Social Media Marketing and E - Commerce Tea Sales (Based on The SICAS Model): A Case Study of SL Company, China
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Abstract
This study investigated the impact of social media marketing on consumer engagement and e-commerce sales for SL Tea Company in China, utilizing the SICAS model as its foundational framework. The primary objectives were to evaluate the effectiveness of social media marketing on consumer purchasing decisions, to analyze the influence of influencer collaborations on consumer engagement, and to identify challenges faced by brands in implementing social media strategies. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey from a purposive sample of 200 SL Tea Company customers who actively engaged with the brand’s social media platforms and had prior experience with online purchases. Qualitative data were gathered via in-depth interviews with 10 marketing professionals from SL Tea Company and digital marketing experts. The reliability of the survey instruments was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha (α>.70), and data validity was ensured through triangulation, cross-verifying survey results with qualitative insights and content analysis. Statistical analysis employed descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis.
The research findings empirically supported the hypothesis that each stage of the SICAS model positively influences consumer engagement with the brand. Specifically, all five stages were identified as significant positive predictors of consumer engagement: Share (β = .315, p < .001), Sense (β = .302, p < .001), Communications (β = .274, p < .001), Action (β = .211, p < .001), and Interest & Interactive View (β = .132, p = .007). This study highlights that SL Tea Company can significantly enhance brand visibility and reach a wider audience by creating engaging content, fostering collaborations with influencers, and executing targeted advertising campaigns on social media platforms. These findings offer valuable empirical insights into the effective use of social media marketing to enhance consumer engagement and drive e-commerce sales within the tea industry, thereby affirming the SICAS model as a robust framework for understanding consumer engagement in this dynamic context.
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