Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                

arya final project draft

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 50

Impact of social media influencers on consumer buying behaviors

BY

ARYA KUMAR VERMA

Exam Roll No: 21032563

P.U. Registration:

A Project Work Report submitted to Pokhara University in Partial fulfillment of the


requirements for the degree of

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

At the

South Asian Institute of Management (SAIM) College, Pokhara University

Kathmandu

July, 2024

i
DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project work report entitled “Impact of social media influencers
on consumer buying behavior” submitted for the BBA is my original work and the Project
Report has not formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, or other similar titles.

………………………..

Signature

Arya Kumar Verma

BBA

SAIM College

Date

ii
CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Project Work titled “Impact of social media influencer on
consumer buying behavior” submitted by Arya Kumar Verma with Roll Number 21032563
for the partial fulfillment of the requirement of BBA embodies the bona fide work done by
him under my supervision.

…………………….

Signature of supervisor

Name:

Date:

……………………..

Research coordinator

SAIM Research Management Cell

Name:

Date:

……………………

External Supervisor Name:

Date:

iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This report has been prepared for the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) at the faculty of Management, Pokhara
University, Nepal. The report consists of an Introduction, Descriptive and Inferential
analysis and discussion, and conclusion.

I would never have been able to accomplish this research report without the guidance of
my research supervisor and support from all the participants of the research survey.

First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for my research supervisor Mr. Laxman
Pokhrel for his patience, motivation and knowledge for this dissertation. Without his
persistence guidance and help, this study would not have been possible. He consistently
allowed this paper to be my own work but steered me in the right direction whenever he
thought I needed it. His advice on both research as well as on my career have been
invaluable.

Second, I am extremely grateful to all the facilitators of SAIM College, Pokhara University
for providing direct and indirect support for the completion of the study.

Final, I must express my sincere gratitude to the participants of the questionnaire survey for
their time and effort and my parents for providing me with consistent support and continuous
encouragement throughout my years of study and through the process of writing this
research report. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them.

Thank You.

Arya Verma

BBA

SAIM College

iv
Table of Contents

DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ ii

CERTIFICATE .................................................................................................................. iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................. iv

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii

LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS USED................................................................ x

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Background and introduction .................................................................................... 1

1.2 Problem statement ..................................................................................................... 2

1.3 Research objectives ................................................................................................... 3

1.4 Need and scope of the study...................................................................................... 3

1.5 Limitations of the study ............................................................................................. 4

1.6 Structure of the study ................................................................................................ 4

1.7 Related literature review and theoretical framework ................................................ 5

1.7.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 5

1.7.2 Context of the study ............................................................................................ 5

1.7.3 Theoretical foundation for the study .................................................................. 6

1.7.4 Review of individual constructs ......................................................................... 7

1.7.5 Relationship between variables .......................................................................... 9

1.7.6 Research gap ..................................................................................................... 11

1.7.7 Conceptual framework ..................................................................................... 11

1.8 Conclusion............................................................................................................... 12

1.9 Research methodology ............................................................................................ 12

1.9.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 12

v
1.9.2 Research design ................................................................................................ 12

1.9.3 Sampling design ............................................................................................... 12

1.9.4 Population ......................................................................................................... 13

1.9.5 Sampling technique .......................................................................................... 13

1.9.6 Sampling unit .................................................................................................... 13

1.9.7 Sample size ....................................................................................................... 13

1.9.9 Data collection procedure ................................................................................. 14

CHAPTER II ..................................................................................................................... 15

DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL ANALYSIS........................................................ 15

2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 15

2.2 Demographic profile of the respondents ................................................................. 15

2.3 Reliability of scale ................................................................................................... 16

2.4 Mean, standard deviation and correlation ............................................................... 17

2.5 Regression analysis ................................................................................................. 18

2.5.1 Normality test.................................................................................................... 18

2.5.2 Multi-collinearity .............................................................................................. 19

2.5.3 Homoscedasticity.............................................................................................. 20

2.5.4 Autocorrelation ................................................................................................. 21

2.6 Hypotheses testing................................................................................................... 21

CHAPTER III ................................................................................................................... 22

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION ................................................................................. 22

3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 22

3.3 Discussion ............................................................................................................... 22

3.4 Conclusion............................................................................................................... 24

3.5 Managerial implications .......................................................................................... 24

vi
3.6 Directions for Future Research ................................................................................ 25

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 26

Appendix-1 Reliability statistics ................................................................................... 33

Appendix-2 Demographic profile ................................................................................. 36

Appendix-3 Descriptive statistics and correlation ........................................................ 37

Appendix-4 Hypothesis testing ..................................................................................... 38

Appendix 5. Main questionnaire ................................................................................... 39

vii
LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Data cleaning ...................................................................................................... 15


Table 2. Demographic profile of respondents................................................................... 16
Table 3. Reliability of scale .............................................................................................. 17
Table 4. Mean, standard deviation and correlation matrix ............................................... 18
Table 5. Test for normality ............................................................................................... 19
Table 6. Multi-collinearity ................................................................................................ 20
Table 7. Test for hypothesis testing .................................................................................. 21
Table 8. Summary of Hypotheses Testing ........................................................................ 22

viii
LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Social learning theory .......................................................................................... 6


Figure 2. The general S-O-R model. ................................................................................... 7
Figure 3. Proposed conceptual framework of Attitude towards Fashion.......................... 11
Figure 4. Test of Homoscedasticity ................................................................................. 20

ix
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS USED

ATT Attitude Towards Fashion

ATTR Attractiveness

CRED Credibility

INTER Interactivity

S-O-R Stimulus Organism Response

x
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background and introduction


The rapid development of information technology and the shift in lifestyles following
governments and organizations' lockdown measures to contain the spread of COVID-19
both contribute to the success of e-commerce. Instead of cinemas, Netflix becomes the
primary platform for filmmakers to showcase their work. Instead of television stations,
social media becomes the primary source of entertainment for the public. Instead of
celebrities, social media influencers become the icons and stars capable of altering their
followers' behavior and influencing their consumerbehavior.

Contemporary social media and social networking sites (SNSs) have had a substantial
impact on how people receive information and news. The number of U.S. people who rely
heavily on social media for news has steadily climbed over the past five years, according
to a recent Pew Research Center survey (Gottfried and Shearer 2016). People are now
exposed to thousands of advertising per day, with the great majority originating from social
networking sites (Ganguly 2015). Some age groups, especially millennials and younger
generations, have developed a habitual reliance on social media (Gottfried and Shearer
2016). Consequently, their desire to collect data from social media and other clients is
greater than ever. Recent Twitter and Annalect data indicates that roughly 40% of surveyed
Twitter users have made a purchase as a result of an influencer's post (Karp 2016).

According to Ki and Kim (2019), a social media influencer (SMI) is an individual who
possesses the ability to influence others through social media platforms. Due to the SMI's
potential influence, many more brands are approaching SMIs to create branded content
such as product placements or brand recommendations. Audrezet et al. (2020) refer to this
practice as influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is a hybrid of traditional and new
marketing techniques. It reinvents the concept of celebrity endorsement as a modern
content-driven marketing campaign. The primary distinction between influencer
marketing and other forms of marketing is that the campaigns' outcomes are the result of
collaborations between brands and influencers. According to Feeley (2020), influencer
marketing reached a global value of USD 4.6 billion in 2018. Between 2019 and 2025, it

1
is expected to grow at a rate of more than 25% per year. The alignment of SMIs with their
audiences enables the former to be more effective at product placement and
recommendation than traditional celebrities. One of the most common errors made by
traditional media is their failure to distinguish between celebrities and online influencers.
To begin, while SMIs are extremely popular on social media, they may not be as well-
known as celebrities in the offline world. Second, the majority of influencers have
developed a strong bond with their audiences, who are ardent and enthusiastic supporters
of the SMIs. As a result, if influencers do not endorse a particular brand, their followers
will abandon the brand.
As the number of ad blockers increases, there is a shift away from traditional media toward
social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Retailers must tailor
their social media strategies to their customers' online and offline behaviors. With the
increasing importance of influencer marketing, this paper is going to investigate the
mechanism by which social media influencers influence their followers' loyalty and,
consequently, their purchasing behaviors.

