The Impact of Ewom in Social Media on Consumer Purchase Decisions (doi: 10.14706/icesos1716)

Abstract: Marketers define their social media platform as an essential piece to reach their consumers. The flock of web users turning to social media to receive and convey their thoughts, opinions, and suggestions has made social media an integral part of digital marketing. Using traditional media to advertise had restrictions in placement and outcome while, nowadays, social media has liberated this obstacle. It has created a platform which allows information to spread freely and at a fast pace. Using electronic word-ofmouth in social media permits a constant connection to a vast audience. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of electronic word-of-mouth within the context of social media on consumer purchase decisions. More precisely, how the familiarity of the eWOM source, the way of communication, writer’s expertise and the popularity of a product affects the consumer's purchase decision. The data has been gathered using quantitative research method. The sample consists of students studying in Timisoara, Romania. The surveys were e-mailed to students’ e-mail addresses. Due to the lack of response from e-mails, the responses were gathered using a mixture of door-to-door and online surveys methods. The questions were answered by 200 students within a month. The results will provide the extent of impact eWOM in social media has on the purchase decisions. Key Words: Electronic word-of-mouth, Social media, Digital marketing, Purchase decisio