An excellent marketing strategy is crucial for companies’ success. Previous studies show positive effects from external and internal marketing. The purpose of this study was to observe differences in attitudes toward companies using external or internal marketing. The relationship between attitude and purchase decision was examined. A survey was conducted on students using the ABC-model for attitudes with Likert scale. A mean was calculated for general attitudes. No statistically significant differences were found. Knowledge about companies’ internal marketing tended to affect both attitudes and purchase decision in a negative manner. External marketing had no impact on attitudes nor purchase decision. / En bra marknadsföringsstrategi är viktigt för att företag skall bli framgångsrika. Tidigare studier har visat positiva effekter av extern och intern marknadsföring. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka skillnader i generella attityder till företag som bedriver extern och intern marknadsföring. Hur attityderna påverkade köpbeslutet observerades. En enkätstudie på studenter gjordes med hjälp av ABC-modellen för attityder och besvarades med Likertskala. Medelvärde räknades ut för generella attityder. Resultaten visade ingen statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan grupperna. Vetskap om företagets interna marknadsföring tenderade att påverka både attityder och köpbeslutet negativt. Extern marknadsföring hade ingen inverkan på attityder eller köpbeslut.

This study examines the effect of electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) on consumers’ purchasing decision process, more specifically: How does consumer attitudes and purchasing intent toward companies and their products affected by negative eWOM on social media. The study is based on three-component model of attitudes which identifies attitude as the awareness, assessment and readiness to act. The purpose of this study was to examine how negative eWOM on social media affects the consumer’s purchasing decision process. The purpose was to improve understanding of eWOM’s role and influence on the consumer’s attitudes and purchasing intent towards the companies and their products.   The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 individuals aged 18-20. Results indicate that negative customer reviews on social media have a negative influence on consumers attitudes and purchasing intent. The results also show that the effect varies between different product types. The effect may be stronger for expensive and important purchases than for cheap and routine purchases.