watch, decide and share: the role of web video information ... · international journal of...
TRANSCRIPT
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 7
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
Watch, Decide and Share: the Role of Web Video
Information during the Buying Decision Process
(September 2014) Danielle Gomes
1, Raíssa Sales
2, Fabiane Cavalcante
3, Camilla Carvalho
4
University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR)1,2,3,4
Abstract-- This paper aims to analyze the role of online information accessed in virtual environments via video sharing
during the buying decision process. It was conducted a
qualitative study based on exploratory method. For the data
collection, it was done an in-depth interview, conducted in person
and virtually with 25 consumers that recognize the Web Videos as
a source of information during the buying decision process. As a
result, it was identified a model of buying decision process based
on Web Video information. This study advances the
understanding of consumer buying behavior, especially
considering Web Videos. In this sense, it gives evidence of
highlighting the importance of monitoring the media in order to
understand the consumers’ perception regarding brand and
product.
Index Term-- buying decision process; online information; Web Videos.
I. INTRODUCTION Because of the explosive growth of electronic commerce and the rapidly increasing number of consumers
who use interactive media, Web Video and searching engines
for pre-purchase information and online shopping, this paper
aims to analyze the role of online information accessed via
Web Video during the buying decision. In addition to that,
some recent works highlight the relevance in addressing the
buying decision process and the online information: [1], [2],
[3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9].
Deciding a purchase based on experiences reported
online by testimonials via video about a product or service
usefulness before buying it are some of the possibilities that
consumers share in a Web Video community.
Regarding the Web Videos, it is worth mentioning
some data about the YouTube (the sharing reference
community among netizens): a) more than 1 billion unique
users visit the site each month; b) over 6 billion hours are
watched each month on YouTube – that’s almost an hour for
every person on Earth; c) 100 hours of video are uploaded
every minute; d) 80% of YouTube traffic comes from outside
the US); e) the community is located in 61 countries and
across 61 languages ; d) millions of subscriptions happen each
day. The number of people subscribing daily is up more than
three times since last year, and the number of daily
subscription is up more than four times since last year [10].
In order to attain the proposed objective this study
has a qualitative character and an exploratory nature. For the
data collection it was used the in-depth interviews with 25
consumers who recognize the Web Videos as a source of
information on purchases. The paper is divided into three main
parts, besides the conclusion: a) the theoretical contributions
regarding consumer decision making based on online
information and Web Video; b) the methodological approach
used for the research and c) the results, discussions and
considerations.
II. CONSUMER DECISION MAKING The buying decision process comprises a process in
which the consumer is faced with a problem: to buy or not to
buy the product or service? But before that question, a number
of procedures and choices shape a path from consumer to the
product. In this trajectory, the information disclosed in the
media, among groups of friends, family or strangers, in person
or digitally, become sought by consumers in order to base and
encourage a buying decision.
Regarding the conceptualization, according to [11]
(p. 191), decision making is a constructive procedure, "[...]
which includes making the best choice between two options,
reducing the effort of making decision, minimizing negative
emotions and maximizing the ability to justify the decision.
"In the construction of decision making, consumers are
inserted in a dynamic process of choices that consider the
changes and trends of the market, but mainly, their perception
and their shopping experiences.
Researchers such as [12], [13], [14], [15] and [16]
believe it is from the problem recognition that the subject
begins the process of decision. In seeking solutions,
alternatives are assessed, options are chosen, until one reaches
the result, the purchase.
Reflecting on the online information regarding
products and services, the study refers not only to display the
content posted in the official brand pages, but mainly to the
accessing of shared information among consumers in the
opinion review about: their experiences, the products images
at the time of consumption and posted videos by experts,
celebrities and bloggers. Therefore it was observed that the
inclusion of consulted information in virtual environments can
be viewed as a starting point for decision making during the
buying process in store or via website.
Technological advances facilitated the access to
information and streamlined, in terms of time and space, the
search performed by a consumer. In a few minutes from home,
work or on the shelves, information as models, brands, prices
or recommendations can be accessed for a purchasing
decision. According to [17] (p. 11) consumers "[...] live, learn
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 8
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
and make decisions today from: ratings and reviewing sites,
friends, websites, social media, at home or in transit, and
(more than ever) through videos.” For the author, consumers
learn from: the results of surveys, analyzes of other users, the
four-star ratings, the ad text, ad images, headlines, videos and
official websites and then shall inform and decide on the
ZMOT- Zero Moment Of Truth.
The process of consumer decision making, according
to [17], comprises a "new mindset", simplified in four steps:
1) stimulus; 2) ZMOT; 3) FMOT -First Moment Of Truth or
FMOT (shelf); and 4) second moment of truth (experience).
The ZMOT can therefore be conceived as the moment when a
person accesses a connected device to the internet to get
information about a product or service, which he/she is
thinking of trying or buying [17].
TABLE I
What a zero moment of truth does?
It happens online, usually starting with a search on Google,
Bing, Yahoo, YouTube or any other search engine.
It happens in real time, at any time of the day. More and more
can happen in moving moments – researches made on mobile
devices, for example.
The consumer is in charge, extracting the wanted information,
instead of passively receiving it from others.
It’s emotional. The consumer needs and wants to satisfy an
emotional investment in order to find the best solution.
The chat is multidirectional, with marketers, friends, strangers,
sites and specialists. Everyone has something to say and
compete to capture their attention. Source: Adapted by the authors from [17].
