Effectiveness of Social Media in Influencing Customer Purchase Decision of Selected Start-up Restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte

Effectiveness of Social Media in Influencing Customer Purchase Decision of Selected Start-up Restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte

Airen V. Ilagan, LPT

Graduate Student, Camarines Norte State College-Main Campus, Daet, Camarines Norte, Philippines

Abstract – This research determined the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision of selected start-up restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte. Specifically, descriptive-correlational design was employed utilizing survey questionnaire and an interview. To achieve the objective of the study, the primary data was collected from a sample three hundred eighty (380) customers of start-up restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte through questionnaire by applying a purposive sampling technique. The collected data from sample customers were analyzed using statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, ranking and mean.

The study revealed and concluded that the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision is positively related to educational attainment, commonly used social media platforms and frequency of service availment profile of the respondents and no significant relationship to age and sex profile of the respondents. Finally, the study recommended start-up owners to utilize social media campaign; establish return and refund processes, develop comprehensive privacy legislation, use Geotargetting a location-based strategy, implement strong authentication processes to address the challenges encountered by the customers relative to their purchasing decision. It is also suggested that future researchers to carry out a study that includes post-purchase decision as this study did not cover all stages of the customer decision process.

Index Terms – Social media, customer purchase decision, social media campaign, Start-Up Restaurants

1. INTRODUCTION

   Social media is vital for developing social connection among users and even organizations putting out marketing initiatives. Social media platforms are widely used by Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs). With internet access on their mobile devices, they put their offerings within reach of the customers. Social media starts to have an impact on how customers behave. Customers are increasingly turning to social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to make online purchases, examine information and submit

   reviews about a product or service and do a lot more. The key objective of the effectiveness of social media is to understand how social media platforms are being utilized as a marketing tool in the food industry and how crucial establishing an effective social media campaign that may positively influence customers’ purchase decisions and strengthen the restaurants’ current social media marketing strategies.

   Meanwhile, whether making purchases in person or online, customers want to be treated fairly and honestly. Online stores and social media accounts for business require customers to provide personal information when making transactions. These data should be protected because if not they will be vulnerable to identity theft and account hackers. To caution all concerned. Republic Act No. 10173, often known as the Data Privacy Act, is a law that aims to safeguard all types of information, whether they are private, sensitive, or personal. Both natural and legal persons engaged in the processing of personal information are intended to be included.

   In this context, the researcher pursued a study on this issue that will help to identify how social media influence customer purchase decisions and how social media campaigns will address the challenges encountered by customers relative to their purchasing decision. Specifically, this study described the profile of the respondents in terms of age, sex, educational attainment, commonly used social media platforms, frequency of service availment per month and the level of effectiveness of social media tool in influencing customer purchase decision, the challenges encountered by the customers relative to their purchasing decision and the effective social media campaign plan was proposed.

2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

   Generally, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision of selected start-up restaurant businesses in Daet, Camarines Norte.

   Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

   1. How may the profile of the start-up restaurants customers

      be described in terms of:

      1. age;
      2. sex;
      3. educational attainment;
      4. commonly social media platforms; and
      5. frequency of service availment?
   2. What is the level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of:
      1. 1. problem recognition;
         2. information search;
         3. evaluation of alternatives; and
         4. actual purchase decision?
   3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of the customers and the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision?
   4. What are the challenges encountered by the respondents relative to their purchasing decision?
   5. What social media campaign may be proposed, based on the result of the study?

   Hypothesis

   There is no significant relationship between the profile and the level of effectiveness in influencing purchasing decision of the customer.

3. SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

   This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision of selected start-up restaurant business in Daet, Camarines Norte. Specifically, it sought answer to determine the profile of the business in terms of age; sex; commonly used social media platforms; frequency of service availment; The significant relationship between the profile of the customers and the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision; Challenges encountered by the respondents relative to their purchasing decision; and Proposed social media campaign based on the result of the study.

   The researcher focused on understanding customer purchase decision of start-up restaurants. The Barangays I to VIII that make up the Urban Barangays’ households were randomly selected from the Daet area. Only one representative is allowed to participate in the survey. The respondents’ honesty, sincerity, and integrity are crucial in this study. Hence, there were several limitations that could not be avoided, the study did not include customers from large start-ups restaurants and was limited to customers of start-up restaurants with social media account, which the researcher believes is necessary to provide the best possible social media campaign plan that start-up restaurants may utilize to promote their dishes or service. This research focuses solely

   on the customer purchase decision via social media in terms of problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives and actual purchase decision. The post-purchase evaluation was excluded for the reason tht some customers do not arrive at this stage of decision-making process.

4. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

   This chapter provided an in-depth analysis of relevant research and literature on social media campaigns, as well as how social media usage influences customer purchase decision. The process of conducting a review of the literature was included in looking through relevant material. This gave the study a theoretical foundation and made it easier to make connections between the current research question and previous studies. In order to justify the study, unpublished and published theses and dissertations were taken into consideration as well as literature from textbooks, journals, articles, academic papers, and the internet on topics relevant to the effectiveness of using social media as a marketing tool.

   Related Literature

   The following related literature contains excerpts from a variety of sources, in particular, from various authors’ concepts on social media campaigns and how social media usage influences customer purchase decision. These sources are found to be relevant to the research.

   Foreign

   Below are the various foreign literature taken from different foreign authors who provided relevant findings for the development of the study.

   Marketing is a tool used to create and maintain demand, relevance, reputation, competition and more. Without it, business is likely to close down due to lack of sales (Spillane, 2022).

   Hayes (2022), defined social media marketing (SMM) as the practice of engaging with customers on social media sites in order to develop brands, boost revenues, and improve website traffic. The potential to generate sales from specific user demographics on social media is an expanding industry with fierce rivalry for views and clicks as social media usage on computers and mobile devices increases globally.

   Likewise, Kathirvel and Srinivasan (2018) cited where social media is not just for making connections and exchanging ideas; it can also be a powerful tool for marketing, messaging, and customer interaction. As businesses maintain contact and a relationship with their guests, they can eventually become brand’s ambassadors and volunteer marketing force. These days, the question is not how to use social media to attract in customers, but rather how they use it to find the source and then make a decision.

   DataReportal’s analysis from Kepios presented that there will be 4.70 billion social media users worldwide in July 2022, or 59.0 percent of the world’s population. With 227 million new users joining social media since this time last year, the number of social media users also increased over the past 12 months, and resulted to an average rate of more than 7 new users every single second, or annualized growth

   of 5.1 percent. As per recent statistics, considerably over 90 percent of internet users now regularly utilized social media.

   Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Tiktok are among the most widely used social media networks and business tools listed in an article by Cotriss (2022). Facebook offers the most customization options for social media marketing and the largest audience. The most effective way to get customers feedback and directly interact with them is on Twitter. Small and specialized businesses that can directly market on the platform will find Pinterest to be great. A company landing page where clients can make purchases, for example, can be accessed via YouTube, which is perhaps the best social media platform for doing so.

   Bidwai et al. (2019) since the 2000s, social media platforms expanded at an exponential rate, with daily users spending about 135 minutes on them on YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The new word-of-mouth moved online. It describes how people promote products and services to their friends, relatives, and because to social media’s connection even total strangers (Dobrila, 2019).

   Similarly, social media is made more accessible through smartphones and other smart devices, according to a report from the Digital Report (2018). To further enable users to enjoy the internet whenever and wherever they are, telecommunications companies provide mobile data plans that are sometimes practically unlimited. There are many social media sites, and each one targets a particular user demographic. The top five social media platforms in the world are: Facebook, with 2.061 billion members; Youtube,

   1. 1. billion; WhatsApp, 1.3 billion; WeChat, 963 million; and QQ, 850 million. Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp are the platforms that are most often used in France. (Statista, 2018).

   Likewise, in the article written by Zote (2023), it presented that currently two billion people use Instagram every month. Consequently, it is now the fourth-most popular social media platform. In addition, businesses can greatly expand their audience if they will take advantage of the most recent Instagram trends. The fifth most viewed website on the planet right now. It is still one of the most well-known social networking sites, despite falling behind competing platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

   According to Battlsby (2021), TikTok provided advertisers with a fantastic opportunity to connect with younger people globally in a fun and creative setting. TikTok was a channel where many social media memes first appear, and by setting the pace for these innovative trends, businesses might increase their credibility.

   TikTok also did not require large expenses for video content creation because content made randomly in everyday settings has an equal chance of succeeding. Many TikTok movies were shot in living rooms, parking lots or gardens. Additionally, TikTok gave marketers a fair playing field in terms of audience reach and engagement. The viral nature of the TikTok algorithm allowed accounts with zero followers to receive millions of views on a new video, in contrast to social media sites like Instagram or YouTube. The audience

   would be engaged as long as the content is interesting to them.

   Local

   Various local writers and works of literature proved significant in providing insights and discussions focusing on the social media marketing and how social media influence customer purchase decision in the country. Below are some of the works of literature reviewed which can be of help in this study.

   Santos (2019) asserted that social media marketing involved analyzing the marketer-respondents’ reasons for using the platform, as well as their individual behaviors, attitudes toward adoption, and experiences. The fundamental goal of marketers would be to raise awareness of their company so that they may eventually draw in customers. Their businesses could promote their current offerings and discounts through social media marketing. They are unable to outsource their social media marketing activities due to a lack of technical assistance from experts in the sector. Apparently, the study revealed both benefits and drawbacks of social media. Taking its advantage, social media would be used in industry to sell goods, endorse brands, communicate with existing clients and foster new businesses. Social networking made it possible to tell businesses and people in the industry about their business encounters, either positive or negative, in terms of consumer feedback. The organization could also respond to both positive and negative feedback very quickly, resolve customer concerns, and retain, restore or regain customer trust.

   Social media marketing provided a company or small businesses with options to communicate new products and promotions to potential customers, to boost web traffic to a companys main website, and to build relationships with consumers. In order for a company to attain the benefits of social media, that firm had to dedicate resources to social media and to relinquish the control over marketing messages. When choosing tolearn from others social media marketing campaign strategies, it would be always helpful to choose the best option. Doing this would be an advantage over conventional media because it could efficiently and effectively connect to more customers. In addition, social media therefore facilitated to meet the needs of the business clients as to their preferences in brands, colors, services and feedbacks. The better the positive comments there would be more business returns (Santos, 2019b).

   Hermogenes (2020) claimed that a firm or small business could use social media marketing to connect with customers, advertise new items and special offers, drive more traffic to the main website of the business, and foster brand loyalty. In order for a business to gain from social media in this way, it must invest resources there and give up control over its marketing messages. The finest method should always be a priority when opting to learn from other social media marketing campaign techniques. If the business owner would consider it, it would be an edge over other traditional marketing businesses. In addition to business promotion is its business mission and brand awareness. When it is well

   established, the business could reach its interested customers.

