Influence of user generated content in online shopping: impact of gender on purchase behaviour, trust, and intention to purchase

Abstract

To investigate differences in gender in the influence of user generated content (UGC) on purchase behaviour, trust, and intention to purchase. UGC refers to online comments/opinions which can influence other users' purchase decisions. Quantitative data gathered through a survey of 232 undergraduates at an American university. UGCs have a greater influence on purchase intentions and trust for females. No gender differences were found in terms of UGC's influence for a gender-neutral product, propensity to read UGCs, frequency of purchase and authoring reviews. Insights are provided for managers interested in consumers' use of UGC. It is not only important to monitor what is being written, but also who is writing it. A better understanding of the target audience can serve only to enhance an organisation's marketing efficiency. This research attempts to address a relatively unmet need for research specifically addressing gender differences relating to UGC.

The impact of user-generated content in the fashion industry: A case study of SHEIN and PrettyLittleThing

“…From the photo posting perspective, the current research suggests that visual content is significantly more stimulating than text alone (Vazquez et al 2021). Additionally, reviews are found to contribute to the hedonic online shopping experience because consumers find pleasure in this rather than only looking at the reviews for informative purposes which would contribute to a utilitarian need (Sethna et al, 2017).…”

“…The publishing of information online is shifting from the previous publisher-centric model, driven by organizations, towards a user-centric environment (Sethna et al, 2017). Daugherty et al (2008) express user-generated content (UGC) as content published by users on an online platform.…”

“…User-generated content is brand-related (Colicev et al, 2019) and is referred to as a marketing strategy throughout literature. Furthermore, UGC is frequently regarded as a benefit to consumers, often cited as "providing value" to the consumer's decisionmaking process (Sethna et al, 2017;Momeni et al, 2015). Three elements were explored in the literature published by Bahtar & Muda (2016) in conjunction with the impact of UGC towards online purchasing in regards to the perceived credibility, perceived risk and, perceived usefulness of the UGC.…”

“…Furthermore, contributors are influenced by personal motives rather than social factors. Hedonic and utilitarian use of UGC Sethna et al (2017) discovered that reading and responding to UGC contributes to the enhancement of the hedonic online shopping experience. Users often find reading reviews enjoyable due to their element of practicality when making decisions.…”

Critical Factors Affecting the Participation in COVID-19 Vaccination Program in Residency of Surakarta: The Extended Theory of Planned Behaviour

“…However, it is consistent with several previous studies that found trust to be a critical factor affecting the intention to behave. For instance, consumers were observed to make a purchasing decision when they trust a product (Bonsón Ponte et al, 2015;Chinomona et al, 2013;Raharja et al, 2017;Sethna et al, 2017;Weisberg et al, 2011). Therefore, as an official partner in the forthcoming mass COVID-19 vaccination program, the government must pay more attention to establishing public trust to ensure the successful completion of the program.…”