The FMOT comes from a decision making in the
buying environment, on the shelves. According to [17], the
term was coined in 2005 by Procter & Gamble and indicates a
phase in which the sources of information offline and also the
memory are appealed to facilitate consumer's decision.
The second moment of truth comes from an
experience with a product. It would be, therefore, the post-
purchase. This moment can turn into a ZMOT for a next
consumer who searches for online information. That can
happen considering that the experience with a product or
service is shared on the network [17]. A poster with photos
published in social network about an item of beauty, for
example, may be sufficient for a consumer who is seeking
product information to decide whether or not purchasing it.
The ZMOT bases its power on the experience of
social networks, since it allows listening, sharing and
interacting, having as reference the opinions of others. Thus,
the Zero Moment of Truth becomes a tool for consumer
decision making and an opportunity for companies that wish
to generate an argumentative communication with a big
impact [18].
When considering online search as the time followed
by the stimulus, as well as the mental model presented by
[17], the work by [19] exposes the proposal of Dentsu - a large
advertising agency in Japan. The agency launched AISAS
model to describe consumer behavior on the Internet.
According to the authors, the consumer is attracted to a
product that he/she is interested in, then search at the web an
information, purchase it and, finally, share their product
experiences and reviews on the network.
A. The search for online information
The searching process for online information begins
with the search for a related topic; it is presented in real time
with consulted and accessed information through search
engines and controlled by the consumer. The online subject
selects, extracts, processes and organizes information shared
by others, which, taken by emotionality, qualitative and
quantitative concepts are expressed in an evaluation system,
influencing the buying process [18].
When considering these steps, it is essential to
recognize the importance of accessing information, which
involves the search and media sources, and influence all the
following steps until the final buying decision.
Reference [14] presents factors for pre-purchase
phase in traditional processes that are used by this research as
well as in auxiliary search online. A theoretical investigation
did not find a study that presented the aspects related to the
product, the situation and the personal characteristics of
consumers to search online. According to [14], when someone
engages in a search for product information, consumers
establish a relationship with factors that influence the quantity
and searched data and motivate this demand. These factors
depend on the buying situation, the product and the degree of
consumer involvement with the consumption act.
The products factors consider: the long time between
purchases (long lasting product or infrequent use); frequent
changes in product style; frequent price changes; purchasing
large quantities; the high price; the many brand alternatives;
and the characteristics variation. Regarding the situational
factors, they comprise: the first purchase of the product; new
product; previous unsatisfactory experience with this type of
product; buying gift; socially visible product; discretionary
purchase (no need); the alternative product that show desirable
and undesirable characteristics; family members disagreement
on the product requirements or alternatives; using the product
varies in groups of important reference ; buying that involves
ecological considerations; and many sources of conflicting
information.
The consumer factors are related with personal issues
and guide the search for definition of respondents, such as:
demographic characteristics, education, economic status, age
range, personality, and other factors involved in consumer
choices [14].
The influences on buying decisions are related to the
pulse market that lead the consumer to buy, according to the
models, brands and available possibilities [14].
B. Web Videos as a source of searching information
According to [7], trough publications released on
sites like YouTube, Vimeo and FileFront, which allow sharing
video content, it is possible to get much more than a choice
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 9
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
based on short texts recommendations. This is the picture
reality, much more easily understood and with less bias.
Regarding the technical issues surrounding the
production and videos viewing, [17] notes that a great amount
of information is visual, highlighting the Smartphone as
booster of this phenomenon, since it facilitate the display and
video production. The immediacy and technologic mobility
used in these devices boost the netizen participation by
sharing or viewing videos. According to [17] (p. 56), “the
young adults of today had cameras on cell phones in their
pockets since they were old enough to have pockets. They feel
perfectly comfortable in using video to tell others about the
products of their lives.”
The preparation and the daily videos access, as well
as the media popularizing, expand their use and share interests
not only in entertainment, but in education, tourism, shopping,
among other experiences.
For [20] (p. 4), the Web Videos deal with a particular
audiovisual format, navigable and playful, interactive and
emerging, which is already being constituted in the process of
convergence, and is viewed as a power in many videos
already available on the web. Thus, Web videos are
understood not as replicated or adapted materials from one
media to another, but produced specifically for being
published on the web and accessed online.
According to studies of [21], in which the authors
seek to identify a typology of posts of certified Internet video,
one type of observed posting is the exclusive, suitable for Web
Videos. For the authors, these are the audiovisual that are
formatted to be watched on the internet. In this sense, they
have their own web language and aesthetic and use
exclusively source, images and peculiar modes of editing.
These contents are produced to be experienced in the
network, but they go beyond cyberspace since they are
appropriated by individuals to the point of interfering in their
everyday decisions. The shared information on the web via
Web Videos and sought by consumers as a reference source of
information to purchase products or services, therefore,
determine the Web Video as a media used to accelerate and
expand communication among consumers.
III. METHODOLOGY The study can be classified as qualitative and
exploratory. This kind of study is indicated when the objective
is to investigate factors that involves phenomena, presenting
perspectives or meanings assigned by individuals or groups
related to a social problem and, besides that, it is still a young
field, having little explored aspects ([22], [27]).
Regarding the selection of respondents’, it is worth
noting the delimitations cited by [23] about "individuals-type".
According to the authors, this type of population is used in
exploratory and qualitative researches, and it is appropriate
when the research purpose seeks richness, quality and in-depth
information, ignoring the quantity and standardization.
Some criteria were used for selection of individuals
surveyed. We considered the factors determined by [14]: a)
young people in the age group under 35 old; b) good
schooling; c) other personal factors such as high involvement
with the product and satisfaction in looking and buying.
