Title: Effect of perceived relational characteristics of online social network on e-WOM and purchase intention: exploring mediating role of trust

Authors: Nirankush Dutta; Anil K. Bhat

Addresses: Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, India ' Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, India

Abstract: This paper explores the effect of perceived online social network characteristics and interpersonal trust on formation of attitude and intention to pass along electronic word of mouth about online stores as well as intention to purchase from those stores which use online social media marketing. Tie strength, homophily, embeddedness, cohesiveness and social capital have been considered as antecedents of trust, which lead to formation of attitude and intention to pass along electronic word of mouth as well as to purchase. The proposed conceptual model, based on existing literature, is empirically verified with 424 online social media users, employing partial least square. This study is among the very few empirical investigations done on antecedents of trust in online social media marketing focusing only on perceived relational characteristics of online social networks.

Keywords: social media marketing; trust; network characteristics; consumer perception; social commerce; electronic word of mouth; e-WOM; purchase intention.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2017.089352

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2017 Vol.13 No.4, pp.499 - 529

Received: 09 Nov 2016
Accepted: 24 Jul 2017
Published online: 19 Jan 2018 *

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