With the repaid growth of Internet users, the economy of the virtual cybermarket becomes worthless. Among all kinds of business activities on the web, on-line shopping is the most directly contact between buyer and seller. Competition no longer takes place in the physical marketplace but in the marketspace (Rayport and Sviokla,1994). This implication indicates the breaking of traditional restrictions of the time and place. Businesses can contact a large number of consumers in a faster and cheaper (low entrance obstacle) way. For the marketers, the key point to succeed in the cybermarket is to understand and analsize the consumer behavior. Internet marketers should revisit traditional models of consumer behavior, examine their underlying assumptions, and explore their validity in the new Internet context.¡]Butler and Peppard, 1998¡^ Therefore, this study seeks to further our understanding of consumer buying decision process on the web according to the EKB model which includes five stages: need identification, information search, evaluation and choice, purchase decision, and post-purchase behaviors.¡]Engel, Blackwell, and Kollat, 1984¡^ This research is concentrated on the first three stages. A web survey was conducted on one entrance web site (Openfind), three purchasing web sites (Cybercity, Aago, and Citymart) and two virtual community web sites (CityFamily and OHOT) from March 6 2000 to March 20 2000. The total valid sample is 3986 consisting of 1364 (34.2%) web patrons and 2622 (65.8%) web non-patrons. And the main findings of this research are as following¡G 1. The characteristics of the majority respondents are male, high educated and students or employees from information industries. 2. The main purpose of web use is sending or receiving e-mail (according to 47% of the respondents¡¦ answers). 3. The top three products in the web transaction are book and magazine (27.9%), computer hardware (12.4%) and communication products (11.7%). 4. For the web patrons, five factors were extracted from the questions on behavior in the information search stage. They are named "related information obtained from the media", "troubles in web transaction and information", "confidence in web transaction and information", "information from the comparison of visiting numerous web sites" and "word-of-mouth reference". And six factors were extracted from the questions on the behavior in the evaluation and choice stage. They are named "requirement of post-purchase warranty", "perceived risk of the product", "influence of direct sales experience and other media", "confidence in web transaction", "confidence in his/her buying decision", and "influence of the reference group". As for the web non-patrons, four factors were extracted from the questions on behavior in the information search stage. They are named " related information obtained from the media", "taking on-line shopping as a waste of time and money", "troubles in web information", "confidence in web information". And three factors were extracted from the questions on the behavior in the evaluation and choice stage. They are named "warranty given by seller", "perceived risk of the product", "confidence in web transaction". 5. The web patrons¡¦ behaviors of "word-of-mouth reference" in the information search stage and "confidence in web transaction and information" in the evaluation and choice stage are influenced by their different gender, age, occupation, and education. The web non-patrons¡¦ behaviors of " related information obtained from the media" and "confidence in web information" in the information search stage and "confidence in web transaction" in the evaluation and choice stage are influenced by their different gender, age, occupation, education, and income. 6. Three clusters are formed according to the above eleven factor scores. Cluster 1 persons are named as "highly confident persons". Cluster 2 persons are named as "risk-avoidance persons". Cluster 3 persons are named as "self-confident persons". 7. The first three stages of consumer buying decision processes on the web are proved to be¡Gneed identification, information search and evaluation and choice. The relationships between these three stages are need identification will positively affect information search and information search will negatively affect evaluation and choice.

This study examines what significance social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram) may have in regard to clients need recognition and information search, in B2B investment decision making of desktop 3D printers. The study was made on 121 respondents from the 3D printer reseller company 3DVerkstan’s customer base. Need recognition and information search are the two first steps of five, in the consumer behavioral Engel Blackwell Miniard (EBM) model of decision making. To get a better perspective of what role social media have in B2B marketing, a broad investigation of the 3D print owners need recognition and information search has been conducted through a survey built from the EBM-model, and the clients media consumption. A wide range of communication channels has been examined in order to draw conclusions from what role social media play as whole. As social media is an unexplored field for B2B marketing, an interview with the CMO of Telia Sonera Sweden, Magnus Andersson was held to get insights of how they currently use social media in B2B as a best-in-class case. This study aims to give foundational directives for social media’s significance for B2B companies in the technology. The findings in this study indicates that social media has a great potential exposure to influence and inspire need recognition. Especially for Facebook, decent potential exposure for LinkedIn and Instagram. Not very good for Twitter. Although, almost none were first exposed to 3D printing on social media. Social media was not searched for information, and the few that did searched for reviews. The respondents primarily searched on online sources only. Most respondents conducted one search step where they focused on finding a source with compiled information to conveniently grasp the 3D printer market. Either on Youtube to look for unbiased 3D print reviews. Or through a convenient recommendation from friends and resellers of the most suitable 3D printer in relation to their objective. Technical specification, price, customer reviews, service & support and user case quality caught their attention after finding their preferred source of information retrieval. Convenient personalized packaging in review form with the above stated attributes could be used to inspire customers on social media. Directed towards the use motives; prototyping, hobby/home use or custom production.

