,
using exploratory and descriptive methods, with the exploratory approach
being the primary research methodology.

The study was segmented into three research questions as indicated in

Chapter 3 of the study. The analysis of results were illustrated in Chapter 5 to
address the three research questions. The results are predominantly aligned
with the literature in Chapter 2 and with the consumer decision making
process discussed by Kotler and Keller (2012), however some differences
were found.

The first research question was centred around the impact of digital marketing
on consumer behaviour. The results revealed that consumers have an
embracing perception of digital marketing and their uptake of the trend is on
the increase. It was also established that these consumers have a diverse set
of characteristics, which are influenced by the evolving trend of digital
marketing. Consumers are now more connected with organisations than ever
before. Lastly, it was illustrated that digital marketing does have an influence
on consumer behaviour, which has evolved to incorporate the digital space
into consumers’ daily lives. Digital marketing has provided a new source of
information for consumers and a platform to be social.

The second research question covered the aspect of understanding the

Gender impact of digital marketing it was found that yes there is impact on
gender preferences.
46
The last research question was aimed at understanding the geographic
impact on the consumer behavior and yes it has impacted a lot since this
shows the exposure of internet and also the reach number of active user of
internet are increased.

The results of the study were aligned to the literature reviewed, however
elements of consumer characteristics and the consumer decision making
process were added. Taking the results of the research study into
consideration, recommendations for business and future studies are advised,
however the limitations of this study must be taken into consideration when
considering the recommendations.

7.2 Business recommendations

When analysing the themes of the study, businesses must take into account
the factors regarding how digital marketing impacts the consumer decision
making process.

Firstly, business needs to understand the consumer profile of digital

consumers and how their behaviour has shifted. These consumers have a
diverse sets of characteristics and their consumer behaviour has shifted to
incorporate digital, which is becoming the way of life for consumers - especially
the millennial generation – who now have the ability to make more informed
decisions. Consumer access to digital is becoming easier and more
convenient, so consumers now decide which channels they want to be
communicated on rather than businesses deciding for them. To reach out to
consumers, business needs to understand this consumer behaviour shift.

The second recommendation is for business to be present in the digital space

and be represented across a wide range of digital channels. It will be a
challenge for businesses to be relevant in their industry if they are not present
in the digital environment. Businesses thus need to understand the different
sources of information that consumers utilise, and align their marketing
messages to consumers across digital and traditional marketing channels.
47
The next recommendation is that businesses understand how digital
marketing has impacted the consumer decision making process. In the
problem recognition phase, due to the consumers’ ease of access to the
digital environment, businesses need to market and position their products as
solutions to the consumers’ needs; digital content needs to appeal to
consumers

In the information search phase businesses need to ensure that accurate and
up-to-date information is available for the consumer to search through.
Information must be easily accessible to consumers, thus there is a need to
identify the correct digital channels to utilise.

With regard to the evaluation of alternatives, which is more relevant for

consumers who are not brand loyal, businesses need to have a wide range
of products available in the digital environment together with the specifications
of products. This will better enable the consumer to evaluate different products
across different organisations.

In the purchase decision phase the consumer is ready to make the purchase.
Businesses need to ensure a smooth process for the consumer to purchase,
whether it is an online or in-store purchase. The product needs to be available
and the checkout process needs to be a pleasurable experience for the
consumer.

The last phase – the post purchase decision - can enable a business to turn
a customer into a loyal consumer and become an ambassador of the brand.
Here customer service plays a key role. Businesses need to develop
strategies to retain consumers by resolving consumer complaints, engaging
in ongoing two way communication and re-targeting of consumers.

The last recommendation to business is the evolving process of consumer

48
decision making. Due to the digital environment, consumers can make a
decision to purchase product prior to visiting a retail outlet, therefore the in-
store influence on a consumer to purchase becomes minimal. In principle,
businesses need to develop strategies to reach out to consumers at the
moments that most influence their decisions.

7.3 Future research recommendations

Although the research study followed a hybrid approach, the research

methodology was primary exploratory which was based on qualitative
research. The results of the study were analysed through themes that were
identified in the primary qualitative data, and supplemented with secondary
qualitative and quantitative data.

Lastly, future research can be conducted taking into account additional

factors in digital marketing and the consumer decision making process, and
can be compared to the findings of this research study to identify any
differences.

7.4 Conclusion

The research study was centred around digital marketing and the impact on
consumer decision making. According to Tiago and Verissimo (2014), limited
research has been conducted on digital marketing from an organisational
perspective, thus the academic need for this study. The business need for the
study was to identify and evaluate the impact of digital on the consumer
decision making process.
To conclude, recommendations for business were discussed, which must be
considered in light of the limitations indicated in the research study. Lastly,
future research recommendations based on this research study were
outlined.

49
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Meera, V., & Gayathiri, P. (2015). Digital Marketing and Enhancing Consumer Exp
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Smith, T. (2009). The social media revolution

Stokes, R. (2011). eMarketing: The essential guide to digital marketing (4th ed).
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Hudson, S., Huang, L., Roth, M. S., & Madden, T. J. (2015). The influence of soci
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brand perceptions and marketing behaviors

Kemp, S. (2016). We Are Social, Digital in 2016. Retrieved

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