1.2 Problem statement


Social media is a type of computer-aided technology that enables people to interact. It
has evolved into a platform that anyone with an internet connection can access. Given the
internet's rapid growth and the enormous amount of time spent on social media, marketers
have been urged to investigate advertising tactics that capitalize on these new mass media
communication channels. According to the most recent statistics, more than half of the
world's population, or 3.6 billion people, use social media (Freberg et al., 2011). Marketers
may choose to target a specific demographic on social media due to the audience's
precision. Businesses can leverage social media to launch low- cost marketing campaigns.

Due to increased competition, social media influencers are highly sought after. However,
as competition intensifies, businesses and organizations are having a harder time
identifying genuine influencers with a sizable following. By delivering up-to-date
information and influencing consumers' attitudes and behaviors, an influencer promoted
a product that the consumer admired and encouraged them to purchase it.

2
Influencer-generated branded content is viewed as having more organic, genuine, and
direct touch with potential consumers than brand-generated advertisements (Talavera
2015). The rise in influencer marketing's popularity has been exponential. In 2018,
according to a recent report, 39 percent of marketers planned to boost their influencer
marketing budgets, and 19 percent planned to spend more than $100,000 per campaign
(Bevilacqua and Del Giudice 2018). Despite the presence of several studies that have
explored the effects of celebrity endorsers on advertising (e.g. Amos, Holmes, and Strutton,
2008), this body of literature does not take into account the peculiarity of social media
influencers, or "celebrity" content creators. In addition, although there has been recent
research on influencer advertising (e.g. De Veirman, Cauberghe, and Hudders 2017;
Djafarova and Rushworth 2017; Evans et al. 2017; Johansen and Guldvik 2017), none of
this research has centered on the fundamental mechanisms that make influencer marketing
effective. In academia and industry alike, influencer marketing is gaining traction. The
mechanism by which social media influencers influence customer behavior, on the other
hand, has not been extensively studied. As a result, the study is being conducted in order
to fill a research gap.
The major issues of this topic are;
 What are the potential features of social media influencers in practice?
 What is the mechanism of social media influencers changing customer attitude?
 How does customer loyalty affect customer behavior?
 How do the demographic factors, like family income level, gender and education
level moderate the effect of social media influencers on customer buying behavior?

1.3 Research objectives


 To examine the relationship between attractiveness and attitude towards fashion.
 To examine the relationship between credibility and attitude towards fashion.
 To examine the relationship between interactivity and attitude towards fashion.

1.4 Need and scope of the study


The researcher has a two-fold need and scope in the study. The study's contribution is
described by its methodological significance, while its practical relevance is described by
its managerial implications.

3
The study's findings have methodological significance in that they aid in the development
of a better understanding of influence of social media influencer concerning buying
behavior and, as a result, inform researchers of the variables that have influenced buying
behaviors. The study aids in the investigation of more recent issues of buying behavior and
its relevance in the future.

Similarly, regarding the managerial significance of the study, this study will primarily
benefit three important stakeholders: firms, managers, and consumers. This study provides
pertinent data on consumer awareness, social media influencer understanding and the
factors influencing their buying behavior. Where companies that support the idea of
sustainability can use this knowledge to their advantage to take the required safeguards that
harm the consumer as little as possible.

1.5 Limitations of the study


The study was limited in different ways. First, the study's sample size of 60 individuals may
not be representative of the population as a whole, its quantitative methods may not have
adequately captured relevant factors and its data analysis may have had errors. Second, the
researcher collected data via purposive non-probability sampling method. Considering this,
it is problematic to generalize the study. And, third, the study focused more on personal care
products specifically.

1.6 Structure of the study


This research study has been organized into following three chapters:
Chapter- I Introduction
This Chapter deals with background of the study, problem statement, research objectives,
need and scope of the study, limitations of the study, structure of the report, review of
literature which incorporates the review of previous related studies, theoretical framework,
and research gap and research hypotheses. Similarly, this chapter includes research design,
sampling design, measurements, and data collection procedures.
Chapter-II Descriptive and Inferential Analysis
This chapter includes demographic profile of the respondents, reliability scale, mean,
standard deviation and inter-item correlation, regression analysis, test for normality, multi-
collinearity, homoscedasticity, and hypotheses testing.

4
Chapter- III Discussion and Conclusions
This chapter comprises introduction, findings of the tested hypothesis, discussion,
conclusion, managerial implications, and direction for future research.
1.7 Related literature review and theoretical framework

1.7.1 Introduction
This study reviewed the literature on impact of social media influencer on consumer buying
behaviors to meet the stated research objectives. TO find the pertinent factors and
established correlations between variables, a theoretical review was performed. Finally, the
conceptual framework was purposed to justify the research gap.

1.7.2 Context of the study


Social media influencers are online personalities with a big following on one or more social
media platforms (e.g., YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, or personal blogs) who have an
effect on their followers (Agrawal 2016; Varsamis 2018). In contrast to celebrities or public
figures that are well-known through traditional media, social media influencers are
"ordinary individuals" who have become "online celebrities" through generating and
posting content on social media. Typically, they have knowledge in particular fields, such
as healthy living, travel, food, lifestyle, beauty, and fashion. A recent Twitter survey
indicated that customers may trust social media influencers as much as they trust their
friends (Swant 2016).
The use of social media influencers has grown dramatically since 2016, as consumers have
switched away from television and toward social media and other OTT (Over the top)
channels. The phrase "social media influencer" is becoming increasingly prevalent.
Instagram, YouTube, Facebook (Meta), and Twitter are among the most popular social
media platforms among influencers. Brands value social media influencers because they
may start trends and encourage their followers to buy the things they endorse. As a result,
in order to promote their products and enhance sales, brands are attempting to engage with
genuine and successful influencers. Due to rising competition, social media influencers are
in high demand. However, as competition grows, recognising authentic influencers with a
significant number of followers has become the biggest challenge for brands and
organizations.

5
1.7.3 Theoretical foundation for the study
Social learning theory
Social learning theory by Bandura (1963) has been widely applied in academic research,
particularly in communication and advertising fields (Bush et al. 2004). It acts as a
theoretical framework to provide ideas of socialization agents that can predict consumption
behaviors (King and Multon 1996; Martin and Bush 2000). Social learning theory justifies
that an individual derives motivation and consequently exhibits favorable attitude from
socialization agents via either direct or indirect social interaction (Subramanian and
Subramanian 1995; Moschis and Churchill 1978). Previous marketing studies have
adopted this theory to understand consumer consumption behavior through various
socialization agents such as celebrities, family, or peers (North and Kotze 2001; Clark et
al. 2001; Martin and Bush 2000). For instance, Makgosa (2010) revealed that social
learning theory can convincingly explain the impact of celebrities on consumption
behaviors. Aligned with Makgosa's assertion, social learning theory is proposed as a
contextual foundation in understanding social media influencers as they represent a novel
type of independent third-party endorser (i.e., the concept is somehow similar to celebrity
endorsement), who can shape audience attitudes and decision-making through the use of
social media. Thus, social learning theory posits that an individual’s intention to purchase
products is highly influenced by the respondents' attitude and effectiveness of social media
influencers (i.e., source credibility, source attractiveness, product match-up and meaning
transfer) in promoting the products (see Figure 1).

Behavioral factor

Cognitive factor
Human behavior

Environmental factor

Figure 1. Social learning theory

6
Stimulus-organism-response model (S-O-R)

The Mehrabian and Russell’s (1974) S-O-R Model shows that the environment is a
stimulus (S), which is made up of a collection of cues that lead to an internal assessment
of a person organism (O), and then generates a response (R). Arousal as a charge or content
is often linked to environmental psychology. In a comfortable setting, a high charge
(arousal) leads to approach behavior, as a high charge in an uncomfortable setting leads to
avoidance behavior. And, both approach and avoidance behavior are not sufficiently
motivated in a low charge environment (Hetharie et al., 2019). Similarly, the S-O-R model
explains the relationship between the stimuli (such as external factors) that impact
organisms (such as people's cognition and emotions) and their responses (such as behavior)
(Zhang et al., 2021). Based on the literature review, the SOR model is used in this study to
investigate the impact of social media influencer on consumer buying behavior.

