Consumers’ Information Seeking Behavior for Thai Fabric Advertisements on Facebook and Their Purchase Decisions Consumers’ Information Seeking Behavior for Thai Fabric Advertisements on Facebook and Their Purchase Decisions

Abstract

The current research is both qualitative and quantitative research. It aims to investigate the advertisements of Thai fabrics on a social networking site, Facebook. It also looks at the consumers’ information seeking behaviors for Thai fabric advertisements and their purchase decisions. Additionally, the research compares consumers’ information seeking behaviors for Thai fabric advertisements in different population groups to identify the correlation between their information seeking behaviors on Facebook and their purchase decisions. The research population and tools for the qualitative research method include the structured survey of 57 Thai fabric store pages and in-depth structured interviews with 13 Thai fabric sellers. Regarding the quantitative research method, a questionnaire was distributed to 259 consumers.  The data was statistically analyzed using percentage,
t-test, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson Correlation through statistic package. 

            The data gained that the advertisements for Thai fabric on Facebook relied on direct  online marketing and niche marketing. Thai fabric store pages were click and mortar stores and click stores. The online stores tended to include the word “pha” (fabrics) in their store names. The persuasive techniques used among sellers were various such as use of elucidation and puns in Thai language, offering special prices in special occasions, displaying pictures to attract customers. Customers could contact the stores through many channels. Concerning the delivery methods, if the Thai fabric ordered was expensive, or more than one piece of Thai fabric was purchased, the stores offered a complimentary delivery. If a small amount of Thai fabric was purchased or if the products’ prices were low, the delivery fee would be included in the prices.  The delivery fees varied depending on the delivery service agents such as EMS, Kerry or cash on delivery.

The customers interested in buying Thai fabric on Facebook were females, ages ranged from 25 - 34, bachelor degree. Their monthly income was more than 25,001 baht. Most of them worked as government employees/state enterprise employees. The samplings’ purposes of seeking for Thai fabric were various (mean 3.14), ranging from to keep their clothing fashion up-to-date (mean 3.29) and to promote Thai fabric to others respectively (mean 3.24). Regarding their decision making for purchasing Thai fabric on Facebook, it was moderate (mean 2.94) because the population could search for Thai fabrics anytime. (mean 3.07) and could try price negotiation. (mean 3.04). The population in different age and study groups, the differences in their Thai fabric information seeking behaviors were statistically significant. The population with different amount of income (6,000 – 10,000 baht and 15,000 – 20,000 baht), the differences in their search for Thai fabric information were statistically significant. It was found that for the population who were university students, housewives, retirees, government employees, state enterprise employees, and private company employees, the differences in their decision making for Thai fabric purchase were statistically significantly. 

            The advertising information searching was correlation to their decision making for purchasing Thai fabric and had positive relationship. It means that the buyer’s behavior who seeks a lot of information makes a lot of buying Thai fabric decision as well.