It was chosen to search young crowd because of the
accessibility that this group has to the internet and to new
media. According to [24], most Internet users are concentrated
in the age group of 12 to 34 years (63%). It was still chosen in
an attempt to define "good education", the group of
individuals with academic experience (undergraduate and
graduate students).
The subjects also became responders by recognizing
the Web Videos as a source of information during the buying
decision process. According to [25], during the selection of
respondents for using the interview technique, the researcher
seeks to collect information based on the subjective
experience of a source that holds the necessary information for
the research.
The interviewees were selected in person and
virtually from the researchers’ networks contacts. In order to
get a broader subject selection in relation to the population of
Internet users and consumers who use online information on
products and services, individuals from different Brazilian
regions were identified.
The election of subjects consisted in 25 respondents
aged between 18 and 34 years old, divided as follow: a) 12
were male and 13 female; b) 19 undergrad students and 6 grad
students; c) 18 live in the Northeast of Brazil (Ceará, Paraíba,
Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte); d) 4 live in the
Southeast of Brazil (São Paulo); e) 1 live in the South of
Brazil (Santa Catarina) and f) 2 live in the North of Brazil
(Pará).
For data collection, it was used in-depth interviews.
The instruments of data collection were individual semi-
structured interviews conducted in person or in a virtual
environment. A script was developed with 18 questions based
on: a) the consumer perception regarding shared information
by Web Videos during their buying decision and b) the
experiences of the interviewees with the recommendations and
reviews posted in video.
The face-to-face interviews were 6 in total, they were
conducted in an average of 20 minutes audio taped and later
transcribed. The online interviews, totaling in 19 people, were
done by chats on social networks and had an approximate
duration of 27 minutes. They were also recorded in message
boxes created for each one of the respondents. The collection
stage occurred within three months and observed the
saturation criteria by repeating the data [26].
The data analysis was done based on the content
analysis technique. The interviews were recorded, interpreted
and described qualitatively, considering the theoretical
framework and the objective of the study.
IV. RESULTS
A. The searching process for information in sharing virtual
environments
Based on the theoretical framework and the collected
interviews, it is proposed a "Model of consumer decision
making in virtual environments" (as shown in figure 1). The
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 10
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
proposed model adds other phases and develops the search for
online information, considered as introductory in the models
suggested by [17] and [19].
The consumer decision in virtual environments
involves two basic steps of the consumer decision that can be
performed at different times or in sequence. They are
organized into processes: 1) the purchasing decision process
and 2) sharing experience process. The first goes from the
stimulus and purchase recognition, through the stages of
search, selection and evaluation of online information until the
final acquisition. While the second, which presupposes an
acquisition, begins with the consumption experience, which
may be published online or not. So, it follows to evaluate this
experience, with the establishment of a negative or positive
opinion about the product or service. This one involves the
production phase of a content to be released; and ends on the
online information sharing via a publication on social
networks, sharing sites, reviewing sites and blogs. It is
relevant to emphasize that the second process can conceives
into two possibilities: the total purchasing satisfaction or
bringing up a new purchase necessity.
Fig. 1. A Model of Consumer Decision Making in Virtual Environments. Source: Prepared by the authors based on research data and theoretical framework (2014).
The consumer decision in virtual environments involves two
basic steps of the consumer decision that can be performed at
different times or in sequence. They are organized into
processes: 1) the purchasing decision process and 2) sharing
experience process. The first goes from the stimulus and
purchase recognition, through the stages of search, selection
and evaluation of online information until the final
acquisition. While the second, which presupposes an
acquisition, begins with the consumption experience, which
may be published online or not. So, it follows to evaluate this
experience, with the establishment of a negative or positive
opinion about the product or service. This one involves the
production phase of a content to be released; and ends on the
online information sharing via a publication on social
networks, sharing sites, reviewing sites and blogs. It is
relevant to emphasize that the second process can conceives
into two possibilities: the total purchasing satisfaction or
bringing up a new purchase necessity.
From this proposed model it can be considered that,
in recognizing the need for information, future buyers follow
the stages of searching for online information, searching and
selecting Web Videos and also assessing information on Web
Videos.
Buying Decision Process
Sharing Experience Process
Other web pages (Social network, blogs, corporate pages, commercial pages,
reviewing sites and sharing sites).
serch/research
Sites
Buying planning (price, time frame, delivery time).
Need of
purchase
Search for
online
information
Selection of
online
information
Purchase Apreciation of
online
information
online and
offline stimuli
Sharing Sites
dcompartilhamento
Blogs Reviewing Sites
drecomendações Social Network
Online sharing
information
Positive opinion
Negative opinion
Consumption
experience
Experience
evaluation
Content
production
Online
exposure
experience
Disclosure of
online
experience
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 11
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
The Buying Decision Process Based on Web Video
Information
From the phases observed in the searching process
for information in virtual environments by video-sharing, it
was proposed a process including the buying decision. In this
sense, it was conducted a consumer buying decision process
based on searches for information on online shared Web
Videos. The process, identified in the collected data, starts
with the needing of information, followed by the process of
searching for information on Web Videos and goes through
online information scope until the appreciation of Web Videos
information and, finally, ending with the purchase (see figure
2).
Fig. 2. The Buying Decision Process Based on Web Video Information.
Source: Prepared by the authors based on research data (2014).