   Jazbec (2020) affirmed that businesses would be well- positioned to engage more Filipino consumers with targeted online marketing and advertising because to the nation’s expanding middle class, increased internet usage (about 76 million users in 2019), and high daily average online activity (9 hours and 45 minutes per user). Digital advertising spending is continuing at a rapid pace. Philippines has significant e-commerce growth potential as online buying becomes more and more popular among young Filipinos. About 88 percent of social media users in the Philippines are on Facebook, making it a popular medium for both large and small businesses to build their brands, create leads, and enhance sales.

   Many firms can benefit from using social media marketing and paid advertising to connect with Filipino consumers. However, selecting the type of digital advertising for the company, business owners should define the objectives and target market and practice to monitor and analyze outcomes to determine what aspects of the marketing approach are effective and needing amendment.

   Landicho (2019) averred that social media marketing would offer companies plenty of opportunities to become recognizable to billions of people because of its broad reach. Establishing lasting relationships with customers would require strong customer involvement and would promote brand loyalty by fostering an emotional connection between customers and enterprises through replying to reviews, responding to inquiries, and hosting competitions. Since it would target consumers who showed an interest in a company by following its account, social media marketing would help in the generation of leads and conversions. Social media marketing may help Philippine businesses in real and measurable ways when executed correctly.

   Landicho (2019) elucidated that one of the most popular websites in the Philippines was YouTube, where 98 percent of Filipino internet users watched videos and vlogs. Additionally, it generated 11 percent of the global video traffic. Businesses could create channels on YouTube and broadcast interactive contents to build their brands and boost visibility. Moreover, she added that YouTube provided businesses place advertisements on content from other channels. Instagram could offer Instagram Insights, a feature that would provide information on the followers demographics for company profiles. For instance, it would provide information about location, gender, and age and display the posts, stories, and promotions that would make most popular and receive the most engagement.

   Catedrilla (2019) maintained saying that Facebook, a social networking site, came in first with the biggest demand of usage as social media platforms continued to grow and develop, amassing a sizable audience of 2.41 billion users globally. One of the nations having the most users is the Philippines. It was anticipated that by the year 2023, there would have increase from the average of 49 million active social media users in 2016. Some brands and businesses would

   be drawn to these issues and believe that social media sites like Facebook would powerful tools for marketing. With Facebook, it would generate significant tax revenues considering its numerous current adverts and online promotions publicity. Hence, Facebook Commercial Communication could be a popular platform.

   Likewise, Aguilar et al. (2019) said that Generation Z continued to be drawn to TikTok because it gave them a place to connect with others and express their emotions. Given that Generation Z has become enthusiastic and outspoken about their interests and preferences, brands and businesses must make the most of this chance to highlight their offerings through timely, engaging, and relatable shortform video commercials on TikTok. Additionally, the researchers might state that companies seeking to use TikTok as their new platform for advertising must concentrate on the emotional engagement that they could provide to customers.

   Meanwhile, the 1987 Philippine Constitution Article II S. 24, the state shall recognize the vital role of communication and information in nation-building. The right against unreasonable searches and seizures and the right to private communication and correspondence two of the provisions pertaining to the right to privacy under the Bill of Rights that are included in the Philippine Constitution of 1987. It could be concluded from the two sections that the right to privacy can be defined as the right to be left alone. A person has the right to live their life without being subjected to unwanted attention, disclosure, or public involvement in subjects about which they are not necessarily concerned.

   According to Hetler (2023) personal and delicate information that can be discovered from user accounts is included in social media privacy. Through posts and profile details, some of this information is freely disclosed. Tracking cookies, which keep tabs on a user’s online activities, including webpage views, social media sharing, and purchase history, can also unintentionally reveal information about the user. In order to sell the user segments to data brokers for marketing purposes, all the information is then gathered and categorized. Users of social media might be targeted by businesses’ marketing activities.

   Related Studies

   The researcher utilized published and unpublished dissertations and theses, manuals, and worldwide websites in looking for studies on social media effectiveness in influencing customer purchase decision.

   Foreign

   Below are the various foreign studies from different researchers that provided findings to enrich this present study.

   Ibrahim and Ganeshbabu (2018), investigated the impact of social media on marketing in his study entitled A Study on the Impact of Social Media Marketing Trends on Digital Marketing found that connecting with users would be the most crucial factor in digital marketing. The customer attachment strategies were displayed in the engagement ladder. The study also showed that in order for businesses to

   employ digital marketing efficiently, an efficient platform must be designed. The usefulness of a social media platform was examined using the example of Pinterest. The report also covered contemporary digital marketing trends. It demonstrated that in the current environment, it is crucial to integrate all systems with the digital platform. The shift of a newspaper from its printed version to its online version would serve as an example of the current trends in digitalization.

   Meanwhile, the study of Hooda and Ankur (2018) entitled Acceptance of Social Media as a Marketing Tool: A Quantitative Study revealed that social media users enjoyed clicking on advertising placed on social media pltforms and making purchases on social media sites, proving that consumers now would accept social media as a marketing tool and would not only utilize it as a social engine.

   Additionally, various factors, such as recommendations from friends, appealing advertisements, positive product evaluations, and aggressive pricing, were significant contributors to ad clicks. Product deception in advertising, bogus discounts, and site security were the main barriers to purchasing on. Compared to their male counterparts, female users clicked on social media adverts more often and made more purchases.

   Meanwhile, Mishra (2018) examined the various criteria used by online consumers to evaluate their options in his study titled “Criteria for Evaluation of Alternatives in Online Consumer Decision Making Process” found that the majority of the respondents’ evaluations of their alternatives were based on the products’ quality and their interactions with friends and family. Therefore, online retailers should create their marketing plans so that customers could decide to purchase the products after assessing the other alternatives.

   On the other hand, Ejupi (2017), examined the most popular social media platforms, the perspectives of representatives of various companies on the legitimacy of social media as a marketing channel, and whether they measured the effectiveness of their social media campaigns, in his study entitled “The Use of Social Media as a Marketing Tool in Kosovo: Current Trends and Opportunities”. The in-depth interviews with Kosovar companies revealed that social media marketing would get more attention as companies search for new ways to reach out to clients in the digital age. The results of the survey of prospective customers showed that they were open to social media marketing initiatives. Additionally, they believed that social media was a great tool for building relationships with brands, spreading information about products and services, and more while retaining a constructive mindset on social media marketing’s future. Last but not least, social media-specific education programs were encouraged to be developed in order to produce trained workers. The advent of specialists would drive businesses to focus on social media marketing departments, resulting in more effective campaigns. The issue with ROI measurement would as more and more resources would be allocated to social media marketing more probable to be resolved.

   Meanwhile, Li et al. (2019), explored the effectiveness of five SNSs and promotional activities and examined the impact of three identified metrics of social media engagement on the performance of the casual-dining restaurant industry in their study entitled Effectiveness of Social Media Marketing on Enhancing Performance: Evidence from a Casual-Dining Restaurant Setting. The study’s conclusions shed light on how efficiently monitoring social media engagement indicators might be a very helpful tool for improving casual-dining restaurant performance. The findings of this study demonstrated that the conversation rate would a key indicator of each casual dining establishment’s financial performance. It suggests that a greater volume of online comments would result in better financial results. In the context of e-commerce, more individuals would now look to online reviews more than they would do conventional kinds of word-of-mouth recommendations before visiting a store.

   Likewise, Farooq and Bowen (2020), investigates the decisive role of social media marketing in the restaurant industry of the UK in their study entitled Impact of Social Media Marketing on SME Restaurants in UK. The study found that restaurant management should not rely just on one social media channel. Because of this, cross promotion works well when one social media platform sees more interaction and engagement than the other. Restaurants need to improve their ability to use digital technology to get the correct information to the right people at the right time. Create the tools and technologies needed to support the personalization of experiences for individuals who contact with visitors directly, such as managers, servers, deliverers, caterers, and others. Give front-line staff real-time analytics so they may use it to instantly improve customer experiences. Putting information and empowerment in the hands of the customer will allow visitors to take control of their own travels. Social media marketing is a means for restaurants to remain top of mind with their customers.

   Moreover, Gupta and Chopra (2018) investigated the role of social media in consumers’ decision-making processes in their study entitled Impact of Social Media on Consumer Behaviour. Results show that shoppers in New Delhi, India are actively using social media sites to validate their purchasing selections. The majority of respondents regard social media as electronic word of mouth. Reviews and preferences expressed by previous customers on social media platforms influence potential customers’ purchasing decisions. When compared to individuals who used other information sources, social media users found decision making easier and more enjoyable. Those who thought the information on social media was of higher quality and quantity than expected were satisfied overall. The findings indicate that social media has no impact on consumer decision-making.

   Furthermore, Dessie et al. (2022) investigated how social media marketing affected consumers’ purchasing decisions in their study entitled “The Effects of Social Media Marketing on Consumers Buying Decision Making Processes: Evidence from College of Business and Economics Students, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. The

   study found and concluded that while users’ number of social media accounts were not a statistically significant factor in determining consumer buying behavior, other factors such as electronic word of mouth (E-WOM), users’ presence periods, social media ads, users’ level of trust, and users’ exposure times did.

   In the study of Brewer and Sebby (2021) they investigated the decisive roles of online menus visual appeal and informativeness in consumers purchase intentions in their study entitled The Effect of Online Restaurant Menus on Consumers Purchase Intentions during the COVID-19 Pandemic found that consumers’ desires for food and their perceptions of how convenient it is to order meals were found to respond positively to the stimulation of a professionally created online restaurant menu design. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it demonstrated that the menu design, along with the perceived danger of viral transmission, contributed to a strong purchase intention. According to this study, communicating with and educating target markets about menu items using eyecatching food product photographs and clear menu descriptions increased the likelihood that they would make a purchase.

   Meanwhile, Hwang et al. (2021) explored the impact of social media use of smartphones on consumers restaurant experiences in their study entitled The Impact of Social Media Use on Consumers Restaurant Consumption Experiences: A Qualitative Study. The results demonstrated a favorable relationship between customer satisfaction and the adoption of social media on cellphones. More specifically, customers’ intention to use social media was fulfilled when they saw that process, content, and social satisfaction were satisfied. This study made the argument that it would important to comprehend how consumers chose restaurant because none of the decision-making stages would independent; rather, they were all inextricably linked and had an impact on one another.

