How Positive and Negative Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) Affects Customers’ Intention to Use Social Commerce? A Dual-Stage Multi Group-SEM and ANN Analysis

Abstract

Advances in Web 2.0 technologies have led to the widespread assimilation of electronic commerce platforms as an innovative shopping method and an alternative to traditional shopping. However, due to pro-technology bias, scholars focus more on adopting technology, and slightly less attention has been given to the impact of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) on customers’ intention to use social commerce. This study addresses the gap by examining the intention through exploring the effect of eWOM on males’ and females’ intentions and identifying the mediation of perceived crowding. To this end, we adopted a dual-stage multi-group structural equation modeling and artificial neural network (SEM-ANN) approach. We successfully extended the eWOM concept by integrating negative and positive factors and perceived crowding. The results reveal the causal and non-compensatory relationships between the constructs. The variables supported by the SEM analysis are adopted as the ANN model’s input neurons. According to the natural significance obtained from the ANN approach, males’ intentions to accept social commerce are related mainly to helping the company, followed by core functionalities. In contrast, females are highly influenced by technical aspects and mishandling. The ANN model predicts customers’ intentions to use social commerce with an accuracy of 97%. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of increasing customers’ intention toward social commerce channels among consumers based on our findings.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work is funded by Universiti Sains Malaysia, Short Term Grant [Grant Number: 304/PKOMP/6315616], for the Project entitled “New Coefficient of Variation Control Charts based on Variable Charting Statistics in Industry 4.0 for the Quality Smart Manufacturing and Services.”

Notes on contributors

Alhamzah Alnoor

Alhamzah Alnoor is a Senior Lecturer at the Southern Technical University, Management Technical College. He received his MBA from the University of Basrah. He published many papers in different journals. He received his PhD from the School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.

Victor Tiberius

Victor Tiberius is honorary professor at the chair of Business and Economics at the University of Potsdam, Germany. His research focuses on corporate strategy and organization. His work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Service Research, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, and Journal of Business Research.

Abbas Gatea Atiyah

Abbas Gatea Atiyah is a Lecturer of organization studies at the Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Thi-Qar, Thi-Qar, Iraq. He received his doctoral degree in business administration. His research interests center on organizational studies and strategic management.

Khai Wah Khaw

Khai Wah Khaw is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia. He holds a Ph.D. in statistical quality control from Universiti Sains Malaysia. He is a coordinator of the Business Analytics Program in the School of Management, USM. He has featured in prominent international publications.

Teh Sin Yin

Teh Sin Yin is a senior lecturer at the School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). She was also recipient of Outstanding Dissertation Award 2014 awarded by Industrial Engineering and Operations Management Society. Her research articles have published in several renowned international peer-reviewed journals.

XinYing Chew

XinYing Chew is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. She holds a Ph.D. in statistical quality control from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her areas of research are Industrial Computing and Statistical Quality Control. She has been featured in prominent international publications.

Sammar Abbas

Sammar Abbas is an Associate professor of organization studies at the Kohat University of Science and Technology in Kohat, Pakistan. He received his doctoral degree in business administration at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom. His research interests center on organizational studies.