The process of buying decision based on Web Video
information is finalized with the purchase but, after that, the
consumer is faced with the transition to the process of
experience and sharing. That’s because, after the consumption
of the product or service, the consumer shares hers/his
experience and may contribute with the purchasing decision
processes of others.
a) Need for information
The phase of information requirement begins with the
recognition of a need or desire in buying something. This step
can presuppose stimuli, in this sense the consumer may have
been stimulated by online or offline elements. This can happen
when the consumer is influenced by advertisements on TV,
magazines and Web Videos, or even opinions and photos
released by a consumer profile on a social network, as
reported by some respondents:
I look for advertising on a company or a netizen
profile on Facebook (99% of the time. The 1%
remained is by Instagram). I click on the link that
directs me to the website, and then I look where the
site and all their products are from (Respondent 1).
I follow many bloggers and often my inclination is to
buy what they consume. After looking at the blogs, I
do the search with the product in mind (Respondent
17).
With my online friends or playing online, they
comment about a product or show that they are using
it during the chat, or the debating, so if that product
attracts me, I’ll look for more information about it. I
believe this means that my friends also encourage me
to purchase (Respondent 18).
Scope of
online
information
Need of
information
search/research
Sites
Selection of
Web Video
Purchase Appreciation of the
information on Web
Videos
online and
offline Stimuli
Sharing vídeo Sites
Search for Web Videos
(product, service or
brand)
Sharing experience
Sharing Sites
commercial pages
Coorporate pages
Blogs
Reviewing Sites
Social network
The Buying Decision Process Based on Web Video Information
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 12
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
I always take a look on Capricho Magazine and on
its website has a page where every week a new
product comes out. This directs me to search and
purchase, of course (Respondent 20).
The step of need of information can also be marked
by uncertainty. Consumers do not know about the existence of
the desired information through Web Video and in this way
become undecided before searching. Anxious to find some
broader information they search for appropriate keywords or
simply write the name of the product. From those pages, they
go to the sharing sites.
b) The scope of online information
To proceed to the scope phase of online information,
consumers are directed to various virtual environments. When
asked about what would be the first source of information
about a product or service (after the need of information),
almost all respondents mention the internet and the research
on searching sites as the beginning of the search. The
identification of searching sites as the starting point ratifies the
comments made by [18] and [17], who observed that
searching for online information begins with a searching
through the engines search and it is followed by further
investigation.
The research identified that consumers start in the
searching pages, by doing a brief search (with general terms)
or a substantial survey (with keywords or detailed phrases
about a subject, product or a specific service. Then based on a
quick view of the information in the searching page or by the
order that data appeared in the screen, consumers gather a
number of websites for targeting relevance. Finally, with a
reduced set of information or sources, they apply a
delimitation of advantage, defining the necessary information
for the buying decision. In this last phase, consumers select
blogs, social networks, reviewing sites, sharing sites, sales
pages and institutional sites for further search. It can be
attested by the description of the searched respondents:
I write keywords at Google and look for
reviewing sites, forum or sites that show
real people talking about the product / service
(Respondent 11).
I search at Google and I select specialized
sites on certain product / service to research
the pros and cons. I always search at sales
sites, forums, magazines and blogs that cover
the market of the product/service that I will
buy (Respondent 19).
First I search at Google, then I open the first
three links, usually a review of a website or a
blog, then the next sites and blogs show links
to YouTube (Respondent 20).
First I search on Google the manufacturer's
website, then in other sales sites and then I
seek comments about the products
(Respondent 17).
First I search the product in the internet
through Google searching engine and then I
look for comments in reviewing sites, in order
to observe the most recurring complaints.
After that, I analyze and decide whether it will
impact or not in the product use. I still look
for reviewing sites or blogs that write about
the main product features of the products, as
well as their strengths and weaknesses
(Respondent 16).
Consumers direct their search to other web addresses,
including the sharing sites, which include the videos. The
video-sharing pages can be selected in other virtual
environments or by a directed manner. The first one concerns
to the possibility of reaching these pages by finding
publications from other netizens who used the videos to
enhance or illustrate their information - as usually happens in
blogs and social networking profiles. Another possibility is the
netizens directly seeking the sharing video sites. One way or
another, in these pages, the survey highlights the Web Videos
([20], [21]).
It is relevant to highlight that the online information
scope phase can define the continuity for the next step or the
search for Web Videos, when it really impact the consumer.
While is identified and selected the virtual environments to
expand the research, the amount of audiovisual information
defines the consumer decision in continuing the search, but
now, focusing on the Web Videos, and consequently, making
them values the media. On the other hand, if they do not
establish a significant amount of Web Videos during the early
stages; consumers may turn to other media or possibilities of
online information.
c) Searching for Web Videos in sharing sites
Before sharing and comment, it is necessary to access
the posts and in the case of Web Videos, is necessary to share
pages. The paths taken by consumers to visualize Web Videos
were identified by the respondents into three possibilities: 1)
by the subject in a searching site; 2) by visualization or
recommendation of another net user; and 3) by the video-
sharing site. Some of the consumers also access the Web
Videos combining two of these alternatives, since three of the
consumers said they use search sites and publications from
other Internet users to reach the video pages.
At video-sharing sites, consumers perform a new
search, at this time specifically regarding publications for
audiovisual products and services on the web. Through
keywords, usually the names of the products, services or
brands, consumers find a list of posts that have some relation
with the word and start to watching it.