   On the other hand, Chen et al. (2022), investigated the impact of online product reviews on consumers purchasing decisions by using eye-tracking in their study entitled The Impact of Online Reviews on Consumers Purchasing Decisions: Evidence From an Eye-Tracking Study. The study discovered that, particularly for female conumers, consumers paid substantially more attention to negative remarks than to favorable ones. In addition, a strong association was found in the study between customers’ visual browsing habits and their propensity to buy. The study also showed that consumers became more dependent on review information as they decided whether to buy products since online comments encouraged online purchases.

   Local

   Below are the various related studies written by Filipino authors that provided findings to enrich this present study.

   Banzon et al. (2022) investigated the effectiveness of social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in helping to advertise small businesses in the National Capital Region (NCR) in their study entitled Effectiveness of Social Media Platforms in Advertising Small Local

   Businesses in the National Capital Region-Philippines. The research revealed that utilizing social media platforms and having access to a variety of ideas and chances helped generate better plans for reaching the marketing and sales objectives. Additionally, all of the participants thought that social media, particularly Facebook and Tiktok, was a less expensive and more efficient form of advertising. Moreover, they learned that social media advertising generated a wider range of potential customers, increased sales for their company, and provided a user-friendly, simple, and efficient way to enter the market. A decent visual display of the products would be necessary to draw in more buyers, thus it would be equally crucial for participants to gain certain personal and technical skills like photography and photo- editing while they engaged in the activity. Despite these benefits, there would still be drawbacks and difficulties associated with using social media for advertising. It would be simple to imitate, make an impact with, and utilize as a form of blackmail. Scammers, fake buyers, and trolls are other factors. However, it ensured that it received views and was seen by social media users. It did not guarantee a significant percentage of people would purchase the promoted product.

   Likewise, Bermoy et al. (2021), investigated the influence of social media as a marketing platform for food-related products in the new normal in his study entitled Influence of Social Media as a Marketing Platforms for Food-related Products in the New Normal. The findings showed that social media had no discernible impact on customer value for online food products. This indicates that customers favor traditional marketing techniques or advertisements. According to the survey, businesses should interact with customers more actively, use more creative yet informative product advertisements that aren’t repetitive, and pay attention to what customers have to say.

   Moreover, Suratos (2022), investigated the marketing strategies of selected restaurants in the four cities of Pangasinan in his study entitled Marketing Strategies of Selected Restaurants in the Four Cities of Pangasinan. One of the study’s findings showed that, compared to TikTok, Facebook was the social media platform that was most often used by restaurant businesses in the four cities of Pangasinan for marketing. This demonstrated that Facebook was a popular social media platform among Pangasinan’s restaurant businesses. Because of the rise of social media, customers became now more empowered and actively seeking out conversations and connections with brands as well as other consumers.

   Meanwhile, Belen et al. (2018) investigated the influence of social media in customers buying behavior in their study entitled Influence of Social Media on Customers Buying Behavior in Selected Casual Dining Restaurants. The results of the study showed that most respondents were millennials in the age range of 18 to 25. Respondents who used social media were typically employed and said it had a significant impact on their ability to find information. Customers’ purchasing decisions were unaffected by the respondent’s demographic profile. The majority of respondents strongly agreed that using social media to easily

   learn about some products would be highly convenient for them. When it came to the level of impact of social media on customer buying behavior in terms of product enhancement, the majority of respondents firmly believed that business produced or updated certain things in response to comments and reviews on social media. This illustrated that businesses considered the recommendations and criticisms made on social media.

   Likewise, Caraan et al. (2022) examined the impact of social media on customers’ purchasing decisions and discovered various elements that influenced how social media influenced consumers’ purchasing decisions in their study entitled “Impacts of Social Media on Consumer Buying Decision-Making Process”. The results of the study demonstrated a strong link between social media and customers’ purchasing decisions.

   Moreover, Arellano et al. (2022) investigated the influences of marketing of social media to the buying behavior of Filipino consumers in their study entitled The Influence of Social Media Marketing towards Filipino Buying Behavior. The study found that social media marketing strategies had a direct impact on customer purchasing behavior, particularly among Filipinos. Social media would a phenomena because it altered how people interacted and behaved. It changed from being a medium for communication to a marketing channel that helped companies in promoting and advertising their goods. But as more people would use social media, they unknowingly would change their purchase habits as a result of becoming dependent on it or addicted to it.

   Furthermore, Astoriano et al. (2022) examined how digital marketing affected the consumer behavior of Filipinos, specifically customer engagement and purchase intention in their study entitled The Impact of Digital Marketing on Customer Buying Intention of Customers in the Philippines found that digital marketing strategies, particularly social media marketing and email marketing, efficiently stimulated Filipino customers’ desire to make purchases. This would be made easier by the increased interaction between customers brought on by the Facebook and email marketing.

   On the other hand, Nolasco et al. (2019) investigated what factors influence College of Business Administration students’ attitudes about social media marketing as customers and what areas should be improved to avoid pushing the respondents into deceptive consumer buying behaviors, in their study entitled The Major Factor Influencing Consumers Attitude Towards Social Media Marketing as Perceived by College of Business Administration Students of PUP Manila. Based on the survey, word-of-mouth would be the primary factor affecting consumers’ attitudes toward social media marketing. The results showed that word-of-mouth marketing had a significant impact on consumers’ attitudes and that College of Business Administration students could quickly access information that could affect their purchasing decisions on Facebook, the respondents’ preferred social networking site.

   Meanwhile, Costales et al. (2022) investigated how the aesthetic value of restaurants affected customer satisfaction

   and the use of food aesthetics to construct a consumer satisfaction model was based on the image and atmosphere of the restaurant, the experiential value, as well as the consumption loyalty among restaurant establishments, in their study entitled Quantitative Study on Food Aesthetics, Marketing Mix, and Customers Satisfaction Among Restaurant Establishments in Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines. The study found that there was no significant correlation between the demographic profile and customers’ satisfaction; however, there was a significant correlation between the evaluation of food presentation aesthetics and customers’ satisfaction, as well as a significant correlation between the perception of the marketing mix efects and customers’ satisfaction.

   Arceo et al. (2018) investigated how social media and social media users affected purchase intention in the restaurant industry in their study entitled The Impact of Social Media Platforms to Online Consumers Intention to Purchase in Restaurant Industry. The study found that a variety of factors, including online convergence, social media platforms, usage frequency, and the types of social media users, could have an impact on whether or not people eat out or dine in. The theoretical framework created in this study demonstrated how various social media users could persuade customers to dine in or visit a restaurant through online convergence. Social media had an impact on both consumers and businesses that it would take use of its free, quicker, and more accessible features. The study made a significant contribution to the many unexplored areas of consumer behavior, social media influences, marketing and advertising, and food advertising research. The study also found that indicators such as the use of various social media platforms and their frequency could be used to forecast online convergence.

   Synthesis of the State-of-the-Art

   The researcher chose the relevant and significant papers to review from among those in the field based on foreign and local studies. In accordance with the present study, the works’ distinguishing characteristics are identified, and their similarities are recognized. First, the study of Chopra and Gupta (2018) which delved on the roles of social media in consumers’ decision-making processes of the shoppers in New Delhi, India. Social media sites validation on their purchasing selections became similar to the current study in a way that the present work tried to uncover the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision selected start-up restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte. The former differed as the previous study focused on shoppers while the present study was on customers of start-up restaurants. Arellano et al. (2022) dealt and the present study became related as both subjects were on influences of social media marketing towards Filipino consumers and customers purchase decision. They differed since the current study focused on the organized and specific sector on the start-up restaurants while the previous study delved on the individual customer only.

   Moreover, the studies of Arceo et al., (2018) on how social media and social media users affected purchase intention in the restaurant industry; Caraan et al. (2022) explored on the impact of social media on customer purchasing intention and various elements that influenced purchasing decisions; Astoriano et al. (2022) looked into how digital marketing affected the customer behavior of Filipino specifically on consumer engagement and purchase intention; Belen et al. (2018) examined the influence of social media on customer buying behavior in selected casual dining restaurant; Ibrahim and Ganeshbabu (2018) focused on the impact of social media on marketing and Nolasco et al. (2019) investigated on the factors that influenced the College of Business Administration students attitudes about social media marketing as customers. These previous studies had similarities as the current study also focused on the social media marketing and its influence on customer purchase decision. On the other hand, the studies of Li et al. (2019) focused on the effectiveness of Social Networking Sites and promotional activities and the impact of the three identified metrics of social media engagement on the performance of the casual-dining restaurant industry and Suratos (2022) both dealt with the marketing strategies of restaurants. They had bearing with the current study in terms of the effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool and its importance in the restaurants. While the previous studies focused only on specific groups, sectors, and social media platforms, the current study tried to assess the social media marketing strategy of the start-up restaurants in a specific town and how it influences customer purchase decision.

   The study of Bermony et al. (2021) delved on the influence of social media as a marketing platform for food-related products in the new normal. Although the previous and current studies were similar as to the focus on the theme which was social media marketing and food industry, both studies were distinct to each other since the previous one focused on the promotion of online food products while the present study directed on the promotion restaurant dishes or service of that the researcher tried to find out in a face-to- face manner.

   Furthermore, Hooda and Ankur (2018) focused on the acceptance of social media as a marketing tool by social media users and Hwang et al. (2021) examined

   the impact of social media on the use of smartphones on consumers restaurant experiences. The focus on social media marketing and customer technological

   competence became the point of similarities of the two. The current study differed from these other studies in that it concentrated on the importance of social media as a tool for marketing and its effectiveness in influencing consumer purchasing decisions.

   Meanwhile, the study of Misha (2018) delved on the criteria used by online consumers to evaluate their options on social media and the research of Chen et al. (2022) examined the

   impact of online reviews on consumers purchasing decisions by using eye-tracking. The previous studies had similarities to the current study as the latter focused on online reviews and evaluation of alternatives. The current study differed from these previous studies were on the evaluation of online reviews as one alternative to be measured.

   Moreover, the studies of Ejupi (2017) centered on the use of social media as a marketing tool; Kosovo, Farooq and Bowen (2020) in their research on impact

   of social media marketing in the restaurant industry in UK, Banzon et al. (2022) in their study on the effectiveness of social media platforms in advertising small local business in the National Capital Region-Philippines, while some of the previous studies focused on role, impact, influence and effects of social media marketing of MSMEs and social media marketing platforms on customer purchase decision, the current study has been an independent capacity of the researcher and focused on the effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool for selected start-ups of Daet, Camarines Norte.

