Influence of Online Advertisements on Online Shopping Among University of Nigeria, Nsukka Staff and Students

ABSTRACT

Online advertising is a fresh, contemporaneous and most significant type of advertising that has been explored since the information explosion dynasty was experienced and is one of the foremost marketing communication tools at the forefront of the new era of advertisement that takes place in the virtual world. This study therefore aimed at finding out the level of awareness of online advertising by staffs and students of UNN, to identify the level of awareness of online shopping among UNN staff and students, to identify the degree of response to online advertisements among UNN staffs and students, and to establish what informs the purchase decisions of consumers after exposure to online ads. The researcher adopted the survey design, using questionnaire to collect data from 396 respondents. The researcher adopted a multi-stage sampling method comprising of stratified, simple random, and convenience sampling techniques used in making sure that data was collated from the respondents. The study was anchored on two theories – hierarchy of effects model and Uses and gratifications theory. Data were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively, using the IBM SPSS version 22. Findings from the study
revealed that both staff and students are well exposed to, and are thus aware of online advertisements, a vast majority of the respondents know what online shopping is but only a fewer percentage have shopped online before, of the respondents see online advertisements as user friendly but do not clicked on adverts with the intention to purchase whether it worked or not, thereby discarding online advertisements during their browsing sessions because they are annoying and some times not useful or even consume their data, and that factors as advertisements ability to provide consumers with desired needs and place the online shopping convenience as an added edge alongside their ability to convey the product information, consumers’ willingness to pay for advertised products or services or make purchases will be ensured. The study recommends among others that online advertising should be accepted and used by agencies for efficient and cost-effective advertising campaigns.