Title: Social media and the decision-making process: empirical evidence from Yemen

Authors: Wail Alhakimi; Ramzi Alwadhan

Addresses: Taiz University, 6803 Taiz, Yemen ' Lebanese International University, 18644 Sana'a, Yemen

Abstract: Social media had a huge impact on consumers day to day life in many different aspects. It is applications and sites have become an influence on how products and services are presented to end users. This study aims to understand the impact of social media marketing on the consumer's decision-making process among Yemeni consumers. A questionnaire was used as a tool for the data collection from 180 Yemeni consumers. The study reveals that social media has a major influence on pre-purchase stage, purchase stage and post purchase stage. Social media users are encouraged to recognise a need for a product/service in the pre-purchase stage. It is a reliable source for information and information can be searched, accessed, and retrieved easily in the purchase stage. Feedback from customers about services/products can give a clear picture on how good or bad the product/service is, in which it affects future purchases.

Keywords: social media; marketing; pre-purchase stage; purchase stage; post-purchase stage; decision-making; Yemen.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEMR.2021.114245

International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing, 2021 Vol.12 No.2, pp.133 - 155

Received: 13 Oct 2018
Accepted: 03 Apr 2019
Published online: 15 Apr 2021 *

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