Online social media and consumer behavior: a case of garments retailing in Dar es salaam Tanzania

The study set out to investigate the impact of online social media and consumer behavior in Tanzania, with reference to the garments retailing industry in Dar es Salaam. The study was centered on three objectives, namely, to examine the influence of online social media in sales revenue; investigate the relationship between online social media and customer satisfaction; and elucidate the relationship between online social media and customer retainer ship. Using a sample of 60 respondents, the study adopted a case study design, employing a mixed methodological approach, whereby both primary and secondary data were collected. As for secondary data, a rigorous desk review of various studies and other key documents was undertaken. Using a Likert-like scale of 1-5 and 1-7, a survey asked respondents to answer various questions about their use of online social media networks in conducting various transactions, including buying clothes from online sites. From the study, it was found that Facebook had the highest number of consumers for garments. Most importantly, the study found out that there is a positive correlation between online social media and increased sales revenues, as many social network uses are exponentially growing in number and seriously realizing the importance of buying things online. The study also found out that majority of the buyers of products on online social media never get a feedback or get appreciated from the sellers. As a way of strengthening online social media, and seriously influencing the buying habits of many social network users, sellers of online products like garments, need to keep in constant communication and strengthen their feedback mechanism to bolster the sales revenues.