BM631 Next Plc Research Methods Study

Introduction

Background

Influncer marketing may be served as a strategy which is used by the business organization for better brand visibility and enhancement of market share. Under this approach, firm approaches to the social media influencers for developing awareness among the customers about the products or services. In the current fast-paced digital world, the fashion and Appeal sector faces various challenges in reaching the target audience. Influencer marketing has changed the way companies connect with customers within the fashion and appeal sector. By partnering with the influencers, companies can tap into the influence as well as reach the target audience which aligns with the target market (Vidani et al, 2023). The key benefit of the influencer marketing is the capability to enhance the brand visibility. The research will be conducted on Next Plc, a British retailer, which deals in footwear, clothing, beauty products as well as homeware (Next Plc. 2024). Influencers have the dedicated following and engages with content which makes them ideal for promoting Next Plc. With the strategic partnership, influencers can highlight products, offer fashion lookbooks as well as share experiences with the company. The current proposal will shed light on the method which will be employed for ascertaining the impact of influencer marketing on the perception of Next Plc’s customers.

Research problem

Customer perception is the vital factor in the success of the fashion sector as it affects brand equity which leads enhanced loyalty, sales as well as referrals. Companies need to understand and comply with the customer needs and preferences. This is challenging to isolate the impact of influencers from other marketing efforts which can make it challenging to pinpoint driving results (Tiwari et al, 2024). When multiple influencers promote the similar products can dilute the influence and make it challenging for customers to differentiate.

Research aim

The aim of the study is to analyze the impact of influencer marketing on the perception of Next Plc.’s customers.

Research objectives

• To evaluate the concept of influencer marketing and its significance within UK fashion sector.
• To analyse theoretical framework related to customer perception within fashion & apparel sector
• To examine relationship between influencer marketing and customer perception within Next plc.
• To recommend strategies to overcome the negative impact of influencer marketing on customer perception within fashion sector

Research question

1. What is the concept of influencer marketing and its significance?
2. How influencer marketing impacts customer perception within fashion and appeal sector?
3. What is the impact of influencer engagement metrics in influencing consumer perception?

Rationale

The Fashion and Apparel sector with their ever-changing trends as well as fast-paced nature have experienced the major impact from the influencers' marketing. It is now essential for Next Plc to reach their target audience and engage with them in a meaningful manner. Influencers become the face of the organization which creates the sense of community as well as trust among the followers (Santiago et al, 2020). This assists the organization in creating their presence as well as driving sales in the highly competitive environment. Fashion influencers represent the desired lifestyle which allows the customers to aspire with a specific look. They are early adopters of new trends which can influence customer buying behavior by introducing them with new styles and products. Influencers cultivate the strong community around the brand which fosters the sense of loyalty among the customers (Chopra, Avhad and Jaju, 2021). By collaborating with the influencers, who cater with a particular demographic and preference, Next Plc can target their marketing to reach a specific audience.

Research Methodology

Research type

Research is a systematic inquiry to explain, describe, explain as well as control the observed phenomenon. The research type highlights the procedures and strategies to analyze information regarding the particular research topic. Quantitative and qualitative research is the two different approaches which can be used by the scholar for addressing the research problem (Pandey and Pandey, 2021). In the present research, the investigator will use qualitative research to analyze the impact of influencer marketing on customer perception. Qualitative research aims to gain an in-depth analysis of the particular research. This includes gathering as well as analyzing the non-numerical data to understand opinions, concepts as well as experience.

Research approach

This is a plan for gathering, analyzing as well as interpreting the information. The research approach is seen as a general plan as well as the process for carrying out the study. There are mainly 2 types of research approaches that can be used in qualitative & quantitative investigation such as inductive and deductive. In the current study, the researcher will make use of an inductive approach. The objective of the inductive research is to create the theory on the basis of data which can be used to explain patterns. The inductive approach highly appropriate for the qualitative research as it facilitates the investigator to explore new ideas as well as generate new insights.