Stimulus Organism Response

Figure 2. The general S-O-R model.

1.7.4 Review of individual constructs


Source credibility
Source credibility is widely used to evaluate endorsement effectiveness and plays an
important role in explaining how a source of a message is persuasive (Seiler & Kucza,
2017). Based on social psychology, source credibility can be defined as the set of positive
reliable qualities of a communicator that affects the audience’s level of acceptance of a
certain message (Hu et al., 2019). Commonly, a credible source has the potential to change
consumers’ opinions and behaviors, and generally creates a positive influence on
consumers’ perceptions about a product or brand 15 (Wang et al., 2017), through the
process of internalization. This process involves the receiver’s acceptance of attitudes,
values, and opinions of others into their own selves, when the source is considered credible
and presents a behavior consistent with the receiver’s value system (Sokolova & Kefi,
2020). According to Hovland and Weiss (1951), the credibility of an endorser, and their
consequent persuasion power, depends on two components: expertise and trustworthiness
(Seiler & Kucza, 2017).

7
Source Attractiveness
Source attractiveness is considered to directly influence the effectiveness of an
endorsement and refers to both physical attractiveness and social attractiveness (Delbaere
et al., 2021). This way, attractiveness entails not only an endorser's physical attributes, but
also other characteristics that the audience may perceive as virtuous, such as creativity,
personal traits, and lifestyle (Conde, 2019). SMIs with attractive features are viewed as
having desirable qualities and personalities, and tend to be more persuasive and effective
in changing beliefs, resulting in a positive attitude on consumer perception about the
product and, consequently, on purchase intention (Chekima et al., 2020). 17 Source
attractiveness is based on social psychology (McGuire, 1985) and suggests that the
effectiveness and persuasiveness of the source depends on three elements: similarity,
familiarity, and likeability (Chun et al., 2018; De Veirman et al., 2017; Gräve, 201

Source Interactivity
Interactivity is one of the most essential aspects in social media and refers to the two-way
communication and interaction between SMIs and consumers, like asking followers’
opinions and feedbacks on their posts and endorsed products (Osayemi, 2019). Social
media expands consumers’ perception and awareness of the transmitted information and
enhances their ability to consciously process it, which results in additional knowledge
(Alalwan, 2018). Indeed, interactivity is the extent to which someone is able to control the
context and make their own contribution to the information being exchanged, so it
significantly changes how the communication process occurs and the way information is
shared between users online (Sundar et al., 2014). Considering that consumers cannot
physically contact with the product being endorsed by SMIs to assess its characteristics
and qualities, interactivity plays a strong role in shaping the users’ perceived benefits
associated with those products (Barreda et al., 2016). Additionally, when endorsements are
interactive, it is more likely to enhance consumers’ trust than less interactive ones. It also
increases the level of intrinsic satisfaction like hedonic motivation, which encourages
consumers’ will to follow and pay attention to these endorsements, due to their usefulness
and entertainment (Chen et al., 2017a).

8
Attitude

Marketing researchers have shown interest in consumers' attitude, which is an important


knowledge for developing a successful marketing operation (Solomon et al., 2010).
Attitude and purchase intention exhibit a parallel relationship in consumer studies (Ting
and de Run 2015; Tarkiainen and Sundqvist 2005). Relatively, Chen (2007) proposed that
favorable attitude towards a specific product is a dominant predictor that can lead to
consumers' purchase intention. Similarly, a favourable attitude towards product endorsed
by social media influencers will impact on higher chance of purchase intention.

1.7.5 Relationship between variables


Source credibility and attitude towards fashion
Source credibility is widely used to analyze the effectiveness of endorsement (Hovland and
Weiss 1951; Taghipoorreyneh and de Run 2016). Specifically, a credible endorser
generally exhibits positive effect towards consumers’ perception (Goldsmith et al. 2000).
Trustworthiness and expertise are two elements that are discussed within source credibility.
Information presented by a credible source (e.g. social media influencers) can affect
consumers’ beliefs, opinions, attitudes and behaviors (Wang et al. 2017). Additionally,
influencers who have been viewed as experts tend to be more persuasive (Aaker and Myers
1987) and capable of driving consumer purchase intention (Ohanian 1991). Till and Busler
(2000) stressed that expertise has a positive influence on both attitude and purchase
intention. Trustworthiness represents an endorser's dignity, believability, and honesty
(Erdogan 1999). Metzger et al. (2003) noted that an endorser who is perceived as highly
trustworthy and expertise would lead to consumers' indifference towards the advertising
message, resulting in higher acceptance of the delivered message. Relatively, social media
influencers who are held with high expertise and trustworthiness are viewed as being more
influential on their followers' behaviors. As a result, the following hypotheses are
proposed:

Hypothesis (H3): There is a positive relationship between source credibility and attitude
towards fashion.

9
Attractiveness and attitude towards fashion

As driving the acceptance rate of advertising. Source attractiveness focusses on an


endorser's physical attributes or characteristics (Erdogan 1999). Numerous past research
have discovered a positive correlation between relationship between source attractiveness
and Consumer attitude as well as purchase intention are positively correlated (Petty et al.
1983; Erdogan 1999). McGuire (1985) noted that source attractiveness directly influences
the effectiveness of an endorsement. An attractive social media influencer is able to affect
consumers with positive outcomes. Endorsers with attractive features can exert a positive
attitude on consumers subsequently with a purchasing intention (Till and Busler 2000).
Social media influencers with amazing appearance are more inclined to capture followers'
attention. Hence, this study posits the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis (H2): There is a positively relationship between attractiveness and attitude


towards fashion.

Interactivity and attitude towards fashion

Given the interactivity with which consumers may now not only closely follow but also
quickly interact with media characters, such as social media influencers, the performance
of parasocial identification in conventional media could potentially occur on social media
(Labrecque 2014). Consumers can learn about social media influencers since they interact
with them on a regular basis. Consumers should examine the overlap between influencers'
image and their own self-concept in the meanwhile. As a result, parasocial identity may be
aided and cultivated.

Burgoon et. al. (1999) defined interactivity as the extent to which an individual perceives
that he/ she is participating in the interaction with a SMI. Social media platforms allow
users to find, network and interact with one another easily. Jeong and Coyle (2014) argue
that social media has turned to be a handy and favorable means to interact with friends and
fulfill social needs. Consumers expect their communications on social media platforms to
be more bilateral and responsive. The enhanced responsiveness will increase the social glue
of customers to the SMIs.

10
Karatsoli and Nathanail (2020) also demonstrated that shared material on social media can
be a powerful source of inspiration and influence for customers. They highlighted how a
tiny and indirect virtual engagement on social media can elicit consumer inspiration,
implying that a customer's interaction on social media (e.g., shared reviews, images, and
videos) can influence his or her vacation or shopping preferences (e.g., whether to buy a
product).

In light of the foregoing, I believe that SMIs that provide a higher level of involvement
will strengthen their audience's perception of a close link with influencer-endorsed brands
or items. As a result, here's what I have come up with:

Hypothesis (H3): There is a positively relationship between Interactivity and attitude


towards fashion.

1.7.6 Research gap


Nowadays, Consumer buys good and services on the basis of recommendations of the
people they trust. However every individual doesn’t follow social media influencers on
different social media platforms. And due to trust issues. It is not easy for social media
influencers to influence the users. Although social media influencers are gaining the
acceptance and popularity in online purchase, still there is a need to analyze which factors
makes the man impactful influencer.

1.7.7 Conceptual framework

Credibility

Attractiveness Attitude towards fashion

Interactivity

Figure 3. Proposed conceptual framework of Attitude towards Fashion

11
1.8 Conclusion

The researcher has discussed several theories to review the pertinent literature and look at
the relationship between the variables. This research identified a gap in the prior research
and created a conceptual framework to comprehend the subject matter better. Following
this section, the researcher will outline how the research methodology was designed, the
population, sampling techniques, the sample size, measurements, the data collection
procedure, and the data analysis procedure that fulfill the research gap identified in this
section.

