Impact of online social media on consumers’ purchasing intention via social network sites

Abstract

      With the continuous development of the internet and e-commerce in Vietnam recently, there is much researchon online purchasing behaviors through retail websites. However, there are few studies on consumers' purchasingbehavior via social network sites (SNS) despite a rapid increase in the use of such websites. This study, therefore,tries to build a research model describing (i) the impact of motivations of using SNSs on social e-WOM and (ii) therelationship among social e-WOM, consumers' trust, attitude and purchasing intention via SNSs. After adjusting themeasurement scales by a focus group's discussion, a quantitative survey was executed using the data collected from509 SNS users and by testing Cronbach's Alpha reliability, EFA, CFA and SEM to comment seven proposedhypotheses. The results showed that motivations of social media usage (utilitarian and hedonic) had positivelyimpacted on social e-WOW, social e-WOW influenced positively consumers' trust and attitude towards brands ofgoods/service on SNSs, and that both consumers' trust and attitude had positive impacts on their purchasingintention. Accordingly, the study suggested some practical implications for managers to adjust their socialcommunication strategies in the digital era.