Regarding the search of information, Schiffman &
Kanuk (2000) highlight that besides the steps taken to access
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 13
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
the pages and Web Videos, some factors can influence this
stage. In this work were found some factors related to
products or situations designed by the consumer at the time of
seeking Web Videos. Regarding to situations where
consumers are involved, respondents highlighted: a) the first
purchase of the product; b) a new product; c) many sources of
conflicting information; d) the utilization of the product differs
from important reference groups; e) gift purchasing; f) a
discretionary purchase (no needing purchase); g) all
alternatives show the product desirable and undesirable
characteristics; h) relatives disagree with the product
requirements or alternatives and i) previous unsatisfactory
experience with a specific type of product.
According to 11 respondents, the most important
factor to define the search for Web Videos information is the
desire of really wanting to realize a first buy of a product or
service. In second place, what defines the demand is the fact
of buying a new product on the market.
TABLE II
Situational Factors that Influence the Web Video Information Seeking
Situational Factor Citation Quantity
First time purchasing the product 13
New product 12
Many conflicting sources of information 5
The use of the product differs from important groups of reference 3
Family members disagree with the product requirements or alternatives 3
Gift purchasing 2
All of the products show desirable and undesirable characteristics 2
Purchase is discretionary (no needing purchase) 1
Unsatisfactory previous experience with this type of product 1
Source: Prepared by the authors based on data from research and theoretical framework (2014).
It was not mentioned by consumers factors such as "socially
visible product" and "purchase involves ecological
considerations". That means that consumers who seek to know
more about a product or service are not influenced by the
evidence or the social importance of a brand or product. The
ecological aspect of a product - or the environmental appeals –
was also not considered as a determinant influence for this
type of search situation.
In terms of product characteristics, consumers define
the demand for information on Web Videos based on the
following factors: a) many brands alternatives; b) a lot of
characteristics variation; c) long time between purchases (long
lasting product or infrequent use); d) high price; e) frequent
changes in product style; and f) frequent price changes.
The many alternative brands in the market were the
biggest factor mentioned in the interviews as the question
addressed. A total of eight consumers recognized the
dominant influence of this factor, indicating it as the most
relevant to seek Web Videos information. Then, the product
variation features and the fact of the product is long-lasting or
infrequent use were cited by five respondents respectively.
TABLE III
Products’ Influence Factors in Web Video Searching Information.
Product Factor Number of
Citation
Many brands alternatives 11
Many characteristics variation 5
Long time between purchases (long lasting product or infrequent use) 5
High price 4
Frequent changes in product style 4
Frequent price changes 3 Source: Prepared by the authors based on data from the research and the theoretical framework (2014).
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 14
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
According to surveyed consumers, the amount of products
intended to buy does not influence the searching information
process in Web Videos.
d) Web Videos Selection
In sequence, the consumer reaches the stage called in
this paper as “Web Videos selection”. As noted by [18], the
online subject selects, extracts, processes and organizes
information shared by others. Some consumers consider the
profile and expertise of the sharer, as well as the comments
and Web Videos views:
I take a look at the profile of the person that
has published it, the posting time, the
comments and video quality (Respondent 2).
I look for videos with many views and I see the
comments about the author of the Web Video
(Respondent 4).
I care if the person has a good intention at
the time of the product reviewing, as well as if
he/she is an expert on the subject (I observe
this through similar videos later posted and its
amount of viewings), as well as the user
profile information available in the YouTube
channel (Respondent 16).
I take a look on the views, on the amount of
videos and issues that a person publishes, I
also take a look on the amount of “likes”, on
the comments and if there is something
against or in favor of the one who had posted
it (Respondent 19).
I look for the amount of access and comments
about the video and I also check out the
source, the author and his merits on the
network (Respondent 25).
In order to watch the Web Video, some netizens
confront the posted information or analyze the qualities of the
content:
I always compare the videos by its content and
consistency through the text and images of the
product demonstration (Respondent 5).
I always try to gather as much as possible
information and then I analyze the quality and
quantity of the posted information
(Respondent 11).
I verify if the information in the videos is
conflicting or not (Respondent 12).
I compare similar models; I look for the best
price and best payment conditions and
delivery timing. I search and analyze the
negative and positive recommendations
(Respondent 19).
Another way to select Web Videos is to analyze them
by reference groups found in the publication. Some consumers
consider most relevant posts from experts, while others
observe the neutrality of ordinary consumers when they
express their views after experiencing a product or service:
I make a general comparison among the
official videos of the company, the videos of
experts and common users (customers who
had already purchased the product / service).
If posted by a trusted site, or by a known
company, the information gives me reliability.
This creates security and confidence. In the
case of comments to prove the customer care
and to assess the degree of satisfaction, videos
from the internet seem more important to me
(Respondent 9).
A simple comparison, if it is from an expert, is
more important, but if it is from an unknown
person, I research more videos to compare
with the expert. Only then I believe it
(Respondent 17).
From the interviews, it was identified a set of aspects
considered by consumers for selecting Web Videos. That set
was organized as a strategy to choose which publications
would be a source of trusted online information in the
purchasing decision process. In Table IV it is shown and
explained all the seven strategies.
e) Appreciation of Web Videos information
Before purchasing, buyers add another stage to the
process since they include deliberations based on the Web
Videos information. At this moment, they get help by getting
information from traditional reference groups (such as friends,
family and netizens that had a previous experience) or in other
media and pages, as shown below:
The internet is the first source, but in case of
others sources, before deciding even friends who
already have the products are always a good source
of information (Respondent 2).
I look for information on the internet, I also
read about the product (... )Then, to decide, I
still look for information and opinion in magazines
and with close people (Respondent 3).
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 15
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
I look for information on blogs and YouTube
videos and then I listen to opinions from
other friends who had already purchased the product
and who also like to see reviews on blogs
(Respondent 20).