1.9 Research methodology


1.9.1 Introduction

To achieve the stated research objective and address the research gap, this study applied
quantitative approach. By following quantitative approach research design, sampling
design, population and sample, sample size, sampling technique, source of measurements,
data collection and analysis are discussed in this section.

1.9.2 Research design

The conceptual structure that serves as the guide for the collection, measurement, and
analysis of data is known as research design (Kothari, 2004). Research design is defined as
the systematic and scientific inquiry about the measurements and sampling design of the
study. The study aims to investigate the relationship between credibility, attractiveness,
interactivity and attitude towards fashion thus the study includes relevant hypothesized
relationships, and quantitative research has been conducted. Hence, the correlational
research was carried out to achieve the purpose, as the main purpose of correlational
research is to investigate the relationship between variables without controlling or
manipulating any of them.

1.9.3 Sampling design

A sample design is a comprehensive strategy for selecting a sample from a certain


population. It refers to the method or process the researcher would use while choosing the
items for the sample (Kothari, 2004). The sampling design includes the population of the
study, the sampling technique, the sampling unit, and the sample size. Following consists

12
of the description of the sampling design points.

1.9.4 Population
All the individuals who are being examined comprise the population. All factors that satisfy
specific requirements for research consideration are referred to as the "population" (Barnes
et al., 2003). The population selected for this study is the residents of Nepal who are above
18 years of age and who attitude are influenced by social media influencers.

1.9.5 Sampling technique


Prior to collecting data, the sample design is chosen. A researcher has many options for
sample designs to choose from (Kothari, 2004), where designs are easier to implement and
more precise than others. In this study, the target population may not be adequately
categorized as the number of people who are influenced by social media influencers is
unknown. Thus, non-probability purposive sampling was used.

1.9.6 Sampling unit


The sampling unit might be a social group like a family, club, school, etc., or it could be a
geographical group like a state, district, village, etc., or it could be a construction unit like
a house, flat, etc. (Kothari, 2004). The sample unit for this research is all the consumers
who are above 18 whose attitude get influenced by social media influencers.

1.9.7 Sample size


To overcome non-response tendencies and reach potential respondents, the researcher
distributes questionnaires to 60 respondents. The sample size of 60 respondents could not
adequately represent the total population. However; the researcher took the appropriate
steps to choose the collected sample size. It was decided as per the cost and time factors and
the researcher’s assumptions of the research project so that he/she can capture the variables
of interest.
A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data and examine the proposed model.
The survey questionnaire used in this study was intended for respondents to self- report their
views and experiences while purchasing green personal products. The first part of the
questionnaire intends to capture consumers’ perceptions about variables such as CRED,
ATTR, INTER and ATT. All the scales were formulated based on 5-point Likert scale
from ‘strongly disagree’ (1) to ‘strongly agree’ (5).

13
In the second part, four questions on respondents’ profiles based on demographic
characteristics have been asked. A brief explanation of the measures used in the study is
stated below;

Attitude towards fashion scale


It was adopted from pokhrel (2022) which was previously adopted from 4 items scale.
Responses were measured in 5 points likert scale ranges from (1=strongly disagree to
5=strongly agree).

Credibility scale
It was adopted from Chan (2022) which was previously adopted from Erdogan et al. (1999)
3 items scale. Responses were measured in 5 points likert scale ranges from (1=strongly
disagree to 5= strongly agree).

Attractiveness scale
It was adopted from Chan (2022) which was previously adopted from Vrontis et al. (2021)
3 items scale. Responses were measured in 5 points likert scale ranges from (1=strongly
disagree to 5=strongly agree).

Interactivity scale
It was adopted from Chan (2022). Responses were measured in 5 points likert scale ranges
from (1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree).

1.9.9 Data collection procedure


In this research, primary and secondary data were collected for the study. Primary data
were collected from the survey with the help of structured questionnaire. And secondary
data were collected from through previous articles, journals, locals and international news
articles and previous dissertations and research paper on influence consumer buying
behavior. The survey tool was tested a pilot test to make the questionnaire more reliable
and valid. Before distributing the questionnaire, the purpose of the study, the nature of the
study and the confidentiality of respondents were insured.

14
CHAPTER II
DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL ANALYSIS

2.1 Introduction
The researcher has chosen a quantitative method of data analysis to address the study topic.
The study was conducted using the SPSS software suite for social science statistical
analysis. The approach started with data cleansing, where the researcher tested duplicate
replies, missing data, and unengaged responses. To ascertain the respondents' standing, the
researcher then examined their demographic profile. With the use of the SPSS test,
descriptive and correlational analyses were then carried out to explain the nature of the
data. Following a review of the OLS (Ordinary Least Square) assumptions, the hypothesis
will also be put to the test. Then the hypotheses were put to the test using regression
analysis.

Table 1. Data cleaning

Entries Frequency
Total questionnaire distributed 60
Questionnaire not returned 0
Completed returned questionnaire 60 (Printed 60)
Unengaged response 0
Missing data 0
Total sample after data cleaning 60
Overall response rate 100%
Note. Based on researcher’s calculation

The total questionnaires were distributed to 60 respondents from which 60 received. There
were zero unengaged response and zero missing data found which was identified from data
cleaning process. In the table, 100% of the respondents were found to be engaged in this
research.

2.2 Demographic profile of the respondents

15
This section of the demographic profile of the respondents consists of all the required
information of all the participants like age, gender, educational background, etc. A total of
60 respondents have participated in the research.

Table 2. Demographic profile of respondents

Variables Number Percentage


Gender
Male 32 53.3
Female 28 46.7
Age
18-25 56 93.3
26-35 4 6.7
Occupation
Unemployed 38 63.3
Employed 16 26.7
Self-employed 6 10.0
Monthly family income
Less than 30000 18 30.0
30-50000 20 33.3
Above 50000 22 36.7
In Table 2, the most frequently observed category of Gender was male (n=32, 53.3%). The
most frequently observed category of the Age was 18-25 (n= 56, 93.3%). The most
frequently observed category of the occupation level was the unemployed (n =38, 63.3%).
Finally, the most frequently observed monthly family income was (n=22, 36.7%).

2.3 Reliability of scale


Reliability is the consistency with which a measure evaluates a specific trait (Bartko &
Carpenter, 1976). It means the quality of a group of variables being consistent across time
in how they load a given factor (Gaskin, 2021). In this study, the researcher has analyzed
the data to access the reliability of the impact of social media influencers on consumer
buying behaviors.

16
Table 3. Reliability of scale

Variables Variable Description Cronbach’s Alpha


Items 1,2,3,4 Attitude 0.792
Items 5,6,7 Credibility 0.659
Items 8,9,10 Attractiveness 0.623
Items 11,12,13,14 Interactivity 0.867
Note. Based on researcher’s calculation

In table 3, the Cronbach's alpha values for ATT, CRED and INTER were 0.792, 0.659 and
0.867 respectively, which were within the acceptable range (Gaskin, 2021). However, the
cronbach’s alpha values for ATTR was 0.370 which is less than the required cronbach’s
alpha (Gaskin, 2021); which was later edited to 0.623 due to which Item 9 was terminated.

2.4 Mean, standard deviation and correlation


The reliability of a factor refers to the consistency of item-level errors within it. As the
name would suggest, reliability means that a set of variables is consistent in loading on the
same factor over time (Gaskin, 2021). In this study, the researcher has analyzed the data to
assess the reliability of the questionnaires of the Impact of Social Media Usage on Purchase
Intention in Nepal. The size of the sample test was from the representative of 60
respondents.

17
Table 4. Mean, standard deviation and correlation matrix

Variables Mean Std. Deviation 1 2 3 4


1. ATT 3.3250 0.87005 1
2. CRED 3.0389 0.77409 0.677** 1
3. ATTR 3.2111 0.72607 0.634** 0.615** 1
4. INTER 2.7708 1.00875 0.448** 0.408** 0.563* 1
Note. Based on the researcher's calculations ATT=Attitude; ATTR= attractiveness;
CRED= Credibility; INTER= Interactivity.

