The Role Of Social Media on consumer Behavior in Qatar

Abstract

Social media has evolved our lives in many ways, it has made the world seem like a smaller place. This is in particular applicable when doing business. In Qatar, there are many business retailers who are not necessarily physically existent that operate, sell and communicate through social media platforms. Because there is no legal protection and regulations on this market, confidence is definitely an issue. This research paper aims to identify how consumer behavior in Qatar has changed by using different social media platforms to purchase products and/or services from physically non-existent merchandisers. The three main dimensions were; consumer confidence, consumer correspondence and consumer empowerment. Along with the literature review conducted, an expert interview was conducted with 15 different participants who use social media in Qatar. They were from different nationalities, age group and professions. In general, there is a great positive feedback about buying products and/or services on social media in Qatar, but trust is still a critical issue. Consumers in Qatar generally do not interact easily with one another, but always seek reviews and comments before considering purchasing a product or service. In general, consumers trust what other consumers say about products and/or services that are offered on different social media platforms. However, there is always a level of uncertainty if a certain shopper is going through an unprecedented experience of shopping via social media platforms.