TABLE IV
Consumers’ Strategies of Selecting Web Videos in the Buying Decision Process.
Strategy 1: Combining information
It takes place in two moments of combining information:
Initially, the consumer elects Web Videos with positive and negative information and then
The consumer separates them by relevance, according to his/her interest or information similarity.
Strategy 2: Analyzing published access, comments and classifications
The consumer observes how many times the Web Video was watched or if it is among the most accessed Web Video by others netizens;
The consumer takes a look on the Web Videos’ reviews made by others netizens;
The consumer considers the classification of others netizens, i.e., the amount of "likes" and "dislikes" in relation to the Web Video.
Strategy 3: Comparing opinions
The information is compared among Web Videos made by: organizations, evaluators, experts or people who had already tried the product or service.
Strategy 4: Distinguishing by references groups
The consumer separates and validates the gathered Web Video information from reference groups, such as: celebrities, bloggers, consumers, friends and experts.
Strategy 5: Analyzing the netizen sharer profile
The sharing netizen is analyzed by his/her profile on the shared site. It is observed general identification, such as: name, photo and the history of the netizen posts on that page.
Strategy 6: Observing the technical characteristics
The consumer observes the image quality and the video production in order to consider or not the publication. For some netizens, good technical characteristics can represent sponsored
videos, while for others this characteristics means credibility.
Strategy 7: Evaluating the content
The consumer observes the content in order to select a Web Video and an information. Elements such as quantity, quality and content consistency are considered as very important
during the evaluation. Web Video with little information, without references or that doesn’t
make sense in relation to the content is not selected by the consumer. Source: Prepared by the authors based on research data (2014).
B. The Relevance of Web Videos in the Purchasing Decision
Making
Videos are among the main sources of consumer
[17]. In order to identify the relevance of Web Videos as a
reference, information for online respondents, there were
designated some questions to consumers regarding the use
of the media in the purchasing decision process.
According to 18 consumers the Web Videos were
considered by almost all respondents as an important or
very important tool during the buying decision process. The
consumers surveyed highlighted some particularities related
to the function of these publications during the buying
decision process:
Removing doubts is the main relevance of
these videos. It is possible to see
colors, shapes, sizes and real functions
(Respondent 1).
Videos can (…) show how to use a product
or even reveal complaints about a certain
product (Respondent 7).
[...] I look for videos on YouTube to learn
more about the product or read posts from
those who already have the product
(Respondent 12).
[...] If I desire more detailed information
and fully understand the operation of
products/ services, I look for videos that
explain or evaluate it (Respondent 14).
[...]Watching a video, I see the product in
operation and other additional information.
[It is] more complete and demonstrative
(Respondent 15).
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 16
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
[...] Watching videos I can have a product
explanation, I can watch tutorials and also
the product working (Respondent 17).
[...] I can see all the product utilities and
whether it is missing something that I really
look for in it or if it has an additional that
calls my attention (Respondent 22).
When it is necessary to understand how the
product works or learning something else
about it, viewing videos is a priority
(Respondent 25).
The collected data allowed the identification of five
types of Web Videos functions types during the buying
decision process, as shown in Table V.
TABLE V
Web Videos Functions During the Buying Decision Process.
Removing doubts when the consumer has a preconceived idea about the product or service.
Advising, via complaints made from other consumers, identifying possible future problems or avoiding
dissatisfactions.
Displaying information about a product or service to consumers who still do not know it.
Teaching the usefulness and functioning of a product or service.
Reporting the advantages in buying a certain product or service.
Source: Prepared by the authors based on research data (2014).
The possibility of watching, via Web Videos, the functionality
and the product physical characteristics was the main peculiar
aspect mentioned by the respondents to this kind of media.
This aspect is linked to the script and content proposed by the
netizen that produced it. It is also valid to emphasize the
importance that the technical resources of audiovisual
productions represent for this kind of media. With them it is
possible to represent verbally, visually and sonically, the
image and the reliable performance of a product or service.
Some authors, such as [5] and [28], highlight this feature as
boosters of using audiovisual by netizens.
It can also be understood that, according to this study
and to [17] observations, the most searched Web Videos for
gathering products and services information are the
demonstration and presentations ones. Regarding the approach
of these demonstrative publications, the media is a valid
reference for the interviewed consumers because of the
following reasons: a) it informs about a specific product or
service (according to eighteen respondents); b) it compares the
products and brands (as stated by five respondents; c) it shows
attitudes and behavior consistent with a group (according to
two consumers).
V. CONCLUSION The Web Video information has a strong importance
and influence in the process of buying decision. The in person
and virtual interviews revealed: the type of information sought
by the netizens at the web, the online buying decision process
and also the demonstration and complaints relevance in social
media and reviewing sites, for the decision making.
It was attested that information that address the
netizens’ experience and opinions are more likely to influence
the buying decision making, while the web is the main source
of information.
In this context, it was observed that the Web Videos
about products and services are sources that perform more
than simply informing function because it works as an online
media that has the netizens participation in: a) removing
doubts, b) advising and c) teaching other consumers.
The identification of the buying decision process
based on Web Videos contributed to show the exactly moment
during the process of decision making that the consumer seeks
for: a) the media as a source of information and b) what are
the steps and criteria to turn it into a reference.
In this perspective, the research allows us to
understand two issues. The first involves the consumer path
(from the online and offline stimuli to the sharing sites),
before viewing Web Videos. The second is about the
purchasing decision process based on Web Video information
that comprises the selection and the appreciation of the shared
information.