As indicated in the table, ATT is positively related to CRED, ATTR and INTER (γ
=0.0.677, p < 0.05; γ = 0.634, p < 0.05; γ = 0.448 respectively). Similarly, CRED is
positively related to ATTR and INTER (γ = 0.615, p < 0.05; γ = 0.408). Finally, ATTR is
positively related to INTER (γ = 0.563, p < 0.05 respectively). Since the correlation is the
most robust technique to estimate the regression equations, this study has applied
regression and data analysis.

2.5 Regression analysis


The statistical tool used to examine the relationship between variables is called regression
analysis. Regression analysis is one of the most popular statistical methods because it offers
a simple way for establishing functional relationships among variables (Chatterjee & Hadi,
2006). The objective is to identify and measure the degree to which the dependent variable
and independent variables are related and to predict the value of the dependent variable
based on the independent variables. The regression analysis requires assumptions to apply
Ordinary Least Square (OLS). The major assumptions are normality, linearity, multi-
collinearity, homoscedasticity, and autocorrelation.

2.5.1 Normality test


The distribution of data for a particular variable is referred to as the normality of data. In
this study, the skewness and kurtosis of the data are used to determine the normality of the
data.

18
Table 5. Test for normality

Skewness Kurtosis
Constructs Statistic Std. Error Statistic Std. Error
1.ATT -0.668 0.309 0.303 0.608

2. CRE 0.022 0.309 -0.172 0.608

3. ATTR 0.103 0.309 -0.373 0.608

5. INTER 0.040 0.309 -0.984 0.608


Note. Based on researcher’s calculation; ATT=Attitude; ATTR= attractiveness; CRED=
Credibility; INTER= Interactivity.

When the values of Skewness and Kurtosis fall within the range of -2 and 2, the data follow
a normal distribution (George & Mallery, 2010). In the given table, skewness range
between -0.668 to 0.103 and kurtosis -0.984 to 303, hence, the data for all the variables are
considered to be normally distributed. As a result, this study has applied Ordinary Least
Square (OLS) Regression.

2.5.2 Multi-collinearity
Multicollinearity is the linear association among two or more variables, which also denotes
a lack of orthogonality. It is defined as a condition of deficient data that frequently occurs
in observational studies where the researcher does not interfere with the study (Alin, 2010).
In this study, the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) and Tolerance value are used to detect
multi-collinearity. If the VIF is greater than 10 and the tolerance value is less than 0.1, there
is a high multi-collinearity problem (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016). Therefore, this study tested
for multi-collinearity.

19
Table 6. Multi-collinearity

Constructs Tolerance VIF


1. Attractiveness 0.505 1.980

2. Credibility 0.616 1.980

4. Interactivity 0.677 1.477


Note. Based on researcher’s calculation

This study uses the Variance Inflation Factors (VIF) approach to estimate multi- collinearity.
Since all the independent variables have VIF value of less than 10 and their tolerance value
more than 0.1, it is clear that a multi-collinearity problem doesn’t exist among the variables.

2.5.3 Homoscedasticity
The phenomenon of homoscedasticity occurs when residual error varies consistently across
all levels of a variable (Gaskin, 2021). The homoscedasticity assumption was checked
using a residual PP plot (Fig 5), and residuals were found to be scattered around a diagonal
line. As a result, homoscedasticity is satisfied in this study.

Figure 4. Test of Homoscedasticity

20
2.5.4 Autocorrelation
Autocorrelation is the correlation between two sets of data. An auto-correlated set of values
is one in which successive values with nonzero covariance are ordered over time or space
(Frey, 2018). Auto-correlation refers to the case when your errors are correlated with each
other. The value of the Durbin-Watson Test in this study is 1.966 which is less than 2.
Therefore, this data set does not have the issues of autocorrelation.

2.6 Hypotheses testing


According to Walker (2019), a hypothesis test is used to establish whether a discrepancy
between two samples really represents a difference between the populations from which
the samples were taken. This study applied SPSS software to test the hypothesis after
satisfying the OLS regression assumptions. The values of hypothesis testing are stated
below:

Table 7. Test for hypothesis testing

Hypothesis Beta R2 F t- P- Hypothesis


Coefficient Value value supported
H1 CRED→ AT 0.453 0.516 21.965 3.923 0.000 Yes
H2 ATTR→ AT 0.303 0.516 21.965 2.379 0.021 Yes
H3 INTER→AT 0.093 0.516 21.965 0.847 0.401 No
Note. Based on researcher’s calculation; AT= Attitude towards fashion; ATTR=
Attractiveness; CRED= Credibility; INTER=Interactivity).

Firstly, the hypothesis 1 tests whether CRED positively influences AT. The result indicates
that CRED significantly impact on AT (β= 0.453, t= 3.923, p< 0.05). H1 is therefore
supported. Similarly, the hypothesis 2 tests whether ATTR positively influences AT. The
result indicates that ATTR has significant impact on AT (β= 0.303, t= 2.379, p< 0.05). H2
is therefore supported. Finally, hypothesis 3 tests whether INTER positively influences
AT. The result indicates that INTER insignificantly impact on AT (β= 0.093, t= 0.847, p>
0.05). H3 therefore not supported.

21
CHAPTER III
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

3.1 Introduction
This chapter summarizes the researcher’s general findings in the context of the central ideas
underpinning the objectives of this research. After the collection of data, the data cleaning
process was carried out for the further analysis. After the demographic profile analysis, the
correlation, multi-collinearity, homoscedasticity, normality and linearity, and regression
methods are used. The key components of this chapter includes the summary of findings,
discussion, conclusion, managerial implications, and direction for the future research.

3.2 Summary of the Findings


Regression analysis was used to test the three hypotheses. First, CRED and ATTR were
found to have a significant influence on AT. Second, this study found a insignificant
influence of INTER on AT.

Table 8. Summary of Hypotheses Testing

Hypothesized
S. N Hypotheses Findings
Relationship
H1 CRED positively Influences AT. Positive Significant

H2 ATTR positively influences AT. Positive Significant

H3 INTER positively influence AT. Positive Insignificant


Note. Based on researcher’s Calculation; AT= Attitude towards fashion; ATTR=
Attractiveness; CRED= Credibility; INTER= Interactivity.

3.3 Discussion
The main objective of this study was to examine the influence of Credibility, Attractiveness
and Interactivity on Attitude towards fashion.
Firstly, the objective of the study was to investigate the influence of CRED on AT.
In this study, the researchers hypothesized that CRED positively influence AT (H1) This
study found that CRED has a significant relationship on AT, meaning from consumers
perspectives, when a fashion influencer is perceived as credible whether through consistent quality,
ethical practices and responsiveness towards followers then consumer tend to trust their

22
recommendations and align their attitude accordingly. The findings is consistent with several
studies done in a similar context (e. g., Rai, A., & Verma, M. 2022). It is aligned with
Bandura’s (1963) Social Influence Theory. The Social Influence Theory holds, individuals'
cognitive, environmental factors, and behavioral factors affect their behavioral intentions,
which in turn direct their actual behavior. In this context, consumers who are more credible
are more likely to form favorable attitudes towards fashion, increasing the likelihood that
they will engage in it.
Secondly, the purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of ATTR on AT.
In this study, the researchers hypothesized that ATTR positively influences AT (H2). This
study found a significant relationship of ATTR on AT. It is aligned with Bandura’s (1963)
Social Influence Theory. The findings is consistent with several done in a similar context (e. g.,
Lim et al., 22017). The results suggest that consumers are more likely to have a positive
attitude towards fashion when people tend to compare themselves with others who are
perceived as attractive. Also consumer has positive attitude towards fashion when
consumer give more attention to influencers and if influencers may carry more weight
influencing others attitude in fashion related context. Consumers are more actively look for
products influenced from social media influencers when they feel strong connection with
the social media influencers.

