Leveraging technological characteristics and perceived values to drive continuance intentions on social platforms: a generation Z perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7903/ijecs.2275Keywords:
Social commerce platform, Technological environments, Generation ZAbstract
Purpose - This study aimed to explore how social commerce platforms retain specific user groups in the context of emerging economies post-COVID-19. We intend to provide essential insights concerning market entry decision-making in other similar emerging markets and to develop marketing strategies for promoting consumer continuance purchase intention in current social commerce platforms.
Design/methodology/approach – By adopting the stimulus–organism–response model, this study established a framework to explore the impact of technological environments on consumers’ intrinsic and extrinsic values and visualize how these technological characteristics contribute to the continuance intentions. We used SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 21.0 to conduct multiple data analyses, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis to assess the reliability and validity of the research model, followed by Scanning Electron Microscopy and mediation analysis to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings - The findings suggest that the pursuit of social, informational, and emotional values is the primary motivation rather than hedonic value and that social commerce platforms should not be considered simply as a communication tool or a social network service, but as artificial structural equivalence of social connections that carries users’ social capital.
Originality/value – By connecting the virtual social commerce platform and the real commercial world, this paper explains partially why consumers join a social network platform and why they repeatedly use it. The research could be potentially generalized to other developing countries and developed countries with analogous socioeconomic and cultural circumstances.
References
Group and Center (2021). Social ecommerce in china 2021 industry development report: Research on key enterprises. http://www.ec100.cn/detail--6586846.html
Chen, X., Li, Y., Davison, R. M., & Liu, Y. (2021). The impact of imitation on Chinese social commerce buyers’ purchase behavior: The moderating role of uncertainty. International Journal of Information Management, 56, 102262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102262
Liu, P., Li, M., Dai, D., & Guo, L. (2021). The effects of social commerce environmental characteristics on customers’ purchase intentions: The chain mediating effect of customer-to-customer interaction and customer-perceived value. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 48, 101073.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2021.101073
Kim, S., & Park, H. (2013). Effects of various characteristics of social commerce (s-commerce) on consumers’ trust and trust performance. International Journal of Information Management, 33(2), 318-332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2012.11.006
Wang, X., Wang, H., & Zhang, C. (2022). A Literature Review of Social Commerce Research from a Systems Thinking Perspective. Systems, 10(3), 56. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems10030056
Lam, H. K. S., Yeung, A. C. L., Lo, C. K. Y., & Cheng, T. C. E. (2019). Should firms invest in social commerce? An integrative perspective. Information & Management, 56(8), 103164.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2019.04.007
Zhang, H., Lu, Y., Gupta, S., & Zhao, L. (2014). What motivates customers to participate in social commerce? The impact of technological environments and virtual customer experiences. Information & Management, 51(8), 1017-1030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2014.07.005
Tuncer, I. (2021). The relationship between IT affordance, flow experience, trust, and social commerce intention: An exploration using the S-O-R paradigm. Technology in Society, 65, 101567.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101567
Djafarova, E., & Bowes, T. (2021). ‘Instagram made Me buy it’: Generation Z impulse purchases in fashion industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 59, 102345.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102345
Xiaohongshu. (2022). RED about US. https://www.xiaohongshu.com/protocols/about. [Accessed 8 January 2022].
Sultan, P., Wong, H. Y., & Azam, M. S. (2021). How perceived communication source and food value stimulate purchase intention of organic food: An examination of the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model. Journal of Cleaner Production, 312, 127807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127807
Buxbaum, O. (2016). Key Insights into Basic Mechanisms of Mental Activity (1st ed. 2016 ed.). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29467-4
Wang, W., Wang, Y., & Liu, E. (2016). The stickiness intention of group-buying websites: The integration of the commitment–trust theory and e-commerce success model. Information & Management, 53(5), 625-642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2016.01.006
Shi, X., Evans, R., & Shan, W. (2022). Solver engagement in online crowdsourcing communities: The roles of perceived interactivity, relationship quality and psychological ownership. Technological Forecasting & Social Change, 175, 121389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121389
Blasco-Arcas, L., Hernandez-Ortega, B., & Jimenez-Martinez, J. (2013). Adopting television as a new channel for e-commerce. The influence of interactive technologies on consumer behavior. Electronic Commerce Research, 13(4), 457-475. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10660-013-9132-1
Hsu, C., & Liao, Y. (2014). Exploring the linkages between perceived information accessibility and microblog stickiness: The moderating role of a sense of community. Information & Management, 51(7), 833-844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2014.08.005
Tam, K. Y., & Ho, S. Y. (2006). Understanding the Impact of Web Personalization on User Information Processing and Decision Outcomes. MIS Quarterly, 30(4), 865-890.