Thus, consumers evaluate, validate and compare the
publication regarding its: a) content, b) sharer profile, c)
netizens contributions that evaluated the product or service
and d) technical characteristics. Finally, consumer still can
appeal to previous experiences and traditional reference
groups, such as friends, family and conventional media.
In considering Web Videos as a source of
information and reference for consumers, it was still observed
that sharing this media at the web, the publications can be
exposed to a viral dissemination, working as a virtual word of
mouth. In this understanding, the Web Videos about products
and services have specific characteristics and determinants
factors of influencing the consumer purchasing decision.
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 17
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
Regarding the managerial implications, it is realized
that the products and services posts in virtual environment
allow strategies making focused on consumers needs. The
findings suggest that organizations, via monitoring video-
sharing pages, can use these publications to identify the most
relevant and positive information. In consequence of doing
this, the organization can product more attractive and
profitable Web Videos information. This is not a new strategy
for some companies, but it still has to be more developed in
order to turn the Web Videos a source of promising media.
Another possibility is to use the media to strengthen
relationships with consumers, stimulating the opinions and
experiences exchanges and mainly using the Web Videos as a
feedback mechanism for consumers. This type of action
includes the risk of facing negative publications, inevitable
event for organizations seeking to be attentive to the trends of
virtual environments but, on the other hand, it can shows that
the organization is ready to deal with the reality of
contemporary consumers.
Two theoretical perspectives are drawn from the
study findings. Firstly, this research advances in comprehend
the role of the Web Video during the buying decision making.
Secondly, by proposing a model of purchasing decision
making based on Web Videos, the research defines theoretical
sketches that can be tested and refined by future researches.
Other further researches can be: a) a netnographic
study and b) a study based on other virtual media, adding new
insights about the influence on the purchasing decisions in
specific sectors.
REFERENCES [1] CHU, S.; KIM, Y. Determinants of consumer engagement in
electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) in social networking sites. International Journal of Advertising, v. 30, n. 1, p. 47-75, 2011
[2] COULTER, K. S.; ROGGEVEEN, A. “Like it or not”: Consumer responses to word-of-mouth communication in on-line social networks. Management Research Review, v. 35, n. 9, p. 878-899,
2012.
[3] DU PIN, S. G. C. A influência das redes digitais na busca de informação e no processo de decisão de compra do
consumidor. 2011. Disertation (Master in Administration and
Busines Development) – Universidade Estácio de Sá, Rio de Janeiro, 2011.
[4] FERREIRA, F. C. O comportamento de procura de informação no processo de decisão de compra na web. Perspectivas em Gestão & Conhecimento, João Pessoa, v. 1, n. esp., p. 3-26, 2011.
[5] HSIEH, J.; HSIEH, Y.; TANG, Y. Exploring the disseminating behaviors of eWOM marketing: persuasion in online video. Springer Science+Business Media, v. 12, n. 1, p. 201-224, 2012.
[6] LEAL, G. P.; HOR-MEYLL, L. F.; PESSÔA, L. A. G. P. Comunidades virtuais como grupo de referência. Revista Pensamento Contemporâneo em Administração, Rio de Janeiro,
v. 6, n. 3, p. 104-120, jul./sept. 2012.
[7] MELLER, D.; MIĘTKIEWICZ, M. Zero Moment of Truth – nowe wyzwanie dla zarządzania marketingow. Journal of Management
and Finance, Polônia, v. 2 , n. 1, p. 135-149, 2012.
[8] SALES, R. K. L.; CARVALHO, C. C. de; ARRUDA, D. M. O. de; ALBUQUERQUE, J. S. de. Clique Aqui Para Decidir: As
Recomendações Online na Decisão de Compra dos Serviços
Hoteleiros. VI Encontro de Marketing da ANPAD. Gramado, 2014. Available at:
< http://www.anpad.org.br/admin/pdf/2014_EMA67.pdf >.
Accessed in: jun. 30th 2014.
[9] XAVIER, S. S. de; FREITAS, A. S. de; FILARDI, F.; IRIGARAY, H. A. R. Interação Social e Consumo no Ciberespaço em uma Comunidade Virtual: o Caso do Bazar Virtual Tem de
tudo um pouco. Revista ADM.MADE, Rio de Janeiro, year 12, v.
16, n. 3, p. 1-20, sept./dec. 2012. [10] YOUTUBE. Available at:
< – www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.htm>l – Accessed in: sep.
7th, 2014. [11] MOWEN, J. M.; MINOR, M. S. Comportamento do
consumidor. São Paulo: Prentice Hall, 2003.
[12] BLACKWELL, R.; MINIARD, P. W.; ENGEL, J. F. Comportamento do consumidor. São Paulo: Pioneira Thomson
Learning, 2008.
[13] HAWKINS, D. I.; MOTHERSBAUGH, D. L.; BEST, R. J. Comportamento do consumidor: construindo a estratégia de
marketing. Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier, 2007.
[14] SCHIFFMAN, L. G.; KANUK, L. Comportamento do consumidor. Rio de Janeiro: LTC – Livros Técnicos e Científicos,
2000.
[15] SOLOMON, M. R. Consumer Behaviour. 7. ed. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007.
[16] XU, A. J.; WYER Jr., R. S. The effect of mind-sets on consumer decision strategies. Journal of Consumer Research, v. 34, n. 4, p. 556-566, dez. 2007.
[17] LECINSKI, Jim. ZMOT: Conquistando o momento zero da verdade. Chicago: Google Inc., 2011.
