Social Networking Sites and their Impact on Purchasing Decisions: Exploratory Research on a Sample of Premium Class Hotels in Baghdad

Abstract

The research seeks to know the role played by social networking sites with its dimensions (flexibility, efficiency, speed, and ease of use) in purchasing decisions with its dimensions (pre-purchase, realizing the need, evaluating alternatives, and decision-making). The study tries to answer the questions that express the problem of the study, including whether The departments in the premium-class hotels in Baghdad are aware of the impact that social networking sites have on purchasing decisions. The administrators of the surveyed hotels (department managers, divisional managers) and some statistical methods were used for the two ready-made programs (AOMS.V.25, 25.SPSS v). The sub-dimensions of each variable and the degree of benefit from its application in the surveyed hotels. The results showed that there is a statistically significant effect between (social networking sites and purchasing decisions). The most important recommendations were the need for hotel management to invest the brand in hotels to help it spread in the Arab world and regionally and pay attention to the category of businessmen and investors by presenting offers related to the nature of their work and supporting conferences and commercial, scientific and cultural activities to win their loyalty and listen to customer complaints and activate marketing via social media to implant the brand In the mindset of the customer and gain a competitive advantage.