Research philosophy

This is associated with the knowledge, assumption as well as nature of the research. Research philosophy is a belief in which the information regarding the phenomena must be gathered, analyzed as well as utilized. Research philosophy mainly consists of two types including interpretivism and positivism. As per the qualitative nature of the research, the investigator will use interpretivism philosophy to analyze the influence of influencer marketing on the customer perception. Interpretivism promotes the use of qualitative information which is expressed in words to understand the subjective experience.

Data collection

Data collection is the procedure of collecting as well as evaluating the information from the range of sources to find the specific answers to the research problem. There are 2 main techniques of data collection such as primary as well as secondary data collection methods. In the present study, the investigator will use both the methods to gain an in-depth understanding of the topic (Dubey and Kothari, 2022). Surveys and interviews are the primary research data collection methods used to gather information for the participants. Surveys are less expensive as well as faster than the other data collection methods. This helps the researcher gather the large amount of data from the population which offers better statistical power. However, the validity of the survey depends on the proper design as well as the response rate to ensure the outcomes.

Structured interviews can reduce the bias by asking the similar questions in the same order to all the research participants. This can facilitate for an in-depth questions as well as clarifications. On the critical note, interviews might result in fewer responses than the surveys.

From the analysis, it has been evaluated that the survey is the most suitable primary data collection method for the present research. The survey will allow the researcher to collect the range of data such as opinions, attitudes, values as well as behavior of the participants. Thus, online survey will be initiated on the 30 customers of Next Plc for getting deeper insight about the research topic. Further, to develop better understanding about the topic books, journals and scholarly articles related to influencer marketing & customer perception will also be evaluated. 

Sampling

In survey, the sampling is the procedure of using the subset of the population to represent the whole population. The research will use simple random sampling which allow selecting the subset of participants from the population. In this method, each member of the population has an equivalent chance of being selected. The researcher will select 30 customers who shopped from Next Plc to analyze to impact of influencer marketing on them.

Data analysis

This is the systematic procedure of analyzing the data to draw conclusions regarding the research topic. This is the procedure of transforming as well as interpreting the data to uncover patterns, insights as well as trends. There are two techniques to analyze the data such as thematic analysis and SPSS. The research will use thematic analysis which will help in analyzing the qualitative data which includes reading through the set of data as well as seeking for patterns in the meaning of data to find the themes. Thematic analysis will assist the investigator in communicating their findings by organizing the data into themes. Thematic analysis is a flexible method which can be adapted to suit the various research questions, aims as well as data sources.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by collaborating with the influencer Next Plc can gain access to their creativity, expertise as well as unique perspectives. This can lead to brand collaboration, innovative marketing campaigns as well as product launches which resonate with the target audience. The firm needs to vet influencers to ensure ethical practice in maintaining their credibility as well as reputation. It is significant for the organization to strike the balance among influencer creativity as well as responsible marketing practices. Influencers' ability to engage with followers, showcase products as well as share personal experiences has changed the way companies connect with the customers. With the specific strategy and tools, the firm can enhance the influence of influencer marketing as well as accomplish remarkable outcomes.

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References

Books and Journals

Chopra, A., Avhad, V. and Jaju, A.S., 2021. Influencer marketing: An exploratory study to identify antecedents of consumer behavior of millennial. Business Perspectives and Research, 9(1), pp.77-91.

Dubey, U.K.B. and Kothari, D.P., 2022. Research methodology: Techniques and trends. Chapman and Hall/CRC.

Pandey, P. and Pandey, M.M., 2021. Research methodology tools and techniques. Bridge Center.

Santiago, J.K., Magueta, D. and Dias, C., 2020. Consumer Attitudes Towards Fashion Influencers on Instagram: Impact of Perceptions and Online Trust on Purchase Intention. Issues in Information Systems, 21(1).

Tiwari, A., Kumar, A., Kant, R. and Jaiswal, D., 2024. Impact of fashion influencers on consumers' purchase intentions: theory of planned behaviour and mediation of attitude. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 28(2), pp.209-225.

Vidani, J.N., Das, S., Meghrajani, I. and Singh, G., 2023. Influencer marketing and gendered consumer behavior: an analysis of clothing purchases across different fashion categories.

Online

Next Plc. 2024. Online. Available through: <https://www.next.co.uk/>