[18] ÁLVAREZ, M.; VALLE, M. B.; RUEDA, M. S. Dimensionar el modelo de marketing de servicio basado em social commerce para la adquisición de um crédito de libre inversión a través de
Facebook, su aprobación, firma digital del pagare vía Internet y
posterior desembolso. In: I Coloquio de Investigación. Dissertation. (Master in Market Management) Bogota, 2013.
Available at:
. Accessed in: sept. 23 2013.
[19] SUGIYAMA, K.; ANDREE, T. The Dentsu way: 9 Lessons for Innovation in Marketing from the World’s Leading Advertising Agency. Estados Unidos: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Available at:
. Accessed in : Nov. 16th 2013.
[20] KILPP, S.; FISCHER, G. D. Janelas de Flusser e Magritte: O que é, afinal, um webvideo? Intexto, Porto Alegre, UFRGS, v. 2, n.
23, p. 36-49, jul./dec. 2010. [21] KILPP, S.; FERREIRA, L. R. Estatuto do audiovisual de TV na
Internet. Contemporânea – Comunicação e Cultura, Bahia, v.
10, n. 2, p. 289-301, 2012. [22] CRESWELL, J. W. Projeto de pesquisa: métodos qualitativo,
quantitativo e misto. 3. ed. Porto Alegre: Artmed,
2010.ANUÁRIO DE MÍDIA PÚBLICA NO BRASIL. Brasília: Grupo de Mídia Brasília, 2012.
[23] SAMPIERI, R. H.; COLLADO, C. F.; LUCIO, P. B. Metodologia de Pesquisa. São Paulo: McGraw Hill, 2006.
[24] IBOPE. Instituto Brasileiro de Opinião Pública e Estatística. Available at:
.
Accessed in: mar. 1st 2013.
[25] DUARTE, J.; BARROS, A. (Orgs.). Métodos e Técnicas de Pesquisa em Comunicação. São Paulo: Atlas, 2008.
[26] GASKELL, G. Entrevistas individuais e grupais. In: BAUER, M.W., GASKELL, G. Pesquisa qualitativa com texto, imagem e som – Um manual prático. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2002.
[27] GIL, A. C. Métodos e técnicas de pesquisa social. 6. ed. São Paulo: Atlas, 2009.
[28] SANTAELLA, Lúcia. Matrizes da linguagem e pensamento – sonora, visual, verbal: aplicações na hipermídia. São Paulo:
Iluminura: FAPESP, 2005.
http://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.htm%3el
-
International Journal of Video&Image Processing and Network Security IJVIPNS-IJENS Vol:14 No:05 18
145105-1818-IJVIPNS-IJENS © October 2014 IJENS
I J E N S
Danielle Gomes was born in Fortaleza,
Ceará, Brazil. She received the B.S degree
in Accounting Sciences from Centro de
Ensino Unificado de Brasília (CEUB),
Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil, in 1985.
She received the Professional Master
Degree in Marketing, the M.S and the PhD
degrees in Management and all of them from Université de
Nice, France; the first in 1986, the second in 1987 and the
third in 1992.
Since 1996 she is an Associate Professor and
researcher at University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza-
Ceará-Brazil, and an Undergrad Professor at University of
Ceará State (UECE), Fortaleza-Ceará-Brazil. Her research
interests include marketing history, consumer behavior, online
consumer behavior and consumer emotions.
Dr. Gomes has received some prizes from
United States of America, France and Brazil.
Raíssa Sales was born in Juazeiro do
Norte, Ceará, Brazil. She received the B.S
in Social Communication – Journalism, in
2009; a Specialization Degree in
Communication Consultancy, in 2011 and
the M.S in Management, in 2014. All her
degrees were received from University of
Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza-Ceará-Brazil.
From 2010-2013 she was a communication
adviser. From 2011-2012 she was a substitute professor at
UNIFOR and in 2013 she became an undergrad professor at
UNIFOR. Besides that, she also has experience in distance
education courses. Her research interests include
organizational communication, journalism and marketing.
Fabiane Cavalcante was born in Fortaleza,
Ceará, Brazil. She received the B.S and
M.S degrees in Management from
University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR),
Fortaleza-Ceará-Brazil; the former in
1999 and the latter in 2002.
From 1998-2002, she was a Research
Assistant at UNIFOR. From 2002 to 2003, she lived in Ithaca-
NY-USA, where she did some English courses at BOCES and
attended some courses as an auditor student at Cornell
University. From 2003-2007 she was an Associate Professor
at IESC (Instituto de Ensino Superior do Ceará), in Fortaleza-
Ceará-Brazil. From 2009-2012 she was a director in a Kids
Clothing Factory. From 2012-2013 she went back to Ithaca-
NY-USA, where she did again some English courses at
BOCES and participated in the PhD Johnson School opening
house at Cornell University. Her research interests include
consumer behavior, consumer emotions, marketing history
and online consumer behavior.
Mrs. Cavalcante awards and honors include
Yollanda Queiroz Fellowship (a scholarship given for being
the best student among all of Applied Science College
Students at UNIFOR); Honor Master Defense (maximum
grade from all members of the committee) and she also got an
Award Paper in franchising at UNIFOR.
Camilla Carvalho was born in Fortaleza,
Ceará, Brazil. She is currently pursuing a
Master Degree in Management at
University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR),
Fortaleza-Ceará-Brazil. She received the
B.S degree in Management in 2011 also
from UNIFOR. Her research interests
include family business and corporate governance.