INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON NIGERIAN UNDERGRADUATES DRESSING HABIT

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Abstract ON Dressing Habit

The basic objective of this research was to investigate Influence of social media on Nigerian undergraduates dressing habit with a focus on Wesley University and the University of Lagos. Social media remained platforms for interaction, communication and shopping etc., especially in this era where advertisers are targeting youth everywhere including on social media and other digital platforms in order to sell while exposure to how other people dress have influenced many students’ fashion shopping and dressing mannerism. A survey research method was adopted questionnaire was administered to students from the duo institution to elicit their responses. The collected were analyzed in frequency and percentage with the aid of a table. Findings show that 98% of the respondents use social media with many of them having at least 3 to 5years of experience. Also, the most visited social media platform include Facebook.com, Instagram.com and Twitter.com while the shopping platform was Jumia.com with their engagement ranging from mere getting information, photo sharing, chatting, making friends, buying and selling among others. Similarly, many respondents shop online while many only imitate fashion online. Many admitted that social media have influenced their pattern of dressing because they tend to showcase quality pictures to impress friends and family, especially those they have seen a long time while social media exposure partially changed their dressing styles. It was recommended that advertisers or advert agencies should be aware that most of the social media users are adolescents and youths, therefore, advertisers should avoid the use of raw or picture that can have a negative effect on children, indolence and youth mental and social behaviour while illicit and porno images should be prevented as stated in APCON code of conducts and other related rules while showcasing fashion and other items on social media.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Nigeria is a country where culture and religion dictate the perception or stance of the people on social behaviour. In fact, it is against many if not all Nigeria culture or societies to appear nude especially among the Muslim, Hausa, Yoruba, even the Igbo nation kick against indecent dressing. Over the years, people in African particularly have changed and are still changing in their appearance due to their exposure to what is called westernization or civilization either through television, Hollywood, Bollywood, Nollywood and to the recent internet (new media/social media) shopping.

Without doubt, most of the dressing such as cloth, shoes, make-up, neck-lace, wrist watch, among other are shopped online either through social media, blog or online retail store such as Jumia and Konga, etc.

Online shopping means e-tail from “electronic retail” or e-shopping, is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser. Online shopping has different names which are: e-web-store, e-shop, e-store, Internet shop, web-shop, web-store, online store, online storefront and virtual store. Mobile commerce (or m-commerce) describes purchasing from an online retailer’s mobile optimized online site or app (Wikipedia, N.D).

Wikipedia (N.D) adds that online shop evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services at a bricks-and-mortar retailer or shopping center; the process is called business-to-consumer (B2C) online shopping. In the case where a business buys from another business, the process is called business-to-business (B2B) online shopping. The largest of these online retailing corporations are Alibaba, Amazon, and eBay, while in Nigeria, Jumia, Konga, Kaymu, Olx among others.

Mintel, (n.d) writes that the channel once considered less trustworthy and reliable is now set to change the face of the women’s clothing market. According to a new report from Mintel, (n.d) 67% of US women purchased clothing online from retailers in the past year. 35% of Millennial women say social media is one of the top influencers when making clothing purchases.

The women’s clothing market is expected to increase in sales by 14% through 2019, says the report. Online sales are projected to skyrocket an additional 77% alongside mobile sales. Based on projections, purchases made on a mobile device will comprise 25% of all online sales by 2017. These trends highlight the massive changes in US consumer shopping habits and are an indicator that an even greater percentage of apparel shopping will be conducted online in the future, opines the report.

The study reveals that US social media advertising revenue is projected to hit $15 billion by 2018, including a portion spent by women’s clothing retailers to reach the population of social media users who purchase women’s clothing. 82% of social media users purchased tops in the past year versus 70% of social media non-users (Mintel, n.d).

It is against this backdrop that the research examines the social media tool for fashion awareness among Nigerian youths with comparative study of students in University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos and Wesley University of Science and Technology, (WUST) Ondo.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The research investigates the social media tool for fashion awareness among Nigerian youths with a comparative study of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos and Wesley University of Science and Technology, (WUST) Ondo.

Also, lack of trust, absent of physical interaction and fair of being deceived and duped have been attributed to some of the challenges facing internet and online shopping all over the world especially in Africa and Nigeria in particular because it is relatively new to them.

However, many dress made available online are of western values and foreign model which is against Africa and Nigeria dressing culture. These dress come inform of mini-skirt, bump-short, tie leggis, backless, armless, half shoulder, sagging among other. The research aiming at finding out if indecent dressing among undergraduate is as a result of what they shop online with a case study of UNILAG, Lagos and WUST students Ondo.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

To examine whether social media influence dressing behaviour of UNILAG and WUST students.
To determine factor(s) that influence undergraduates dressing habit via social media.

1.4 Research Questions

Do social media influence dressing behavior of UNILAG and WUST students?
What factor(s) influence undergraduates dressing habit via social media?

1.5 Scope of the Study

The research which investigated social media tool for fashion awareness among Nigerian youths was narrowed in scope University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos and Wesley University of Science and Technology, (WUST) Ondo.

Demographic factors of the respondents will be examined before the structuring and administration of the research instrument (questionnaire) such factors include but not limited to the following: age, sex, marital status, religion, and academic level among others.

1.6 Significance of the study

The research is significant because is beneficial to business firm, school, government, individuals and researchers.

Company: Difference companies will find this research very interesting as it will keep them aware on the benefit of using social media/ICT when it comes into making products and services known to the consumers.

Researchers: People that will be carrying out research in relation to this, will find this material useful as it will provide them a clue to their own research.

Academic: It forms part of academic materials that students, lecturers, researchers, company can turn to when looking for solution to advertising on ICT, social media, GSM and other related aspect.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

Influence: The ability of Nollywood to affect or alter the moral behavior of students of Lagos State University (LASU) especially on their dressing pattern.

Social Media: otherwise known as Social Networking, is a group of internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of web 2.0 and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.

ICT: It refers to the Information and Communication Technology.

Online Advertising: Online advertising are paid form of advertising that are published on the internet.

Blogs: A blog (a contraction of the term “web log”) is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order.

Moral Behaviour: Is an action that produces good outcome for the individual and members of a society.

Nigerian Undergraduate: A person formally engaged in learning especially one enrolled in a tertiary institution like Unilag and WUST.

Dressing Habit: It refers to the manner of dress among Unilag and WUST. students.

UNILAG: University of Lagos, Akoka Lagos

WUST: Wesley University of Science and Technology, Ondo.