Third, the objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between INTER
and AT. In this study, the researcher hypothesized that INTER positively influences AT
(H3). The present study found an insignificant relationship between INTER and AT. The
findings imply that consumer's attitude towards fashion may not influenced by their
environmental consciousness. Individuals may form attitudes towards fashion based on
their own behaviors and choices rather than external influences alone. Interactivity can
enhance self-perception by allowing individuals to experiment with different styles or
receive personalized recommendations but it may not significantly influence attitude
towards fashion. Personal interest and values, cultures or social groups, less engagement
with fashion, may have interest in other hobbies, limited access to fashion and ethical
consideration within the fashion industry may lead individual's interactivity to disengage
from attitude towards fashion.

23
3.4 Conclusion
The findings of the study revealed that CRED and ATTR were found to have a significant
impact on AT, thus supporting their respective hypotheses (H1 and H2). These results
suggest that successful credibility and attractiveness that are consistent with consumer
behavioral and cognitive factors can have a beneficial impact on customers' attitudes
toward fashion, which will improve consumer buying behaviors. Additionally, consumers
who make influenced purchases are more likely to do so if they have stronger attachment with
the social media influencers.

3.5 Managerial implications


Phua, Venus Jin, and Kim (2017) suggest that individuals can use social media to fulfill
their entertainment, informational, and social demands. Plume and Slade (2018) stated that
when individuals are motivated by pleasurable pleasure, social media can help them "pass
the time, escape their daily lives, and engage in behaviors they find interesting" (p. 473),
among different social networking sites, TikTok is gaining popularity. Consequently,
brands may invest more resources in online promotion via TikTok. SMIs on the platform
are the collaboration's targets.
When selecting SMIs, marketers can focus on two factors, one of which is the content's
high level of appeal and believability. Another form involves interaction. For certain
products, like luxury automobiles, the level of product participation is greater, and the
majority of the target market has a higher income. The income level has a moderating effect
on the relationship between content characteristics of SMIs and choice imitation, which is
represented in the fact that they would spend more time and effort extending the material
offered by SMIs. In this instance, corporations that target higher income groups may
collaborate with SMIs that specialize on providing reputable and engaging content.
However, firms may also collaborate with SMIs who are keen to stay in touch with their
followers by responding to their private messages, even if they are not particularly credible
or enticing.
As Audunsson (2018) stated that influencer marketing has moved its focus from who to
work with to how to use them. The findings of this study showed that the effectiveness of

24
endorsement is not derived automatically from the psychological connections between
consumers and influencers. Hence, companies may devote resources to capitalize the effect
of the connections between influencers and customers, watch the contribution of these
social media influences and monitor the content quality of the influencers.

3.6 Directions for Future Research


First, future research could investigate using larger samples since a 60-individual sample
size might not be entirely representative of the population as a whole. Second, Future
research could use an experimental design to increase precision or use a more thorough
framework to lessen the bias that can occur while responding to a survey. Third, As the
generalization of the study is problematic with purposive sampling as a method of data
collection, future research might opt for an alternative sampling technique. Finally, future
research might examine the proposed model concerning other product categories, such as
health, food, beverages, etc., as the study was more focused on personal fashion products
only.

25
REFERENCES

Aaker, D. A., Myers, J.G., (1987), Advertising Management (3rd ed.). Prentice-Hall,
Agrawal, A. (2016). Retrieved from Why Influencer Marketing Will
Explode In 2017:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/12/27/why-influencer-marketing-
will-explode- in2017/#2ce5adf720a
Alalwan, A. A. (2018). Investigating the impact of social media advertising features on
customer purchase intention. International journal of information management, 42,
65-77.
Alin, A. (2010). Multicollinearity. Wiley interdisciplinary reviews: computational
statistics, 2(3), 370-374.
Amos, Clinton, Gary Holmes, and David Strutton (2008), ―Exploring the Relationship
between Celebrity Endorser Effects and Advertising Effectiveness: A Quantitative
Synthesis of Effect Size,‖ International Journal of Advertising, 27 (2), 209–34.
Audrezet, A., De Kerviler, G., & Moulard, J. G. (2020). Authenticity under threat: When
social media influencers need to go beyond self-presentation. Journal of Business
Research, 117, 557–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.07.008
Audunsson, S. (2018), Decmber 6. 2019 will be the year influencer marketing shifts from
who to how. Campaign. https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/2019-will-year-
influencer-marketing-shifts/1520478.
Bandura, A., and Walters, R. H., (1963), Social learning and personality development.
Barnes, L. L., Wilson, R. S., Schneider, J. A., Bienias, J. L., Evans, D. A., & Bennett,
Barreda, A. A., Bilgihan, A., Nusair, K., & Okumus, F. (2016). Online branding: Development of hotel
branding through interactivity theory. Tourism Management, 57, 180-192.
Bevilacqua, Jessica, and Elizabeth Del Giudice (2018), ―Why Brands Need to Utilize
Influencer Marketing in 2018,‖ St. Joseph Communications, April 3,
https://stjoseph.com/
Burgoon, J. K., Bonito, J. A., Bengtsson, B., Ramirez, A., Jr, Dunbar, N. E., & Miczo, N.
(1999). Testing the interactivity model: Communication processes, partner
assessments, and the quality of collaborative work. Journal of Management
Information Systems, 16(3), 33–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/

26
Bush, A. J., Smith, R., and Martin, C., (1999), “The influence of consumer socialization
variables on attitude toward advertising: A comparison of African-Americans and
Caucasians”, Journal of Advertising, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 13-24.
Chan, F. (2022). A Study of Social Media Influencers and Impact on Consumer Buying
Behaviour in the United Kingdom. International Journal of Business &
Management Studies, 3(07), 2694-1449.
Chatterjee, S., & Hadi, A. S. (2006). Regression analysis by example. John Wiley & Sons.
Chekima, B., Chekima, F. Z., & Adis, A. A. A. (2020). Social media influencer in advertising: The
role of attractiveness, expertise and trustworthiness. Journal of Economics and Business, 3(4).
Chen, M. F., (2007), “Consumer attitudes and purchase intentions in relation to organic
foods in Taiwan: moderating effects of food-related personality traits”, Food
Quality and Preference, vol. 18, no. 7, pp. 1008-1021.
Clark, P. W., Martin, C. A., and Bush, A. J., (2001), “The effect of role model influence on
adolescents’ materialism and marketplace knowledge”, Journal of Marketing
Theory and Practice, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 27-36.
D. A. (2003). Gender, cognitive decline, and risk of AD in older persons. Neurology,
60 (11), 1777-1781.
De Veirman, M., Cauberghe, V., & Hudders, L. (2017). Marketing through Instagram
influencers: The impact of number of followers and product divergence on brand
attitude. International journal of advertising, 36(5), 798–828. https://doi.org/
10.1080/02650487.2017.1348035
De Veirman, Marijke, Veroline Cauberghe, and Liselot Hudders (2017), ―Marketing
through Instagram Influencers: The Impact of Number of Followers and Product
Divergence on Brand Attitude,‖ International Journal of Advertising, 36 (5), 798–
28.
Delbaere, M., Michael, B., & Phillips, B. J. (2021). Social media influencers: A route to brand engagement
for their followers. Psychology & Marketing, 38(1), 101-112.
Erdogan, B. Z. (1999). Celebrity endorsement: A literature review. Journal of Marketing
Management, 15(4), 291– 314. doi:10.1362/026725799784870379
Erdogan, B. Z., (1999), “Celebrity endorsement: A literature review”, Journal of Marketing
Management, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 291-314.
Feeley, M. (2020, March 30). Global market for influencer marketing platforms predicted

