The Role of Social Media Marketing is Shaping Retail Consumer Decisions : A Case Study of Alanya Market in Finland

Abstract

Bachelor’s thesis explores how social media impacts consumer behaviour, sales, and retail performance using the Alanya Market, an ethnic grocery store in Finland, as an example. It shows how channels such as Instagram and TikTok impact customer behaviour and how companies interact with their audience in an involving environment. The theoretical framework of this research contains the idea of consumer behaviour, as well as the role of social media marketing in retail stores. To understand how social, psychological, and cultural aspects impact consumer decisions in the context of digital marketing, academic materials, including books, journals, articles, and recent studies, were consulted. The method used in this study is qualitative. Data were collected from a sales representative and a store manager at the Alanya Market via semi- structured in-person interviews. Moreover, extensive data on market social media usage and its effect on consumer engagement and sales were obtained using this strategy. According to data acquired from the Alanya Market study, Instagram is one of the mainstay advertising approaches, especially in the use of reels, stories, and posts. Each of these qualities creates a strong link between a company and its clients. Furthermore, the data emphasize the importance of customer feedback and trending content when implementing marketing strategies, which often results in higher engagement and purchases.