The Influence of Social Media on the Consumer Decision Making Process in the Cosmetic Industry in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

The objective of the research was to establish the influence of social media on the consumer decision making process in the cosmetic industry in Nairobi County. The theoretical framework rests on literature of social media, consumer decision making process and the cosmetic industry in Kenya as well as previous studies relating to social media and its influence on the consumer decision making process. A descriptive cross sectional survey design is adapted for the purpose of this research. The empirical data was collected through a structured questionnaire to women above the age of 18 years in Nairobi County. The study gave explanation on how individuals are attending, processing, and selecting the information on social media before a purchase. The findings indicate that individuals pursue a very active role in information search as well as comparison of alternative cosmetic products on social media mainly from Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest. The study also concluded that there exists a positive relationship between the number of hours an individual spends on social media and their decision to purchase a cosmetic product. The study further recommends to cosmetic brands to carefully consider which social media platforms to take up based on popularity in order to ensure more targeted and successful social media campaign.