https://doi.org/10.2307/25148757
Grewal, D., & Levy, M. (2018). Marketing 6th Edition (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Hsin Chang, H., & Wang, H. (2011). The moderating effect of customer perceived value on online shopping behaviour. Online Information Review, 35(3), 333-359. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684521111151414
Holbrook, M. B. (2006). Consumption experience, customer value, and subjective personal introspection: An illustrative photographic essay. Journal of Business Research, 59(6), 714-725.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2006.01.008
Lin, K., & Lu, H. (2011). Why people use social networking sites: An empirical study integrating network externalities and motivation theory. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(3), 1152-1161.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.12.009
Babin, B. J., Darden, W. R., & Griffin, M. (1994). Work and/or Fun: Measuring Hedonic and Utilitarian Shopping Value. Journal of Consumer Research, 20(4), 644-656. https://doi.org/10.1086/209376
Sweeney, J. C., & Soutar, G. N. (2001). Consumer perceived value: The development of a multiple item scale. Journal of Retailing, 77(2), 203-220. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4359(01)00041-0
Tsai, H., & Pai, P. (2012). Positive and negative aspects of online community cultivation: Implications for online stores’ relationship management. Information & Management, 49(2), 111-117.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2011.11.002
Lu, B., Fan, W., & Zhou, M. (2016). Social presence, trust, and social commerce purchase intention: An empirical research. Computers in Human Behavior, 56, 225-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.11.057
Peña-García, N., Gil-Saura, I., Rodríguez-Orejuela, A., & Siqueira-Junior, J. R. (2020). Purchase intention and purchase behavior online: A cross-cultural approach. Heliyon, 6(6), e04284.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04284
Kim, J., Lee, H., & Kim, H. (2004). Factors affecting online search intention and online purchase intention. Seoul Journal of Business, 10(2), 27-48. https://hdl.handle.net/10371/1809
Zhao, Z., & Renard, D. (2018). Viral Promotional Advergames: How Intrinsic Playfulness and the Extrinsic Value of Prizes Elicit Behavioral Responses. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 41, 94-103.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2017.09.004
Fu, J., Lu, I., Chen, J. H. F., & Farn, C. (2020). Investigating consumers’ online social shopping intention: An information processing perspective. International Journal of Information Management, 54, 102189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102189
Shang, Q., Jin, J., & Qiu, J. (2020). Utilitarian or hedonic: Event-related potential evidence of purchase intention bias during online shopping festivals. Neuroscience Letters, 715, 134665.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134665
Gim Chung, R. H., Kim, B. S. K., & Abreu, J. M. (2004). Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale: Development, Factor Analysis, Reliability, and Validity. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 10(1), 66-80. https://doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.10.1.66
Eisinga, R., Grotenhuis, t. M., & Pelzer, B. (2013). The reliability of a two-item scale: Pearson, Cronbach or Spearman-Brown? International Journal of Public Health, 58(4), 637-642.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-012-0416-3
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312
Park, M., & Park, J. (2009). Exploring the influences of perceived interactivity on consumers' e-shopping effectiveness. Journal of Customer Behaviour, 8(4), 361-379. https://doi.org/10.1362/147539209X480990
Bentler, P. M., & Bonett, D. G. (1980). Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychological Bulletin, 88(3), 588-606. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.88.3.588
Klem, L. (1995). Reading and understanding multivariate statistics. Path analysis (pp. 65-97). Grimm & P. R. Yarnold (Eds.).
Kang, K., Lu, J., Guo, L., & Li, W. (2021). The dynamic effect of interactivity on customer engagement behavior through tie strength: Evidence from live streaming commerce platforms. International Journal of Information Management, 56, 102251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102251
Nahapiet, J., & Ghoshal, S. (1998). Social Capital, Intellectual Capital, and the Organizational Advantage. The Academy of Management Review, 23(2), 242-266.