27
to grow significantly over the next five years. Retrieved January 17, 2022 from
https:// thesilab.com/global-market-for-influencer- marketing-platforms-predicted-
to-grow significantly-over-the-next-five-years/.
Freberg, K., Graham, K., McGaughey, K., & Freberg, L. A. (2011). Who are the social
media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality. Public Relations
Review, 37(1), 90–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2010.11.001
Ganguly, Sonny (2015), ―Why Social Media Advertising Is Set to Explode in the Next
3 Years,‖ Marketing Land, March 17, https://marketingland.com/social-media-
advertising-set-explode-next-3-years-121691.
Gaskin, J. (2021). Linearity, Gaskination's StatWiki. http://statwiki.gaskination.com
George, D., & Mallery, P. (2010). SPSS for Windows step by step. A simple study guide
and reference (10. Baskı). GEN, Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc, 10, 152-165.
Goldsmith, R. E., Lafferty, B. A. and Newell, S. J., (2000), ‘The impact of corporate
credibility and celebrity credibility on consumer reaction to advertisements and
brands”, Journal of Advertising, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 43–54.
Gottfried, Jeffrey, and Elisa Shearer (2016), ―News Use across Social Media Platforms
2016,‖ Pew Research Center, May 26, http://www.journalism.org/2016/05/26/
news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2016/.
Grave, J.-F. (2017). A new type of endorser? Investigating the differences in perception
between social media influencers and traditional celebrities. American Marketing
Association Summer Proceedings.
Hetharie, J. A., Hussein, A. S., & Puspaningrum, A. (2019). SOR (Stimulus-organism-
response) model application in observing the influence of impulsive buying on
consumer’s post-purchase regret. International Journal of Scientific and
Technology Research, 8 (11), 2829-2841.
Hovland, C. I. and Weiss, W., (1951), “The influence of source credibility on
communication effectiveness”, Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 635–
650.
Hovland, Carl I. and Walter Weiss (1951), ―The Influence of Source Credibility on
Communication Effectiveness,‖ Public Opinion Quarterly, 15 (4), 635–50.
interaction. Journal of Interactive Marketing 28, no. 2: 134–48.

28
Jeong, Yongick, and Erin Coyle (2014), ―What Are You Worrying About on Facebook
and Twitter? An Empirical Investigation of Young Social Network Site Users‘
Privacy Perceptions and Behaviors,‖ Journal of Interactive Advertising, 14 (2), 51–
59.
Karatsoli, M., & Nathanail, E. (2020). Examining gender differences of social media use
for activity planning and travel choices. European Transport Research Review,
12(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12544-020- 00436-4.
Karp, Katie (2016), ―New Research: The Value of Influencer on Twitter,‖ Twitter, May
10, https://blog.twitter.com/ 2016/new-research-the-value-of-influencers-on-
twitter.
Ki, C. W., & Kim, Y. K. (2019). The mechanism by which social media influencers
persuade consumers: The role of consumer's‘desire to mimic. Psychology &
Marketing, 36(10), 905–922. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21244
King, M. M., and Multon, K. D., (1996), “The effects of television role models on the career
aspirations of African American junior high school students”, Journal of Career
Development, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 111-125.
Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: Methods and techniques. New Age
International.
Kotze, T., (2001), “Parents and television advertisements as consumer socialisation agents
for adolescents: An exploratory study”, Journal of Family Ecology and Consumer
Sciences= Tydskrif vir Gesinsekologie en Verbruikerswetenskappe, vol. 29, no. 1,
pp. 91-99.
Labrecque, L.I. (2014). Fostering consumer-Brand relationships in social media
environments: The role of parasocial
Lim, X. J., Radzol, A. M., Cheah, J., & Wong, M. W. (2017). The impact of social media
influencers on purchase intention and the mediation effect of customer
attitude. Asian journal of business research, 7(2), 19-36.
Makgosa, R., (2010), “The influence of vicarious role models on purchase intentions of
Botswana teenagers”, Young Consumers, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 307-319.
Martin, C. A., and Bush, A. J., (2000), “Do role models influence teenagers’ purchase
intentions and behavior?” Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 441

29
453.
McGuire, W. J., (1985), “Attitudes and attitude change”, Handbook of Social Psychology,
vol. 2.
Mehrabian, A., & Russell, J. A. (1974). An approach to environmental psychology. The MIT
Press.
Metzger, M. J., Flanagin, A. J., Eyal, K., Lemus, D. R., and McCann, R. M., (2003),
“Credibility for the 21st century: Integrating perspectives on source, message, and
media credibility in the contemporary media environment”, Annals of the
International Communication Association, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 293-335.
Moschis, G. P., and Churchill Jr, G. A., (1978), “Consumer socialization: A theoretical and
empirical analysis”, Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 599-609.
Ohanian, R., (1991), “The impact of celebrity spokespersons' perceived image on
consumers' intention to purchase”, Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 31, no. 1,
pp. 46-54
Osayemi, E. O. O. (2019). Social Butterflies: The Power of Social Media Influencers.
Phua, Joe, Seunga Venus Jin, and Jihoon Jay Kim. (2017). ―Gratifications of Using
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, orSnapchat to Follow Brands: The Moderating Effect
of Social Comparison, Trust, Tie Strength, and Network Homophily on Brand
Identification, Brand Engagement, Brand Commitment, and Membership
Intention.‖ Telematics and Informatics 34 (1): 412–424.
Plume, Cherniece J., and Emma L. Slade. (2018). ―Sharing of Sponsored Advertisements
on Social Media: A Uses and Gratifications Perspective.‖ Information Systems
Frontiers 20 (3):471–483
Pokhrel, L. (2022). The frequency of mobile banking use during covid-19. NRB Economic
Review, 34(1), 24-48.
Seiler, R., & Kucza, G. (2017). Source Credibility Model, Source Attractiveness Model and
Match-Up-Hypothesis – An Integrated Model. Journal of International Scientific
Publications: Economy & Business, 11, 1-15 https://doi. org/10.21256/zhaw-4720
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research methods for business: A skill building
approach. john wiley & sons.
Sokolova, K., and H. Kefi. 2019. Instagram and YouTube bloggers promote it, why should

30
I buy? How credibility and parasocial interaction influence purchase
intentions. Journal of Retailing and Consumer
Services. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.01.011.
Solomon, M. R., Bamossy, G., Askegaard, S., and Hogg, M. K., (2010), Consumer
behaviour: A European perspective, Chicago: Prentice Hall.
Subramanian, S. and Subramanian, A., (1995), “Reference Group Influence on Innovation
Adoption Behaviour: Incorporating Comparative and Normative Referents”,
European Advances in Consumer Research, vol. 2, pp. 14-18.
Swant, Marty (2016), ―Twitter Says Users Now Trust Influencers Nearly As Much As
Their Friends,‖ Adweek, May10, http://www.adweek.com/digital/twitter-saysusers-
now-trust-influencers-nearly-much-their- friends171367/.
Taghipoorreyneh, M. and de Run, E. C., (2016), “Online Advertising: An Investigation of
Factors Affecting Positive Attitude among the Malays in Malaysia”, Asian Journal
of Business Research Volume, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 70-80.
Talavera, Misha (2015), ―10 Reasons Why Influencer Marketing Is the Next Big
Thing,‖ Adweek, July 14,
Tarkiainen, A., and Sundqvist, S., (2005), “Subjective norms, attitudes and intentions of
Finnish consumers in buying organic food”, British Food Journal, vol. 107, no. 11,
pp. 808-822.
Till, B. D., and Busler, M., (2000), “The matchup hypothesis: physical attractiveness,
expertise and the role of fit on brand attitude, purchase intent and brand beliefs”,
Journal of Advertising, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 1-13.
Ting, H. and de Run, E.C., (2015), “Attitude towards advertising: A young generation
cohort’s perspective”, Asian Journal of Business Research, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 69-82.
Varsamis, Evan (2018), ―Are Social Media Influencers the Next-Generation Brand
Ambassadors?,‖ Forbes, June 13,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2018/06/13/aresocial-media-influencers-the-
next-generation- brandambassadors/#2d8b9e82473d.
Vrontis, D., Makrides, A., Christofi, M. and Thrassou, A., 2021. Social media influencer
marketing: A systematic review, integrative framework and future research agenda.
International Journal of Consumer Studies, 45(4), pp.617-644.