Title: How does the buying decision process really function within e-commerce? - A qualitative study of consumer behavior when they consume on Internet. Institution: School of Economics, Linnaeus University, Växjö. Course code: 2FE16E. <img src="file:///page3image2784" />Authors: Sara Hjärne, Mathilda Perem, Ewelina Wallin. Tutor: Dan Halvarsson. Examiner: Åsa Devine. Key words: Buying decision process, purchase decision process need recognition, information search, evaluation, purchase decision, postpurchase behavior, consumer decision making, E-commerce, E- commerce channels, online shopping, online purchase, e-retail, internet shopping, electronic shopping, consumer behavior, online appereal shopping, social media, decision making, online retailing, website design, customer satisfaction, webshopping, perceived risk, convinience, price, online consumption behavior. Background: Buying decision process is a model that marketers use to get a better understanding of their customers and their behavior when purchasing a product. This process consists of five different steps; need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and evaluation. Buying decision process has for a long time been an accepted model but scientists argue that the introduction of Internet as a channel for consumption has changed this process. The Internet has also led to a change of power in which customers today have greater influence, which greatly affects the buying decision process in e-commerce Purpose: The purpose is to explore how consumers perceive their behavior when they consume through e-commerce. Research questions:How do consumers perceive the buying decision process they experience when they consume through e-commerce?How do consumers perceive different factors that are important to them when they consume through e-commerce? Methodology: Qualitative study, cross-sectional design, semi-structured interviews. Conclusion: This thesis shows that the traditional model of the buying decision process is not consistent with consumers' perception of how they are undergoing the process when applied to an e-commerce context. This process is influenced by different factors, which is influence, convenience, webpage's atmosphere, risk, price, supply, consumption occasions, expectations, delivery and return. / Titel: Hur fungerar egentligen köpbeslutsprocessen inom e-handel?- En kvalitativ studie om konsumenternas beteende vid konsumtion på Internet. Institution: Ekonomihögskolan, Linnéuniversitetet, Växjö. Kurskod: 2FE16E. Författare: Sara Hjärne, Mathilda Perem, Ewelina Wallin.<img src="file:///page5image4008" /> Handledare: Dan Halvarsson. Examinator: Åsa Devine. Nyckelord: Buying decision process, purchase decision process need recognition, information search, evaluation, purchase decision, postpurchase behavior, consumer decision making, E-commerce, E- commerce channels, online shopping, online purchase, e-retail, internet shopping, electronic shopping, consumer behavior, online appereal shopping, social media, decision making, online retailing, website design, customer satisfaction, webshopping, perceived risk, convinience, price, online consumption behavior. Bakgrund: Köpbeslutsprocessen är en modell som marknadsförare använder för att få en bättre förståelse för sina kunder och deras beteende vid köp av en produkt. Denna process består av fem olika steg; behov, informationssökning, värdering av alternativ, köpbeslut och utvärdering. Köpbeslutsprocessen har länge varit en accepterad modell men forskare menar att introduktionen av Internet som en kanal för konsumtion har även förändrat denna process. Internet har även lett till ett maktskifte där kunderna idag har större inflytande, vilket i hög grad påverkar köpbeslutsprocessen inom e-handel Syfte: Syftet är att utforska hur konsumenterna uppfattar sitt beteende när de konsumerar genom e-handel. Forskningsfrågor: Hur uppfattar konsumenter den köpbeslutsprocess de går igenom när de konsumerar genom e-handel?Hur uppfattar konsumenterna olika faktorer som är betydelsefulla för dem när de konsumerar genom e-handel? Metod: Kvalitativ studie, Tvärsnittsdesign, Semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Slutsats: Studien visar att den traditionella modellen för köpbeslutsprocessen inte stämmer överens med konsumenternas uppfattning om hur de genomgår processen i en e-handel kontext. Denna process påverkas av faktorerna inflytande, bekvämlighet, webbsidans atmosfär, risk, pris, utbud, konsumtionstillfällen, förväntningar, leverans och retur.