Ministry of Manpower

A’Seeb Vocational College

Commercial studies Department

This questionnaire is presented by Commercial Studies Department from

Vocational College in order to complete our project “Social Media and its
effectiveness in buying decision”
Please fill the question to help complete the project
General Background
1. Age
<18 18 to 24 24 to 35 35 to 45 45>

2. Gender
Male
Female

3. Nationality
Omani
Expatriate
4. Occupation
Please provide your occupation

5. Do you use Social Media

Yes
No
6. For what reasons do you use Social Media?
To keep in touch with people
Listen to music and watch videos
To exchange documents/files
To find information about product/services
To meet new people
7. Which of following social media sites you are using on a daily basis?
(Please select all the platforms you are using)
Micro blogging (e.g. Twitter)
Blogs\Forums
Photo & Video sharing Sites (e.g. Flicker, YouTube)
Social Networking Sites (e.g. face book)

8. Time (hours approx.) spent on social media sites per day*

Approximate time spent in hours
0 1 2
3 4 5
6 7 8

9. Do you think that with the social media sites, you are able to seek out
products \services information actively?*
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree

10.Do you follow (like) brands in social media?*

Yes
No

11. If your friend is following a brand in social media are you more likely to
follow the same brand?*
Yes
No
Not sure

12. Are you more likely to buy a product or service after following the brand on
Social Media?
Yes
No
13.For what reasons do you follow (like) brands?
(You can provide more than one answer)
To read comments and reviews about the product\service.
To get discount or free products
You are a current customer
To get update about products/services
To communicate with the brand
Other
14. Have you ever purchased a product/service depending on the information
Online?
Yes
No
15. Does Social Media triggers you to purchase a product/services?
Yes
No
Not sure
16. Do you search for related information on Social media before a purchase?
Always
Often
Sometimes
Seldom
17. Social media stimulates you to recognize a need for something before
buying it?
Yes
No
sometime
18.Social media triggers you to purchase a product through its
advertisements?
Yes
No
sometime
19.You always achieve desire for something new through social media?
Yes
No
Sometime
20.Social media provides solutions on what to buy, where to buy and why to
buy?
Yes
No
Sometime
21.Information search about a product is easier in social media?
Yes
No
sometime
22.Social media influences consumers to try new products based on the
reviews by friends?
Yes
No
sometime
23.Social media is an effective tool for different opinion about new and
existing products?
Yes
No
sometime
24.Social media has a higher credibility than traditional media?
Yes
No
sometime
25.Social media is more reliable if consumers have uncertainties regarding a
purchase?
Yes
No
Sometime
26. Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following regarding the social
media influences during the pre-purchase stage (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5.

Problem Recognition

1 2 3 4 5

Social media stimulates you to recognize a need for

something before buying it

Social media triggers you to purchase a product

through its advertisements

You always achieve a desire for something new through

social media

Social media provides solutions on what to buy, where

to buy and why to buy

27. Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following regarding the social media

Information Search

1 2 3 4 5

Information search about a product is easier in social

media

Social media influences you to try new products

based on the reviews by friends

Social media is an effective tool for different opinions

about new and existing products

You search for product’s information in social media

before a purchasing it

influences during the pre-purchase stage (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5. 1-
 28.Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following regarding the social media
influences during the pre-purchase stage (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5.
Evaluation of Alternatives

1 2 3 4 5

Social media has a higher credibility than traditional

media

Social media is more reliable if you have

uncertainties regarding a purchase

Social media changes your initial purchase choice after

attaining relevant information

Social media allows you to filter any information of a

product based on chat forums

Interactions with friends on social media assist you in

evaluating a product.

29.Kindly indicate the extent to which the following factors in social media usage influence your
decision during purchase stage. Kindly (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5.
Consumer Attitude

1 2 3 4 5

Comments from social media changes your attitude towards a

brand/product/service

Unpleasing Advertisements on social media make you have a

bad attitude towards a product/brand/service

Ratings by friends of a product contributes in shaping your

attitude towards the same

Social media tools make you have a +ve/-ve attitude towards

a product based on information accessed about it
 30. Kindly indicate the extent to which the following factors in social media usage influence your
decision during purchase stage. Kindly (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5.
Consumer Motivation

1 2 3 4 5
Social media motivates your direction towards a product based
on comments from friends/family
Social media tools have features that entice you to ask for
recommendations of a product

You get motivated to buy products that are advertised on social

media

31. Kindly indicate the extent to which the following factors in social media usage influence your
decision during purchase stage. Kindly (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5.
Consumer Perception

1 2 3 4 5

Your perception about products on social media depends

on the information you get

Social media tools contribute towards your perception

of product based on the updated information
32.Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following regarding the social media
influence after purchasing a product. (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5.
Feedback Loop

1 2 3 4 5

Feedbacks on social media affects your purchase and

future purchase as well.

Social media allows you to communicate with companies

that produce products directly.

Information regarding products have a higher credibility

on social media than on other media channels.

You share comments about a product to friends via social

media after a purchase

33. Kindly indicate the extent to which you agree with the following regarding the social media
influence after purchasing a product. (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5.

Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction

1 2 3 4 5

Social media conveys your satisfaction and

dissatisfaction directly to manufacturers

Social media tools allow you to voice your opinion after a

purchase

You repurchase of a product is affected by the

satisfaction and dissatisfaction reports from social media
34. Kindly indicate the extent to which the following factors in social media usage influence your
decision during purchase stage. Kindly (√) tick appropriately on a scale of 1-5.
Product Ownership

1 2 3 4 5

Social media allows you to review a product’s expectation

and performance after buying.

Via social media, you own the value of purchasing a

product that pleases you.

You have purchased a product because your

friends/family liked it and recommended it

35. Factors that affects the length of your decision-making process. Rank on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 being
least, 5 being most
1 2 3 4 5

Recourse (time frame)

Amount of available information

Personal factor

Uncertainty

Risk

36. In your opinion, what is the biggest difference in making a purchase decision based on using
information from the social media and information from the mass media?

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