eWOM in C2C PlatformsCombining IAM and Customer Satisfaction to Examine the Impact on Purchase Intention

  1. Salvador Bueno 1
  2. M. Dolores Gallego 1
  1. 1 Universidad Pablo de Olavide
    info

    Universidad Pablo de Olavide

    Sevilla, España

    ROR https://ror.org/02z749649

Journal:
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research

ISSN: 0718-1876

Year of publication: 2021

Volume: 16

Issue: 5

Pages: 1612-1630

Type: Article

DOI: 10.3390/JTAER16050091 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research

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Abstract

This study is focused on communications that come from consumer-to-consumer (C2C) ecommerce relationships. This topic is directly associated with the electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) phenomenon. eWOM is related to the set of positive or negative opinions made by potential, actual, or former customers about a seller. The present study proposes a structural equation modeling with partial least squares (PLS-SEM) research model to analyze consumers’ opinions impact on attitude toward purchasing. This model is based on the Information Adoption Model (IAM) in combination with an ecommerce satisfaction perspective, comprising five constructs: (1) service quality, (2) ecommerce satisfaction, (3) argument quality, (4) source credibility and (5) purchase intention. The model was tested by applying the Smart Partial Least Squares (SmartPLS) software for which 116 effective data from customers of the Taobao C2C platform were used. The findings reveal that all of the defined relationships were supported, confirming the positive impact of all the proposed constructs on the purchase intention. In this respect, the findings suggest that C2C platforms should strengthen the analyzed connections to grow the business and to promote transactions. Finally, implications and limitations related to the explanatory capacity and the sample are identified.