ONLINE CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT AND PURCHASE INTENTION: A STUDY ON INDIAN FMCG SECTOR

Abstract

Innovations in web-based technologies have transformed the earlier existing web applications into a new media, leading to an increase in Internet users. It has also been expedited significantly by the advancements in mobile technologies which have changed the way people communicate with each other. Web 2.0 has enabled the sharing of user-generated content on platforms like blogs, wikis, Online Brand Communities, etc. In the last decade, social media has become a phenomenon which has taken over the globe. Social networking sites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, etc., have become quite a hit among the worldwide population. This phenomenon has brought about three significant effects. First, the web has become a platform where a large number of activities are now aimed towards consumers. Second, value creation is now shifted from the marketers to the consumers. Third, the consumer has more power than the marketers. These three effects have changed the dynamics between the brands and the consumers from the point of marketing activities. It has put the consumer in a position to hold the power which seated with the brands earlier. These platforms have made it easy for the marketers to communicate and engage with the consumers more closely as compared to the traditional media. Digital media in the form of websites, blogs, social media platforms and social networking sites have created an ecosystem that makes it possible for the brands to involve and include consumer in interactive communication. Studies have shown that the engagements on social media platforms are beneficial as they provide real-time analytics to understand the sentiment and attitude of the consumers. Brands and marketers are actively pursuing consumers on these platforms to connect and communicate to create a positive perception for keeping the consumer engaged with the brand. Social media platforms have transformed in past years into potential communication channels for the brands to use for marketing and promotion. These Social Networking Sites provide a plethora of opportunities for the user to create and share content as vi

well as information by creating Online Brand Communities. These Online Brand Communities have become quite active in recent years in a manner that brands and marketers have started to establish brand run communities on Social media platforms. Marketers and academicians have explored the dynamics of Social Networking Sites from the perspective of Online Brand Communities. Due to the dynamic nature of these platforms and the ongoing innovations, there is a need for continual research on the same. Previous researches have explored the engagements on Facebook Brand Pages from the point of functional engagement elements (likes, share and comments). These studies were in the context of western countries, and therefore their implications might have little or no relevance in the Indian context. Therefore, this study is focused on Indian FMCG brand run Facebook Brand Pages that have the same dynamics as that of an Online Brand Community. It attempts to carry forward the research done in the same area by proposing a framework to understand the consumer's behaviour in a Facebook Brand Page. For this purpose, important factors were identified which affects the consumer’s attitude and brand engagement in a brand run Facebook Brand Page. Further, the study also made attempts to explore, whether attitude and brand engagement has some effect on consumer’s purchase intention. The results of the study show that the factors identified have a significant effect on consumer’s brand engagement on Facebook along with few factors significantly affecting their attitude towards the brand. The study also shows that there is a significant effect of the Facebook brand engagement on consumers purchase intention. The results of the study were also corroborated with a case study on Patanjali, an emerging Indian FMCG brand in India. The study is beneficial for brands, marketers and small and medium enterprise that can use the input for the better understanding of online consumer engagement on Facebook Brand Pages in the context of the Indian market and its consumers.