   Lastly, the studies of Brewer and Sebby (2021) delved on the decisive roles of online menus visual appeal and informativeness in consumers purchase

   intentions, Costales et al. (2022) focused on the use of food aesthetics to construct a consumer satisfaction model based on the image and atmosphere of the restaurant, the experiential value, as well as the consumption loyalty among restaurant establishments. These previous studies had bearing to the current study since the former studies used menus and graphics that were visually appealing to customers to persuade them to make a purchase. In addition, previous studies were interconnected to the current study because the micro effects of utilizing social media its influence on customer purchase decision in the current study would have a macro impact in the global context. In addition, the latter study differed from the previous study in that it

   evaluated the effectiveness of online menus and food aesthetics in influencing consumer purchasing decisions.

   Nonetheless, based on the various studies

   presented above, there are no studies yet to be done addressing the challenges encountered by the customers relative to their purchasing decision. Hence, to bridge the gap, the researcher decided to conduct this study.

5. THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

   This study was anchored from the theoretical support of the Engel Kollat Blackwell Model on the influence of social media on customer purchase decision. The Engel-Kollat- Blackwell (EKB) theory wasappropriately referred to as a decision-process model since its main objective was to identify the mental processes customers used to decide whether to buy, repurchase, or reject a product. It was

   developed in 1968 by James L. Engel, David T. Kollat and Roger D. Blackwell. Based on this model, customers view the majority of marketing materials through billboards, online advertisements, or in-person displays. They proceed to information processing using the facts gained from various resources, combining that input with experience and expectations to make the best decision for their current situation. They proceed to the following step based on their rational understanding, in which they make a purchasing decision based on the information they gathered.

   The decision-making process is divided into five stages: recognizing a need, gathering information, assessing alternatives, purchasing (or selecting), and post-purchase results. In the first stage, customers initially notice a gap between things’ ideal and actual conditions when the issue is first being identified. Searching for solutions to this problem is what comes next. Using internal sources (their own memories), previous experience, or external sources, the consumer looks for information about opportunities that are available.

   In the evaluation of alternatives, customers evaluate and assess the possible variants of choice in order to make the best judgments. The evaluation of products on the market influences the purchase decision. But other factors, such as price changes, customer family circumstances, and changes in income, may also have an impact on the choice. The post- purchase behavior stage of the consumer choice process is where the customer decides whether he is satisfied or dissatisfied with a purchase. A customer will share favorable or unfavorable impressions of the goods depending on whether they are satisfied or dissatisfied. At this stage, companies attempt to persuade customers to buy by providing them with positive post-purchase communication.

   The Engel Kollat Blackwell Model was used in the study with the presumption that customers also go through customer purchase decision process via social media and social media campaigns has different advantages in terms of establishing a long- term relation with clients and overall operations of start-up restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte.

   In order to have a strong customer relationship it is necessary to understand how customers make a purchasing decision after they recognize a need, information they gathered, options they evaluated and actual purchase decision they made. The post-purchase evaluation was disregarded because customers engage in many different purchasing procedures. Each customer goes through the same basic steps when deciding which products and services will best meet their needs, but not everyone completes the final step of the evaluation process after making a purchase.

   Figure 1 demonstrates how start-up restaurants can use social media to engage with their customers while taking into account the five stages of the decision-making process. To establish a strong customer relationship, it is necessary to

   understand how customers make decisions about what they buy, when they buy and how they buy. It also emphasizes the need of researching about customer purchasing decisions via social media in order to assist start-up owners and marketers in capitalizing on this process by anticipating how social media affects customers to make a purchase. It helps to determine what drives these decisions as well as highlighting strategies for proactively manipulating purchase decision. It will enable start-up restaurants to learn more about their target audience and craft dishes, services, and social media campaign to constantly influence buying habits by analyzing them to figure out how to persuade customers to purchase their dishes and services.

   Therefore, with the right social media campaign plan, the challenges of the customers relative to their purchasing decision will be lessened and persuade entrepreneurs to use social media as a marketing tool. Hence, by paying attention to their customers’ purchasing patterns, start-up restaurants can launch dishes and service that they are more likely to purchase. The theoretical paradigm can be found on the next page.

   Figure 1. Theoretical Paradigm of the Study

6. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

   Figure 2 presents the Conceptual Model of the study. The focus of the study is the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision and improving the marketing component of start-up restaurant business in Daet, Camarines Norte. Shown in the paradigm are the three components namely input, process and output. The input was conceptualized in the manner such as the profile of the customers in terms of age, sex, educational attainment, commonly used social media platforms, frequency of service availment; the level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision; and the challenges encountered by the respondents relative to their purchase decision.

   The process of data gathering tools used by the researcher like survey questionnaires and informal interviews served

   as the main instruments in providing information for data presentation, and data analysis. The output was to formulate and propose an effective social media campaign plan for start-up restaurant owners in Daet, Camarines Norte to realize the value of using social media to establish their business, promote restaurant dishes or service and interact with their customers. The output will persuade startup restaurant owners to embrace social media campaign plan, which will help them and their marketers reach their target audience, use the best tools for running their campaign, and monitor the campaigns progress consistently. The output will specifically address challenges encountered by the customers relative to their purchasing decision.

   Figure 2. Conceptual Paradigm of the Study

7. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

   This chapter presents the design and procedures used during the conduct of the study. It provides the methodology and presents the study locale, sources of data, data gathering instrument, sampling technique, procedure of the study, and statistical treatment of the study. Method of Research The study was based on descriptive- correlational research design. Questionnaires were provided to know the point of view of respondents regarding the effectiveness of social media marketing in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives and the challenges encountered by the respondents relative to their purchasing decision. An interview and observation were also conducted to the respondents to effectively gather information about present existing conditions needed in the study.

   According to Sousa et al. (2007), research designs are most often classified as either quantitative or qualitative. However, it is becoming more common for investigators to combine, or mix, multiple quantitative and/or qualitative designs in the same study. Descriptive correlational studies describe the variables and the relationships that occurred naturally between and among them. Descriptive research design provides a relatively complete picture of what is occurring at a given time. It allows the development of questions for further study. Correlational research design allows testing of expected relationships between 50 and

   among variables and the making of predictions. It can assess these relationships in everyday life events (Stangor and Walinga 2019).

   Population, Sample Size, and Sampling Technique

   The research was conducted in an area where social media and online marketing are widely used and recognized. The study took place in Daet, Camarines Norte, specifically in urban barangays: Barangays I to VIII, and the researcher selected three hndred eighty (380) respondents at random to represent the population of the customers who used social media platforms to purchase products and services. The researcher considered only one respondent per household.

   Purposive sampling technique was used by the researcher to include and consider the study’s real objective, specifically the customers of start-up restaurants. This technique was employed since the researcher needed to identify and select customers from a large population of the urban barangays of Daet, Camarines Norte, who had social media accounts and who had purchased goods and services using social media platforms.

   Description of Respondents

   The respondents were customers with social media account/s in the urban barangays of Daet’s municipality. They were those who made online purchases of products and services. They were the customers who purchased dishes and services from restaurants in the food industry in 2023. The identified customers were the representatives per household who have social media accounts and 51 made purchases via social media.

   In this study, the researchers used of primary data collected through observation, interviews, and survey responses from the respondents. Three hundred eighty (380) customers of start-up restaurants from urban barangays of Daet, Camarines Norte comprised the sample of respondents. Research Instrument The relevant data to support the objectives of this study was acquired using survey- questionnaires. The researcher used alternatives to widen reading, as well as internet, and library research resourcing to gather inputs integrated in the survey-questionnaire which was constructed based on the major research objectives. The researcher used survey method in gathering data. It was a descriptive research method. The survey form utilized in this study was composed of three (3) significant parts. The first part of the survey form sought to gather data about the profile of the customers.

   Meanwhile, the second part served to know the level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision. Finally, the third part was to identify the challenges encountered by the customers of selected start-up restaurants of Camarines Norte in using social media platforms in purchasing products and services. The researcher used various data collection instruments to gather the necessary data for the research study. These tools included survey questionnaires, and interviews.

   In order to help the researcher determined the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer

   purchase decision as well as the challenges encountered by the respondents in using social media when making online purchases, the questionnaires given to the respondents were divided into two parts: 1) personal data profile of the respondents and 2) survey questionnaires. The survey questionnaires were distributed to the respondents as means of retrieving primary data for the study.

   The researcher also measured statistical data for the commonly used social media platforms by the respondents, the frequency of service availment made on social media platforms per month, the level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of problem recognition; information search; evaluation of alternatives; and purchase decision, and the challenges encountered by customers in using social media relative to their purchasing decision. Rating scales and response anchors were also designed in reference to the variables identified in this study. Upon answering, the respondents of sthe research study were asked to check the space provided for each chosen option. Purposive Sampling Technique was used to determine the number of customers of start-up restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte. The researcher selected a group of respondents composing of three hundred eighty (380) members only in purpose customers of selected startup restaurants in urban barangays of Daet, Camarines Norte.

   Data Gathering Procedure

   In order to meet ethical considerations and data privacy requirements in research, the researcher followed a step-by- step procedure which included obtaining the Research Committee of the Graduate School’s approval as well as the consent of the customers-respondents. Letter request was attached to the survey questionnaire and sent to the qualified customers.

   In order to determine whether the survey questions were sufficient to address the issues raised in the study, the researcher additionally conducted an interview to evaluate the validity, reliability, and accuracy of the questionnaire. The researcher ensured that the ethical standards for conducting the interview were upheld. An interview was conducted exclusively for customers of start-up restaurants that were not among the respondents. The dry run was also conducted specifically for twenty (20) customers outside urban barangays.

   Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.938 indicated an excellent internal consistency within the items on the challenges, according to the results of the pilot testing using Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Test for Level of Effectiveness. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.873 indicated a good internal consistency within the items on the challenges. The test scores of 0.938 indicated a higher reliability coefficient, which implies that the result was reliable.

   Statistical Treatment of Data

   Statistical method and techniques were employed for a better interpretation of the data collected. The researcher used frequency distribution through tables to represent the respondents’ feedback in terms of the profile of the start-up

   restaurants customers, the level of effectiveness of social media platforms, significant relationship between the profile of the customers and the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision, and the challenges encountered by the respondents relative to their purchasing decision.

   Additionally, the frequency provided the actual answer from the respondents to a certain question or list item. After determining the frequencies, the percentage distribution technique was applied. This method was used to explain the study’s demographic profile and the distribution of respondents among different categories. Somers Delta Correlation Coefficient (d) was used to determine the relationship which might exist between the respondents perception on the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision and educational attainment and age profile; Point Biserial Correlation (rpb) was used to determine the relationship to sex; Rank Biserial Correlation (rrb) for commonly used social media platforms; and Pearson Correlation (r) for frequency of service availment.

8. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

   This chapter discussed the findings, analyses, and interpretations of data gathered on customers of start-up restaurants in Camarines Norte, as well as the level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of: problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, and actual purchase decision and the challenges encountered relative to their purchasing decision through the administration of the survey questionnaire. The findings of the study were determined using relevant statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, ranking, and weighted mean.

   Profile of the Customers

   The respondents of this study were customers of start-up restaurants of Daet, Camarines Norte who were described in terms of age, sex, educational attainment, commonly used social media platforms, and frequency of service availment per month as these variables had influence on the focus of the current study. Data are presented in Tables 1 to 5.

   Age.

   Table 1 shows that the majority of customer-respondent which 38.9 percent were between the ages of 15 and 19 years old with 148 out of 80 respondents. The customer- respondent 20 to 24 age group accounted for 27.4 percent with 104 out of 380 respondents. While the customer- respondent belonged to 60-64 age group accounted 0.8 percent with 2 respondents while only 0.5 percent belonged to 66 and above age group with 2 out of 380 respondents.

   Table 1

   Profile of the Respondents as to Age

   Age	Frequency	Percentage (%)
   15-19	148	38.9
   20-24	104	27.4
   25-29	41	10.8
   30-34	29	7.6
   35-39	15	4.7
   40-44	9	3.9
   45-49	5	2.4
   50-54	6	1.3
   55-59	3	1.6
   60-64	2	.8
   65 and above	2	.5
   Total	380	100

    

   studies on social media use. Approximately 84 percent of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 report used social networking sites at some point, which is comparable to the

   81 percent of those between the ages of 30 and 49. In contrast, fewer than half (45 percent) of people 65 and older report using social media sites, whereas a somewhat greater percentage (73 percent) of people ages 50 to 64 did.

   Sex. As per Table 2, 40.5 percent of customer respondents are male, while 59.5 percent are female. Table 2 can be found on the next page.

   Table 2

   Profile of the Respondents as to Sex

   The findings revealed that respondents who were between the ages of 15 and 19 made up the majority. They were known for being deeply connected with technology. They

   Sex Frequency Percentage (%)

   used social media to communicate and engage with others. They purchased on social media platforms and were ready to provide evaluations for their purchases. This implies that the most frequent and active social media users are members of Generation Z. According to Yadav and Rai (2017), the 14 to 25- year-old Generation Z is more likely than other

   Male Female Total

   generations to prefer online social networks for communication and interaction with people they know. They also value other people’s opinions and are happy to provide active feedback and comments about the products, services, and issues in which they are either directly or indirectly involved.

   The results also showed that the 20 to 24 age group used social media. This indicates that people in this age bracket are also part of Generation Z, which 58 consists of college- age and young professionals who utilize social media platforms for both their personal and professional lives. According Nolasco et al. (2019), there were 21 million active users in the Philippines who were between the ages of 18 and 24 and make up around 33 percent of all social media users. In the Philippines, this age group is primarily composed of young adults who are still in college or are just starting their careers. Given this, it’s interesting to observe how social media platforms, like Facebook, are connected to both users’ personal and professional lives.

   Adults between the ages of 60 and 64 and 65 and above had two responses, as shown in the table. It is as a result of the low number of older users who had social media accounts. They still find email and online news more interesting than social media platforms. If they had one, they would use it to stay in touch with friends, family, and coworkers, but not for online transactions. This indicates that social media usage varies by generation. Based on the survey conducted by Pew Research Center year 2021, there are some noticeable age differences which followed a pattern found in other Center

   Social media usage differed between men and women. The findings revealed that women used social media more frequently. This indicates that women use various social media platforms differently, with women somewhat leading men in their online activity. They are more likely to see advertisements for new restaurants, visit them, and take advantage of the dishes or services they offer. In the study of Hooda and Ankur (2018), they found that gender had a significant impact on the decision to click advertisements and the decision to make a purchase after doing so. Females had a higher likelihood of clicking on adverts with 43.8 percent than did males with 34.6 percent, and they also had a higher likelihood of making purchases with 68.3 percent than did males with 31 percent.

   The findings also revealed that 40.5 percent of the respondents were men. It is because men utilize social media to establish their power by learning more about others or networking. They generally use social media to build influence. Men use social media to check product quality and read consumer reviews as they shop. According to Richardson (2022), men typically used social media in a passive manner, but women engaged in it more actively. Women used social media in greater numbers, but men were more inclined to post about things like politics, introspective ideas, and business.

   Educational Attainment.

   In Table 3, the majority of respondents 28.2 percent acquired college level. The high school level was next,

   accounting for 23.7 percent or 90 customers. Vocational level got 2.9 percent, while elementary level and with units in doctorate degree both contributed five percent. Table 3 can be found on the next page.

   Table 3

   Profile of the Respondents as to Educational Attainment

   Educational Attainment Frequency Percentage

   		(%)
   Elementary Level	2	0.5
   Elementary Graduate	4	1.1
   Highschool Level	90	23.7
   Highschool Graduate	72	18.9
   Vocational	11	2.9
   College Level	107	28.2
   College Graduate	76	20.0
   With units (Masters	16	4.2
   Degree)		0.5
   With units (Doctorate Degree) Total	2 380	100

   Based on the result of the survey, majority of the customers acquired college level as higher educational attainment. They were knowledgeable on how to use social media and were more capable of buying ICT devices and internet packages in either at a pricey or affordable cost. This implies that knowledge is necessary in order to utilize social media and the digital devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc. that are used to access social media. In the survey conducted by Pew Research Center year 2019, people with a secondary education or higher were more likely to use social media and messaging services and there were significant gaps in usage for most of these platforms. Adults with a secondary education or above were more likely to own their own cell phone than adults with less than a secondary education in all of the nations assessed.

   The result also revealed that customers who acquired at least high school level had the capacity to avail services on social media and the ability to buy gadgets and internet packages. This implies that higher-level of education allows people to fulfill their basic needs and wants that include having a gadget and socia media accounts and making transactions online. Gonzales (2020) explained the result of a recent Pew Research Center survey indicates significant internet usage disparities between older and

   The findings also revealed that customers with higher educational attainment of just elementary were less likely to use the internet because they lacked of fund to purchase a device and internet packages or to own an internet connection and insufficient awareness on how to utilize various social media features. In the study of Ucar et al. (2021) low-income or low-education areas were more likely to engage in video streaming or social media and less likely to engage in news consumption, information searching, e-mail, or audio streaming, given the connection, those with variety of income, educational attainment and inequality. It could accurately determine the socioeconomic level of a small area or even its Gini coefficient only from aggregated data traffic since the digital usage gap would be so enormous. The findings supported the need for a low-cost, privacy-preserving, real- time, 62 scalable method of using mobile phone data to comprehend the digital divide and, in turn, poverty, unemployment, or economic growth in the society.

   It was also found that customers with units in doctoral degrees did not actively utilize social media. This would be due to the fact that they would prioritize their academic interests over social media use in their spare time. This implies that they are more likely to utilize social media for academic purposes and personal connection to the community than for purchasing. Le Busque and Mingoiab (2021) asserted that the personal connection to the community, science communication, motivation and learning, and networking were the most frequent reasons postgraduate students used social media for postgraduate- related activities. Self-branding, reaching a wide audience, science communication, and creating a postgraduate community were the top motivations for uploading postgraduate content online. In general, postgraduate students use social media frequently for postgraduate objectives, which give chances to lessen the drawbacks of the postgraduate objectives.

   Commonly Used Social Media Platforms.

   In table 4, it was presented that Facebook ranked first with

   376 customer-respondents out of 380, Youtube ranked second with 273 out of 380 respondents, Tiktok ranked third with 227 out of 380 responses, Instagram ranked fourth with 199 out of 380 responses, Twitter ranked fifth with 82 out of 380 responses, Pinterest ranked sixth with 55 out of 380 responses, LinkedIn ranked seventh with 16 out of 380 responses, Telegram ranked eighth with two responses and Viber and none ranked last or 9.5 with one response, respectively.

   Table 4

   Profile of the Respondents as to Commonly Used Social Media Platforms

   younger Filipinos, as well as those with low and high

   educational attainment. Individuals with higher education,

   Platforms Frequency Rank

   defined by the study as those who completed secondary education and above, used the internet at least occasionally

   or owned a smartphone as compared to individuals with less education.

   Facebook	376	1
   Tiktok	227	3
   Instagram	199	4
   Youtube	243	2
   Twitter	82	5

    

   Table 5

   Profile of the Customers as to Frequency of Service Availment per Month

   Pinterest	55	6		Service Availment	Frequenc	y Percentage
   LinkedIn	16	7		1-2 transactions per	201	52.9
   Telegram	2	8		month
   Viber	1	9.5		3-4 transactions per	97	25.5
   None	1	9.5		month
   				5-6 transactions per	38	10.0

   Social media was used by customers of start-up restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte to learn more about restaurant dishes and services. The findings revealed that a significant number of customers actively used different social media platforms. Based on the data presented in table 4, out of the nine options, customers chose Facebook and Youtube as the two most commonly used social media platforms. Customers ranked YouTube second and Facebook first in terms of social media sites. This implies that the use of various social media services and platforms is widespread, with users including customers. Facebook and Youtube

   month

   7-8 transactions per month

   9-10 transactions per month

   10 & above

   transactions per month

   Total

   appear to be dominating the online world and that customers use them not only to socialize and communicate with others

   but also to make purchases of products and services. Dessie et al. (2022), examined respondents’ preferences for social media platforms. The findings revealed that 36.9 percent of respondents preferred Facebook, 22.6 percent of respondents preferred YouTube, 11.3 percent of respondents preferred Instagram, and the remainder preferred the remaining platforms. Facebook came out on top in this study as the most popular social networking site.

   The results of the present study also showed that Viber ranked last among the commonly used social media platforms. This implies that only a small number of people are aware of this platform and that users of Viber use it as free instant messengers that let them communicate with friends rather than for making online transactions. Based on the September 2021 study performed by Statista in the Philippines, an overwhelming majority of the adult population of the country utilized Facebook Messenger to connect with family members and/or close friends, Viber, which was utilized by 5 percent of the surveyed Filipino internet users, came in second by a wide margin.

   Frequency of Service Availment.

   Table 5 shows how frequently customers used social media to avail services. Data showed that majority of the respondents 52.9 percent availed one to two services on social media per month. Only six out of 380 respondents (or 1.3 percent) used seven to eight service availments per month.