31
Wang, S. W., Kao, G. H. -Y. and Ngamsiriudom, W., (2017), “Consumers’ attitude of
endorser credibility, brand and intention with respect to celebrity endorsement of
the airline sector”, Journal of Air Transport Management, vol. 60, pp. 10-17.
Wang, S. W., Kao, G. H. -Y. and Ngamsiriudom, W., (2017), “Consumers’ attitude of
endorser credibility, brand and intention with respect to celebrity endorsement of
the airline sector”, Journal of Air Transport Management, vol. 60, pp. 10-17.
Zhang, G., Yue, X., Ye, Y., & Peng, M. Y. P. (2021). Understanding the impact of the
psychological cognitive process on student learning satisfaction: combination of
the social cognitive career theory and SOR model. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 71232

32
APPENDICES
Appendix-1 Reliability statistics

1.1 Attitude towards fashion

Reliability statistics

Cronbach's Alpha N of Items

0.792 4

Item-total satstistics

Scale Mean
Scale Variance if Corrected Item- Cronbach's Alpha
If item deleted Item Deleted Total Correlation if Item Deleted

ATT 10.0167 6.762 0.594 0.748

ATT 10.2167 7.088 0.642 0.720

ATT 9.9000 7.685 0.640 0.727

ATT 9.7667 7.606 0.546 0.767

1.2 Credibility

Reliability statistics

Cronbach's Alpha N of Items

0.659 3

33
Item-total statistics

Scale Mean
Scale Variance if Corrected Item- Cronbach's Alpha
if item deleted Item Deleted Total Correlation if Item Deleted

Credibility 6.1333 2.694 0.464 0.573

Credibility 6.0333 2.779 0.488 0.538

Credibility 6.0667 2.945 0.459 0.578

1.3 Attractiveness

Reliability statistics

Cronbach's Alpha N of Items

0.370 3

Item-total statistics

Scale Mean if Scale Variance if Corrected Item- Cronbach's Alpha


Item Deleted Item Deleted Total Correlation if Item Deleted

Attractiveness 6.1333 2.558 0.354 0.013


Attractiveness 6.8167 3.101 0.048 0.623
Attractiveness 6.3167 2.661 0.287 0.140

34
1.4 Interactivity

Reliability statistics

Cronbach's Alpha N of Items

0.867 4

Item-total statistics

Scale Mean if Scale Variance if Corrected Item- Cronbach's Alpha


Item Deleted Item Deleted Total Correlation if Item Deleted

Interactivity 8.2667 9.623 0.741 0.822


Interactivity 8.2167 8.986 0.735 0.824
Interactivity 8.5500 10.116 0.794 0.809
Interactivity 8.2167 9.529 0.635 0.868

35
Appendix-2 Demographic profile

2.1 Gender

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Valid Male 32 53.3 53.3 53.3
Female 28 46.7 46.7 100.0
Total 60 100.0 100.0
2.2 Age

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Valid 18-25 56 93.3 93.3 93.3
26-35 4 6.7 6.7 100.0
Total 60 100.0 100.0

2.3 Occupation

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Valid Unemployed 38 63.3 63.3 63.3
Employed 16 26.7 26.7 90.0
Self-employed 6 10.0 10.0 100.0
Total 60 100.0 100.0

2.4 Monthly family income

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Valid Less than 18 30.0 30.0 30.0
30000
30-50000 20 33.3 33.3 63.3
Above 22 36.7 36.7 100.0
50000
Total 60 100.0 100.0

36
Appendix-3 Descriptive statistics and correlation

3.1 Descriptive statistics

Mean Std. Deviation N


AV_att 3.3250 0.87005 60
AV_cred 3.0389 0.77409 60
AV_attra 3.2111 0.72607 60
AV_interac 2.7708 1.00875 60

3.2 Correlations

AV_att AV_cred AV_attra AV_interac


AV_att Pearson 1 .677** .634** .448**
Correlation
Sig. (2- 0.000 0.000 0.000
tailed)
N 60 60 60 60
AV_cred Pearson .677** 1 .615** .408**
Correlation
Sig. (2- 0.000 0.000 0.001
tailed)
N 60 60 60 60
AV_attra Pearson .634** .615** 1 .563**
Correlation
Sig. (2- 0.000 0.000 0.000
tailed)
N 60 60 60 60
AV_interac Pearson .448** .408** .563** 1
Correlation
Sig. (2- 0.000 0.001 0.000
tailed)
N 60 60 60 60
Correlations is significant at 0.05 level (2-tailed)

37
Appendix-4 Hypothesis testing

4.1 Relationship among variables

Model summary

Adjusted R Std. Error of Durbin-


C R R Square Square the Estimate Watson
a
1 .735 0.541 0.516 0.60531 1.966
a. predictors: (Constant), AV_inter, AV_cred, AV_attra

b. DEpendent Variables: AV_att

Coefficients

Unstandardized Standardized Collinearity


Coefficients Coefficients Statistics
Std.
Model B Error Beta t Sig. Tolerance VIF
1 (Constant) 0.389 0.377 1.032 0.306

AV_cred 0.509 0.130 0.453 3.923 0.000 0.616 1.623


AV_attra 0.363 0.153 0.303 2.379 0.021 0.505 1.980
AV_interac 0.080 0.095 0.093 0.847 0.401 0.677 1.477

Anova

Sum of Mean
Model Squares df Square F Sig.
1 Regression 24.144 3 8.048 21.965 .000b

Residual 20.519 56 0.366


Total 44.663 59

38
Appendix 5. Main questionnaire

Dear valued respondent,


I am valued
Dear Arya kumar verma,, a bachelor of business administration (BBA) student from South
respondent
I Asian Institute
am Arya kumarofverma
management (SAIM)
,a bachelor College,administration(BBA)
of business Pokhara University. student
I am conducting a
from South
research
Asian on theofimpact
Institute of social(SAIM)
management media College,
influencer on consumer
Pokhara buying
University. I ambehavior. Asa
conducting
you go through
research the questionnaire,
on the impact pleaseinfluencer
of social media pay attention to the statements,
on consumer buyingand choose the
behaviour. As
rightgoalternative
you through theas interested in our, please
questionnaire honestpay
opinion. I assure
attention youstatements,
to the that strict confidentiality
and choose the
will alternative
right be maintained and information
as interested furnished
in our honest by you
opinion. will you
I assure be used only for
that strict the above
confidentiality
stated
will purpose. and information furnished by you will be used only for the above stated.
be maintained

Definitions of social media influencers: Individuals who have built a huge and wide social
network with a large number of follower are known as Social- media influencer .Based on
the above mentioned information, please suggest one of your favorite SMI’s on one of
social-media platforms.

PART-A: MAIN QUESTIONNAIRE: [State your preferences to each of the following


questions, ‘1’- Strongly disagree, ‘2’- Disagree, ‘3’- Neutral, ‘4’- Agree, ‘5’- Strongly
agree]

NO Statement 1 2 3 4 5

A Attitude Towards Fashion

1 I believe following a social media influencer is good idea.

2 I believe following a social media influencer is wise.

3 I believe following a social media influencer is beneficial.

4 I believe following a social media influencer is interesting.

B Credibility

1 I find that social media influencer content is believable.

2 I find that social media influencer content is credible.

3 I find that social media influencer content is authentic.

C Attractiveness

39
1 I find that social media influencer content good looking.

2 I find that social media influencer would reply to me if I post


a comment.

3 I find that social media influencer content visually appearing.

D Interactivity

1 I feel that social media influencer would reply to me I I send


a private message.

2 I feel that social media influencer would reply to me if I post


a comment.

3 I feel that social media influencer would reply to me quickly


and efficiently if I post a comment.

4 I feel that social media influencer would allow me to


communicate directly with him/her.

Part-B: Demographic questionnaire


Name [If you want to
specify]…………………………………………………………………………………

Contact number:…………………………………………………………………….

1] What is your gender?


a. Male b. Female c. Other
2] How old are you?
a. 18-25 b. 26-35 c. 36-45
3] What is your occupation?
a. Unemployed b. Employed c. Self-employed d. Retired
3] What is your education level?
a. College b. Bachelor c. Master d. Doctor
What is your income level?
a. Less than 10000/month b. 10000 to 20000/month c. 20000 to 30000/month d.
More than 30000/month
Thank you for your participation!!!

40

You might also like