The second-stage moderating role of situational context on the relationships between eWOM and online purchase behaviour

ABSTRACT

This research aims to examine the second-stage moderating role of situational context of the pandemic on the relationships between different aspects of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and actual online purchase behaviour through intention. The proposed model was tested based on 546 experienced online customers during the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Hochiminh City. Without the moderating effect of situational context (e.g. disease avoidance), the results showed that the effect of either eWOM credibility or quantity on actual online purchase behaviour is positively partially mediated through intention. With the moderating effect of situational context, low versus high situational context can make the online purchase intention-behaviour gap from a minimal difference to a large difference even though the relationship between intention and behaviour is still significant. This research contributes to theory regarding the actual online purchase behaviour and the situational context that affects the translation of intention into behaviour. Besides the implications for eWOM, the current study also reminds the importance of actual online purchase behaviour in the real business world as well as suggests the use of scarceness persuasion tactics to increase the customers’ stimulation.

KEYWORDS:

• Electronic word of mouth (eWOM)
• online purchase behaviour
• electronic commerce (e-commerce)
• situational context

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).