Exploring the Influence of EWOM on Purchase Intention: The Mediating Roles of Trust, Value CO-Creation, and Brand Image in Apple Product

Grady Deven; Sabrina O. Sihombing

Authors

Grady Deven Universitas Pelita Harapan
Sabrina O. Sihombing Universitas Pelita Harapan

Keywords:

eWOM, Trust Beliefs, Value co-Creation, Brand Image, Purchase Intention, Apple Products, Indonesian Consumers, Digital Marketing

Abstract

The rise of digital communication has transformed traditional word of mouth (WoM) into electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM), significantly influencing consumer behavior. This study investigates the impact of eWOM on purchase intention, with a focus on Apple products among Indonesian students. The research explores the mediating roles of trust beliefs, value co-creation, hedonic brand image, and functional brand image in this relationship. Utilizing a quantitative approach, data were collected from 240 respondents through an online questionnaire, and the results were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings demonstrate that eWOM has a positive effect on purchase intention, with trust beliefs and value co-creation acting as significant mediators. Moreover, both hedonic and functional brand image were found to positively mediate the relationship between eWOM and purchase intention. These results highlight the importance of eWOM as a strategic tool in influencing consumer decisions, especially for premium brands like Apple. The study provides insights for marketers on leveraging trust, value creation, and brand image to enhance purchase intention through eWOM.

References

Aaker, D. A. (1997). Dimensions of brand personality. Journal of Marketing Research, 34(3), 347-356. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224379703400304

Batra, R., & Ahtola, O. T. (1991). Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian sources of consumer attitudes. Marketing Letters, 2(2), 159-170. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436035

Bruhn, M., Schoenmueller, V., & Schäfer, D. B. (2012). Are social media replacing traditional media in terms of brand equity creation? Management Research Review, 35(9), 770-790. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409171211255948

Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Chakraborty, U., & Bhat, S. (2018). The effects of credible online reviews on brand equity dimensions and its consequence on consumer behavior. Journal of Promotion Management, 24(1), 57-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2017.1360829

Chandon, P., Wansink, B., & Laurent, G. (2000). A benefit congruency framework of sales promotion effectiveness. Journal of Marketing, 64(4), 65-81. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.64.4.65.18071

Cheung, C. M. K., & Thadani, D. R. (2012). The impact of electronic word-of-mouth communication: A literature analysis and integrative model. Decision Support Systems, 54(1), 461-470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2012.06.008

Chin, W. W. (1998). The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling. In G. A. Marcoulides (Ed.), Modern methods for business research (pp. 295–336). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

Dodds, W. B., Monroe, K. B., & Grewal, D. (1991). Effects of price, brand, and store information on buyers’ product evaluations. Journal of Marketing Research, 28(3), 307-319. https://doi.org/10.2307/3172866

Erkan, I., & Evans, C. (2016). The influence of eWOM in social media on consumers’ purchase intentions: An extended approach to information adoption. Computers in Human Behavior, 61, 47-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.003

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104

Gefen, D., & Straub, D. W. (2004). Consumer trust in B2C e-Commerce and the importance of social presence: Experiments in e-Products and e-Services. Omega, 32(6), 407-424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omega.2004.01.006

Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2014.976291

Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152. https://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679190202

Hennig-Thurau, T., Gwinner, K. P., Walsh, G., & Gremler, D. D. (2004). Electronic word-of-mouth via consumer-opinion platforms: What motivates consumers to articulate themselves on the internet? Journal of Interactive Marketing, 18(1), 38-52. https://doi.org/10.1002/dir.10073

Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8

Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299305700101

Kim, D. J., Ferrin, D. L., & Rao, H. R. (2009). Trust and satisfaction, two stepping stones for successful e-commerce relationships: A longitudinal exploration. Information Systems Research, 20(2), 237-257. https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.1080.0188

Kunja Sambashiva Rao, Bramhani Rao, & G.V.R.K. Acharyulu. (2021). Examining ePWOM-purchase intention link in Facebook brand fan pages: Trust beliefs, value co-creation, and brand image as mediators. IIMB Management Review, 33(4), 309–321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iimb.2021.11.002

Lusch, R. F., & Vargo, S. L. (2010). Service-dominant logic: A necessary step. European Journal of Marketing, 45(7/8), 1298-1309. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090561111137789

Park, C., Lee, T. M., & Han, I. (2007). The effect of online consumer reviews on consumer purchasing intention: The moderating role of involvement. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 11(4), 125-148. https://doi.org/10.2753/JEC1086-4415110405

Pavlou, P. A., & Gefen, D. (2004). Building effective online marketplaces with institution-based trust. Information Systems Research, 15(1), 37-59. https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.1040.0015

Ramaswamy, V., & Ozcan, K. (2014). The co-creation paradigm. Stanford University Press. ISBN: 9780804789439

Rao, Y. K., Yang, Z., & Chi, X. (2021). How electronic word-of-mouth contributes to consumer purchase intention: The mediating role of trust, value co-creation, and brand image. Journal of Business Research, 123, 621-633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.10.014

Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Hair, J. F. (2017). Partial least squares structural equation modeling. In C. Homburg, M. Klarmann, & A. Vomberg (Eds.), Handbook of market research (pp. 1-40). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05542-8_15-1

StatCounter. (2023). Mobile vendor market share Indonesia. [Online]. Available: https://gs.statcounter.com/

Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2008). Service-dominant logic: Continuing the evolution. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-007-0069-6

Zhang, X., Zhao, S. J., Cheung, C. M., & Lee, M. K. (2015). Examining the influence of online reviews on consumers’ decision-making: A positive and negative review analysis. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 25, 71-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2015.04.006