   The result revealed that majority of the customers availed services on social media and made one to two transactions per month. These customers purchased 65 for a variety of reasons such as price, specials and discounts, and convenience, these customers ordered lunch and snack dishes as well as catering and buffet service. The result implies that customers use social media to avail services because of affordability, promotions, advertisements, and convenience and have the ability to do so for at least two service availment per month. As explained by Varghese and Agrawal (2021), it is clear that individuals who favored discounts and promotions on social media made impulsive purchases. Additionally, those who avoided making unplanned purchases on social media do not favor discounts and promotions there.

   The result also revealed that 97 out of 380 customers made three to four transactions per month. This was the result of their being drawn to social media osts on the dishes or services offered by restaurants and their satisfaction with the purchases they made on social media platforms used by the restaurants. This implies that social media facilitates online transactions between restaurants and customers. Hooda and Ankur (2018) claimed that users of social media do enjoy clicking on advertising posted on these sites and making purchases there, showing that people started to accept social media as a powerful tool for marketing. Customers who were influenced by social media tended to spend four times as much as they would otherwise, they got attracted to the

   products that they used social media to make their purchases the same day.

   On the other hand, some customers who frequently make repeat purchases and are happy with their earlier purchases can afford to make transactions in social media platforms seven to eight times each month. The findings imply that, due to 66 customer satisfaction, certain users may be able to complete more than one or two transactions every month on social media networking sites. According to Liang et al. (2018), customers who were satisfied were more likely to make more purchases than those who were unsatisfied. Repurchase intention refers to a consumer’s desire to buy a good or service again after having previously enjoyed its advantages and excellence.

   Level of Effectiveness of Social Media Platforms in Influencing Customer Purchase Decision

   The following data on the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decisions were gathered: problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, and actual purchase decision. Tables 6 to10 show the responses as presented and discussed here.

   Problem Recognition.

   Overall, the level of effectiveness of social media in

   influencing customer purchase decisions in terms of problem recognition, 10 out of 10 indicators were rated extremely effective, received overall weighted mean of 4.27 and was interpreted as extremely effective, indicating that the need existed among customers but they might not be aware of it. The findings demonstrated that social media helped customers became more aware of their needs. The content of social media campaign and new restaurant menu being shared on social media and friends comparison of restaurant dining experience via social media that catches the interest of new customers and product triers found to be extremely effective in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of problem recognition with 4.34 and 4.33 weighted mean respectively.

   Meanwhile, the indicators stating that testimonials on social media that 67 make customers relate in the context of a real- world setting had the lowest weighted mean of 4.16, which was interpreted as very effective, indicating a solid result.

   Results showed that the content of social media campaigns enabled customers to access information about the restaurant dishes or service, which indicates the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of problem recognition. Restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte,

   benefit from the advantages that social media explicitly offers businesses in terms of promotion and advertising. Due to the fact that social media campaign posting on social networking sites is free, restaurants choose to use this feature since they can reach more customers and increase visibility without having to spend a lot of money.

   The result implies social media content that can be viewed in social mediacan assist customers in recognizing a need to try restaurant dishes or service. As indicated in the study of Kapoor et al. (2017) customer reviews, which were significant components of social media as well, raised questions about the accuracy, reliability, and validity of the content.

   In contrast, according to Beig and Khan (2018), Social Media Marketing reached the targeted audiences to increase the effect of the information being shared by building strong relationships in the online community. This is opposed to blog marketing and keyword advertising that were linked with content. Social media service providers must therefore examine ways to increase the impact of SMMAs. Operators should become more active on the forum in order to improve SMMAs.

   The results also revealed that the new restaurant menu also excites customers to try restaurant dishes or service found to be extremely effective. This happens as a result of

   customers learning about updates to restaurant menu items or service options. It implies that updated restaurant menus posted on social media assist customers in realizing the need of trying a dish or service they have seen on the menu. Brewer and Sebby (2021), asserted that in the business world, marketers worked to advertise their products using persuading words and visuals in order to influence customer purchasing decisions. The descriptions of menu items are crucial communication tools for restaurants since they inform customers about the products or food items they offered. The two key areas of menu item descriptions that received the most attention in existing research is the information that should be presented on the menu and how menu item descriptions affect customers’ sentiments and subsequent purchases.

   Friends comparison of restaurant dining experiences on social media found to be extremely effective in attracting new customers and product triers. In the

   study of Chen et al. (2022) it was found that online comments helped consumers purchase online, which in turn made them more reliant on review data to determine the value of things and decided whether to purchase them.

   Customers submit reviews on restaurants’ social media pages or accounts when they visit them, whether they are pleased with the dishes they purchased, the service they received, or even when they had negative experience. These reviews impact the restaurants image as a measure of customer satisfaction and experience. The result indicates how powerful social media testimonials are in getting customers to relate in a real-world scenario. In the study of Chen et al. (2022) it was found that online reviews were becoming more and more important to consumers as they decided what to buy and how to evaluate a product’s quality

   70 in the e-commerce industry. Online comments help people purchase online more easily. This was supported by the study of Khadka and Maharjan (2017), which discovered that sharing reviews about the companies’ products and services with others, existing customers could help in attracting in new customers. It is challenging to assess whether customers are pleased with the products services accessibility. Giving customers what they want is therefore a difficult undertaking because several factors must be taken into account.

   Information Search.

   In Table 7, 10 out of 10 indicators got a weighted average of

   4.23 with an interpretation as extremely effective to the level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of information search. Nevertheless, the indicators pertaining to search for popular dishes, daily deals, and upcoming events of start-up restaurants were made easy for customers on social media, information about restaurants and their locations were accessible in social media, and list of

   restaurant dishes or service in a Product Information System (PIS) or in the menu can be easily accessed by customers which scored the highest 4.31 and interpreted under extremely effective, while the indicators such as positive eWOM (Word-of-Mouth) communications can be searchable on social media, search for exchange opinions and experiences about various restaurant dishes or service of friends and followers can easily be found on social media and real time viewing on social media relationship between restaurants and customers scored the lowest 4.10, 4.14 and 4.16, respectively and interpreted very effective.

   Since restaurants in Daet, Camarines Note, are already utilizing social media platforms for marketing and advertising, customers are aware of how to look for information about the restaurant as well as the dishes or services they offer. The result implies that social media could be used to access information about restaurants and their locations, as well as information about popular dishes, daily specials, and future events. According to Canet et al. (2021) online businesses became significantly aided by social media. It is now a widely available and practical instrument for customer advertising and sales. Stories, images, videos, status updates, and even a daily event or way of company are shared. Advertising food products by creating original material and using thumbnails to draw viewers in became common practices when uploading videos. Various meals are posted on social media with their prices so that customers can purchase them straight from the seller.

   Customers can readily view a list of restaurant offerings in a Product Information System (PIS) or on the menu prove to be extremely effective in determining the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decisions in terms of information search. This

   implies restaurant’s menu offers convenience to customers that can quickly get information about restaurant dishes or services on the PIS without having to search for each item individually. Hwang et al. (2021) asserted that searching for information with regard to restaurant selection using social media created more results than typing in other keywords, which can imply that customers restaurant decision-making needs are based on a lot of information, as restaurant choice has much uncertainty compared 73 to other purchasing decisions. Therefore, customer activities of information searching and decreasing risk before entering a restaurant could be viewed as a vital procedure.

   Search for exchange opinions and experiences about various restaurant dishes or service and positive eWOM (Word-of- Mouth) communications got very effective. This is mainly because customers in Daet, Camarines Norte can easily search information about testimonials on restaurant dishes or service as well as dining experiences. This implies that customers look for evaluations and satisfied comments prior to making a purchase. This was strengthened by the study of Gupta and Chopra (2020) where they emphasized that people started using online networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn from all around the world to share their experiences as customers, people exchanged item audits, information about a help, advice on nutrition or health, warnings about products, instructions on how to use specific objects, and much more.

   Evaluation of Alternatives.

   The indicator with highest rating were colorful and attractive design, as well as aesthetically pleasing dishes uploaded on social media that helped customers decide whether or not to purchase with 4.43 rating; feedback on specific restaurant dishes and service features in the social media platforms that help customers evaluate previous customers’ reviews with 4.38 rating; and excellent restaurant dishes or service assessments on social media that assist customers in determining the best offerings with 4.36 rating. Meanwhile, the indicators with the lowest ratings were as follows: comparison of the restaurant dishes or service in the social media for customer convenience had a score of 74 4.12, and effortless searching on social that assist customers to choose the best restaurant and comparison of marketers’ promotional communications using social messaging features that assist customers in evaluating restaurant advertising campaigns with 4.18 ratings, respectively.

   In terms of level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of evaluation of alternatives, it is found that colorful and attractive design, as well as aesthetically pleasing dishes uploaded on social media helped customers decide whether or not to purchase. Customers in Daet, Camarines Norte chose to dine at restaurants with “Instagramable” décor because they want to take pictures while staying there and share dishes they ordered and their dining experiences on social media. This implies that appealing restaurant interior designs and the way dishes are presented always make an impression on customers. In the study of Costales et al. (2022) they highlighted that a restaurant’s aesthetic value would be the ambiance established to affect customers’ tastes and behavior. The physical attributes and interior design of a restaurant could affect how customers feel about it. The basic aesthetic elements of restaurants, such as music, design, temperature, cleanliness, lighting, colors, and aroma, could be improved by restaurant owners to give customers a more memorable dining experience.

   Additionally, Rajput and Gahfoor (2020), asserted that customers judged a restaurant’s quality by its cleanliness, unique, cozy atmosphere, physical condition, and other ambiance-creating features. In service industries including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, retail establishments, and banks, the impact of the physical environment on customer behavior is evident. Customer satisfaction is influenced by the physical environment.

   The findings also revealed that previous customers feedback on specific restaurant dishes and service assisted customers to decide whether to purchase or not. This is because of the ease with which customers might share feedback on the dishes or service they received at restaurants on social media. This implies that reviews left by customers on social media sites help other customers decide which options are best. In the study of Chua (2020) it was emphasized that online reviews left by other customers on

   the effectiveness of the products and services offered seem to offer a hint as to whether the company might be trusted. Prior to actual consumption, it was discovered to lessen the perceived risk and doubt among consumers. Consumers undeniably depended more and more on online search and review engines when making judgments about which products to buy.

   On the other hand, customer convenience was found to be very effective in terms effects of social media in influencing customer evaluation of alternatives when comparing restaurant dishes or service. Restaurants in Daet, Camarines Norte are already leveraging social media platforms for their business because there are a lot of options for restaurant dishes or service that are available on social media. This implies that start-ups in the restaurant industry are aware of their competitors’ social media marketing strategies. According to Mishra (2018) the online purchasing experience produced advantages and disadvantages. The main benefit of digital purchasing would the large range of products available to shoppers. The availability of a wide variety made it tough for customers to choose. When the purchase might be made online, the evaluation of alternatives became more challenging. Online shoppers might need to get information from a variety of sources alternatives being an important part of the decision-making process for customers which would involve the evaluation of alternatives using an array of criteria.

   Effortless search on social media platforms also found to be very effective in terms of evaluation of alternatives. This means that customers find certain challenges when evaluating options available on social media such as restaurant dishes or service and that they must put up some effort to select the best restaurant on social media. In contrast, according to Hwang et al. (2021) the opinions and experiences of other users could easily be accessed by current customers who made decisions online through online forums or review sites which could affect the decision- making process as a whole.

   Actual Purchase Decision.

   Table 9 shows that 10 out of 10 indicators generally interpreted as extremely effective in accordanceto the level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of actual purchase decision. They were best at high resolution images of restaurant dishes or service inspire customers to make purchase with 4.36 rating, along with user-generated content from strangers about restaurant a social media dishes or service persuade customers to purchase, and posting of the customers dining experiences on restaurant make other viewers to purchase both having a rate of 4.35.

   Meanwhile, the indicators stating that referrals system on social media convince customers to make purchase received the lowest score of 4.21, along with the after viewing other customers social media videos and images, customers make purchases and repeat purchase done conveniently by customers social media both having a weighted mean of

   4.22 indicating that these indicators also influenced customers purchase decision.

   In terms of level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer actual purchase decision, the result revealed that high resolution images of restaurant dishes or service are extremely effective. Customers perceive high- resolution photos of restaurant dishes on the menu or service posted on social media had a high level of food or service quality. This implies that the visual appeal of restaurant dishes or service are of high quality that attract customers attention and encourage them to make a purchase. According to Chun and Nyam-Ochira (2020), a crucial factor in choosing a restaurant to eat at would be food quality, which research repeatedly proved to be a key value that consumers took into account. A wide range of menu options, food temperature, food presentation, flavor, and food freshness became the subject of several studies looking at the quality of food. Customer satisfaction and the likelihood that they would return could be seen as strongly correlated with food quality.

   Posting of the other customers dining experiences as well as user-generated content from strangers (customer reviews, testimonials, social media posts, and blog posts) about restaurant a social media dishes or service are also found to be extremely effective in persuading customers to purchase. This indicates that customers could make decisions about purchasing restaurant dishes or services after gathering all the information, including customers previous dining experience and viewing user generated content. In the study of Chua et al., (2020) they explained that when customers would choose a restaurant to eat at, they could give menu pricing precedence over the other eight factors (word-of- mouth, online customer reviews, brand reputation, brand popularity, personal (past experience, menu variety, menu price, sales promotion, and location). The importance of

   menu price would be highest for both quick meals/convenience and social events, brand reputation would be highest for business necessity, and word- of-mouth recommendation would be highest for celebration, to be more specific.

   Viewing other customers’ social media videos and images as well as repeat purchase done conveniently by customers through social media found to be extremely effective in terms of customer actual purchase decision. Customers often utilize evaluations as the foundation for their decisions to buy food or services from restaurants, which explains why. This implies that customers tend to believewhat they see after searching and reading reviews, and then make repeat purchases. As indicated in the study of Nguyen (2021) consumers specifically wanted ratings and evaluations that were reliable, authentic, and occasionally inaccurate. Reviews and ratings had a big impact on how people made purchases. Depending on their worth, reviews could influence a customer’s decision. When individuals would see negative evaluations of products or services, they might decide to rethink their initial purchase since they might have a tendency to believe what other customers would say.

   Likewise, Gartlan (2023) claimed that customers would frequently learn about businesses or the products and services that they would offer through recommendations from their peers. They could ask for recommendations in person, online, through social media, online chat, or by email. It is one of the factors making it so crucial to keep focusing on existing customers. The results also revealed that social media referrals system was found to be extremely effective in influencing customer actual purchase decision. This is because customers willingly tell others on social media about their positive experience. The result implies that before making a purchase, customers rely on referrals on social media. This was supported by the study of Meslat (2018) in which they found that reviews, referrals, and other user-generated content were also used by external parties to influence preferences and decision-making. Due to their trust in them, customers could do more likely to be persuaded by people they know.

   Likewise, Singh (2020) asserted that it could now be possible for business people to connect with customers worldwide with a single click to the internet and through the existence of many social media platforms. Due to internet technology, customers could now research products online before making purchases and could read reviews and rankings from previous customers. When a user posts content about a brand, company, product, or service on social media, many other users share it on their own social networks. This demonstrates the effectiveness of social media marketing.

   Significant Relationship Between the Profile of the Customers and the Level of Effectiveness of Social Media in Influencing Customer Purchase Decision

   Somers Delta (d) was used to determine the relationship which may exist between the respondents perception on the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision and educational attainment and

   age profile; Point Biserial Correlation (rpb) was used to determine the relationship to sex; Rank Biserial Correlation (rrb) for commonly used social media platforms; and Pearson Correlation (r) for frequency of service availment. Table 10 below shows the result tested at 5 percent level of significance.

   Results showed that the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision would be positively related to educational attainment, commonly used social media platforms and frequency of service availment profile of the respondents and no significant relationship to age and sex profile of the respondents. As presented, the weak positive relationship between educational attainment profile and effectiveness of social media platforms suggests that customers with higher educational attainment could perceive that social media platforms could be effective in influencing them to purchase at start-up restaurants due to problem recognition (d = 0.1, p = 0.004) and searching for information (d =0.075, p = 0.038).

   The findings implies that the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision and the profile in terms of educational attainment, commonly used social media platforms as well as frequency of service availment had a significant relationship. Start-up restaurants should focus on socialmedia campaign that would assist customers in identifying their needs and would allow them to easily search information about the restaurant as well as its dishes or service. On the other hand, it came out that there was no significant correlation between the respondents’ age and sex profile and the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision.

   In the study of Belen et al. (2018), they found that millennials between the ages of 18 and 25 would make up the majority of the respondents. Social media users would be typically employed and could be reported that it had a big impact on their ability to find information. The respondent’s demographic profile had no bearing o the customers’ purchasing decision. Most respondents firmly concurred that using social media to quickly learn about some products would be very convenient for them. The majority of respondents firmly believe that businesses would produce or update certain things in response to comments and reviews on social media when it comes to the level of effectiveness

   of social media has on buying behavior in terms of product enhancement.

   Meanwhile, Arceo et al. (2018) emphasized that purchase intent could be driven by online convergence and could be influenced by platforms for social media and how frequently people would use them. In essence, the food industry needs more networkers and socializers who could connect with viewers, listeners, and engagers.

   As to the effectiveness of social media platforms used by the respondents, Tiktok, Instagram and Pinterest would influence customers to purchase in start-up restaurant because of it would help in problem recognition (rrb = 0.185, p < 0.001; rrb = 0.175, p < 0.001; rrb = 0.124, p =

   0.015 ), information search (rrb = 0.153, p = 0.003; rrb = 0.104, p = 0.042; rrb = 0.126, p = 0.014), evaluation of

   alternatives (rrb = 0.170, p = 0.001; rrb = 0.172, p = 0.001; rrb = 0.163, p = 0.001), and actual purchase decision (rrb = 0.175, p = 0.001; rrb = 0.199, p < 0.001; rrb = 0.113, p =

   0.028); Twitters influence to their purchase decision would be due to its problem recognition (rrb = 0.197, p < 0.001), evaluation of alternative (rrb = 0.132, p = 0.01), and actual purchase decision features (rrb = 0.154, p = 0.003);

   Linked influence them in evaluation of alternatives (rrb = 0.139, p = 0.007) and the actual purchase decision (rrb = 0.124, p = 0.015); and Youtube helps in problem recognition (rrb = 0.165, p = 0.001).

   Table 10 also shows that there was weak positive relationship between the frequency of service availment made on social media platforms per month and the effectiveness of the social media platforms in terms of searching for information (r= 0.105, p = 0.041) and evaluation of alternative (r = 0.102, p = 0.047). The data suggests that a high level of effectiveness of social media platforms would result

   to more frequent service availment of start-up restaurants in Camarines Norte.

   In general, there was a weak positive relationship between the customer profile and the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision. This indicates that, despite the fact that both variables tend to increase in response to one another, the correlation was weak, and therefore rejecting the null hypothesis. Age and sex profile of the respondents were an exception since the findings indicate that there was no significant relationship between their age and sex profile and the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision, failed to reject the null hypothesis.

   In the study of Belga et al. (2019), they found that gender significantly influenced how people perceive their interactions on social media with local businesses. This was determined using a t-test with the independent variable being gender and the dependent variable perceived relationship, t=2.217, p=.027. The researcher discovered that one’s gender would affect how one felt. They had a relationship with the businesses they engaged with on social media.

   Challenges Encountered Relative to Purchasing Decision

   The Table 11 shows the challenges of customers relative to their purchasing decision on social media platforms. Overall, 15 out of 15 indicators in the challenges encountered by the customers relative to their purchasing decision was found to be very challenging with an overall weighted mean of 3.98. According to the customer- respondents, product quality concerns, inflexible refund and return policies and breach on privacy were among the list of challenges with very challenging, having a weighted mean of 4.06, 4.07, and 4.08, while identification of the exact location of the item for packing purpose and payment gateway problems or One Time Password (OTP) issues got the lowest having a weighted mean of 3.88 and 3.89 respectively.

   The topmost challenge encountered by customers relative to their purchasing decision would be the inflexible refund and return policies. This is the result of the absence of return and refund procedures. This indicates that purchasing products and services on social media could be highly difficult since there aren’t any rules in place to assure customers return and refund. Cho and Wolf (2020) claimed that customers who were unsure of how much they would value the product, or how much they would enjoy it. Customers handled this uncertainty in a variety of ways. Some customers assessed products in-person before making purchases, while others made purchases online with the knowledge that they could return the item if it did not fit.

   The result also revealed that customers experienced difficulty in data breaches. This is due to a lack of privacy laws governing the social media platforms used by start-up restaurants. It implies that even if creating privacy regulations would be challenging and expensive, doing so would be imperative because data breaches would be on the rise. Customers were also more likely to trust businesses that responded fast to breaches and hacks or aggressively notify the public of such occurrences. This was emphasized in the study of Anant et al. (2020). As the impact of

   breaches grew and more restrictions limited the timing of disclosures of data breaches, these procedures grew more crucial for companies and customers alike.

   Identifying the precise location of the item for packing purposes was found to be very challenging for customers. It could be because start-up restaurants lacked application that could find location automatically. This implies that it is challenging to pinpoint the precise location of the item as a result of a lack of delivery assistance application. Daroch et al. (2020), asserted that businesses could employ marketing methods, such as creating a user-friendly, secure website, to improve customer shopping experiences and facilitate easy product searches and effective website navigation.

   Payment gateway problems or One Time Password (OTP) issues was also found very challenging for customers which means that it is not convenient to make payments online. As social media networking sites do not have an online payment feature, the e-service quality compromise. This implies that conducting business via social media platforms can be effective but are lacking in terms of payment method. In the study Rita et al. (2019) it was suggested that managers should carefully consider the e-service quality characteristics when developing their online stores. Businesses needed a beautiful website design, adequate eye- catching content, simple payment methods, easily readable text, and speedy loading times in order to provide improved service quality.

   Proposed Social Media Campaign Plan for Start-Up Restaurants

   Based on the result of the study, to address the challenges that customers encountered when making a purchasing decision, it is recommended that start-up restaurants launch a social media campaign that would ensure coherent and consistent coordination of issues to encourage and enable customers to be prepared for difficulties when purchasing from start-up restaurants e-commerce sites via social media. The proposed social media campaign plan, strategies and activities, along with guidelines on how to implement the recommended solutions that specifically address customer challenges with return and refunds, data breaches, payment gateway issues or One Time Password (OTP) problems, and the identification of exact location of the item for packing purposes are presented in Table 12.

   The proposed social media campaign plan will be suggested to start-up owners in an effort to persuade them to embrace this social media campaign plan, which will help them and their marketers reach theirtarget audience, use the best tools for running their campaign, and monitor the campaigns progress consistently. It includes strategies and activities as well as guidelines on how to put the recommended solutions into practice in order to address the problems that customers encounter when making purchasing decision, specifically challenges with return and refunds, data breaches, payment gateway issues or One Time Password (OTP) problems, and the identification of exact location of the item for packing purposes. It also includes a plan to bridge the gap between respondents ‘demographics and the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchasing decisions.

9. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The findings, interpretations, the conclusions drawn derived from the data gathered and recommendations made regarding the present study and suggestions for further research were summarized in this chapter. Additionally, it provides a concise analysis of the techniques used, research design, statistical analysis, and tested hypothesis.

Summary

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision of selected start-up restaurant businesses in Daet, Camarines Norte. Specifically, the following problems were answered by this study: 1) How may the profile of the start-up restaurants customers be described in terms of: age; sex; educational attainment; commonly social media platforms; and frequency of service availment?; 2) What is the level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of: problem recognition; information search; evaluation of alternatives; and actual purchase decision?; 3) Is there a significant relationship between the profile of the customers and the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision?; 4) What are the challenges encountered by the respondents relative to their purchasing decision?; and 5) What social media campaign may be proposed, based on the result of the study?

Findings

The following presentations summarized the findings:

1. Among the customers, majority of respondents, 38.9 percent, were between the ages of 15 and 24. The 60 to 64 age group accounted .8 percent while only 0.5 percent to 66 and above age group. In terms of sex 40.5 percent of customer respondents were male, while 59.5 percent were female. In terms of the majority of respondents, 28.2 percent, acquired college level. Elementary level and with units (Doctorate Degree) both contributed, 1.1 percent. In terms of commonly used social media platforms, Facebook ranked first with 376 customer- respondents out of 380, YouTube ranked second with 273 out of 380 respondents, Tiktok ranked third with 227 out of 380 responses, Instagram ranked fourth with 199 out of 380 responses, Twitter ranked fifth with 82 out of 380 responses, Pinterest ranked sixth with 55 out of 380 responses, LinkedIn ranked seventh with 16 out of 380 responses, Telegram ranked eighth with two responses and Viber and none ranked last or

   9.5 with one response respectively. In terms of frequency of service availment or how frequently customers used social media to avail services, majority of the respondents 52.9 percent availed on to two services on social media per month. Only six out of 380 respondents (or 1.3 percent) used seven to eight service availments per month.

2. In terms level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of problem recognition 10 out of 10 indicators got a weighted average

   4.23 with an interpretation as extremely effective indicating that the need exists among customers but they may not be aware of it. The content of social media campaign and new restaurant menu being shared on social media found to be extremely effective in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of problem recognition. The indicators stating that testimonials on social media that make customers relate in the context of a real-world setting had the lowest weighted mean of 4.16, which was interpreted as very effective, indicating a solid result.

   In terms of the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of information search, 10 out of 10 indicators got a weighted average of 4.23 interpreted as extremely effective. The indicators pertaining to search for popular dishes, daily deals, and upcoming events of start-up restaurants were made easy for customers on social media, information about restaurants and their locations were accessible in social media, and list of restaurant dishes or service in a Product Information System (PIS) or in the menu can be easily accessed by customers which scored the highest 4.31 and interpreted as extremely effective, while the indicators such as positive eWOM (Word-of-Mouth) scored the lowest with

   4.10 rating and interpreted as very effective. In terms of level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customer purchase decision in terms of evaluation of alternatives had 7 out of 10 indicators with an extremely effective. The findings found that social media posts focused on the colorful and appealing design, as well as aesthetically pleasing dishes, customer feedback, and customer excellent reviews on restaurant dishes or service assist customers in evaluating the best alternatives with 4.43 rating. On the other hand, customer convenience when

   comparing restaurant dishes or service, easy searching on social media platforms, and marketers’ promotional communications via social messaging features was found to be very effective with 4.12 and 4.18 ratings respectively.

   In terms of level of effectiveness of social media platforms in influencing customers purchase decision in terms of actual purchase decision 10 out of 10 indicators generally interpreted as extremely effective. They were best at high resolution images of restaurant dishes or service inspire customers to make purchase with 4.36 rating. Meanwhile, the indicators stating that referrals system on social media convince customers to make purchase

3. This study aimed to determine the significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision. Somers d and contingency coefficient were used to test its significant relationship at 5 percent significant level. Results showed that the level of effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision was positively related to educational attainment, commonly used social media platforms and frequency of service availment profile of the respondents and no significant relationship to age and sex profile of the respondents. There is a weak positive relationship between educational attainment profile and effectiveness of social media platforms suggests that customers with higher educational attainment could perceive that social media platforms could be effective in influencing them to purchase at start-up restaurants due to problem recognition (d = 0.1, p

   = 0.004) and searching for information (d = 0.075, p = 0.038).

   As to the effectiveness of social media platforms used by the respondents, Tiktok, Instagram and Pinterest influenced them to purchase in start-up restaurant because of it helped in problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives and actual purchase decision (rrb = 0.185, p < 0.001; rrb = 0.175, p < 0.001; rrb = 0.124, p = 0.015 ),

   information search (rrb = 0.153, p = 0.003; rrb = 0.104, p = 0.042; rrb = 0.126, p = 0.014), evaluation of alternatives (rrb

   = 0.170, p = 0.001; rrb = 0.172, p = 0.001; rrb = 0.163, p =

   0.001), and actual purchase decision (rrb = 0.175, p = 0.001; rrb = 0.199, p < 0.001; rrb = 0.113, p = 0.028); Twitters influence to their purchase decision would be due t its problem recognition (rrb = 0.197, p < 0.001), evaluation of alternative (rrb = 0.132, p = 0.01), and actual purchase decision features (rrb = 0.154, p = 0.003); Linked influence them in evaluation of alternatives (rrb = 0.139, p = 0.007) and the actual purchase decision (rrb = 0.124, p = 0.015); and Youtube helps in problem recognition (rrb = 0.165, p = 0.001). The data suggest that a high level of effectiveness of social media platforms would result to more frequent service availment of start-up restaurants in Camarines Norte. Thus, it failed to accept the null hypothesis. received the lowest rating of 4.21.

4. In terms of challenges encountered by the respondents relative to their purchasing decision product quality concerns, inflexible refund and return policies and breach on privacy were among the least of challenges with very challenging, having a weighted mean of 4.06, 4.07, and

   4.08, while identification of the exactlocation of the item for packing purpose and payment gateway problems or One Time Password (OTP) issues got the lowest having a weighted mean of 3.88 and 3.89 respectively. The result implies that despite the difficulties, customers continue to use social media platforms to avail services, nonetheless, addressing social media difficulties and ramifications would be more practicable.

5. Based on the results of the study, it was determined that it is important to address the challenges encountered by customers relative to their purchasing decision. To make start-up restaurants’ e-commerce sites more persuasive to customers to make purchases, they must create a social media campaign plan that is consistent and coherent coordination of problems faced by the customers.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This study revealed the effectiveness of social media in influencing customer purchase decision. Thus, the following recommendations are hereby suggested:

1. Restaurant owners and marketers may embrace the use of social media campaigns in social media marketing strategies in an effort to persuade customers to make purchases targeting Generation Z and customers who acquire college level. One of the most crucial components of the plan would be to bring it close to reality is ones marketing expertise.
2. Since social media showed to be effective, start-up restaurant owners and marketers may use social media marketing, upgrade and improve the current social networking sites they use for business and make use of new social media platforms and apps to promote their dishes or service, connect with customers, generate leads, and enhance customer service. It is advised to consider the importance of five stages of customer decision-making process.
3. To avoid underestimating the significance of the people element, start-up restaurants owners and marketers may create a social media campaign that is effective across all age groups and sexual orientations and establish customer service. The person-in-charge of marketing should utilize social networking platforms to advertise sales and discounts to draw in a range of demographics. Restaurants frequently make the assumption that they know the customers and rely on statistics to inform them of their preferences. The data only reflect past practices and successes, which is not always the case. It does not necessarily reflect what customers like or want.
4. In order to address the challenges encountered by customers in terms of inflexible refund and return policy, there should be a need to establish return andrefund processes. Start-up restaurant owners and marketers may recognize the problems regarding the existing return and refund recognized process and do something about it. If returns are handled properly, customers will do repeat purchase and make additional purchases. Future purchase decisions will be easier and the lifetime value of customers will rise.

   Likewise, in order to address the issue of data breaches, complete privacy legislation restaurant owners must develop to safeguard customers from data breaches. By enacting privacy regulations, data breaches may be reduced. However, this will not be possible the legislation without assistance of the local government, especially the Department of Information and Communication Technology.

5. Furthermore, to address the issue of identification of the exact location of the item for packing purpose, start-up restaurants owners may consider about implementing Geotargeting, a location-based strategy that improves customer experience through personalization. Geotargeting innovations will make it simple to pinpoint customers locations, easily inform them the exact location of their items and to boost participation on social media channels.
6. Future researchers may carry out a study that includes post-purchase decision as this study did not cover all stages of the customer decision process.

REFERENCES

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