The impact of interpersonal interaction factors on consumers’ purchase intention in social commerce: a relationship quality perspective

Abstract

Purpose

Interpersonal interaction can influence consumers’ purchase intention in social commerce (s-commerce). This paper aims to identify interpersonal interaction factors as well as the mediating effect of relationship quality between interpersonal interaction factors and consumers’ purchase intention in s-commerce.

Design/methodology/approach

This study explores new dimensions of interpersonal interaction in s-commerce by integrating interaction between consumers and online vendors and that between consumers and online recommenders in s-commerce. An online questionnaire was used to collect the data, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed for data analysis.

Findings

The results indicate that interpersonal interaction factors of both online vendors and online recommenders positively affect swift guanxi and initial trust between consumers and online vendors. Swift guanxi and initial trust positively affect consumers’ purchase intention. Initial trust partially mediates between interpersonal interaction factors and purchase intention while swift guanxi does not mediate between perceived similarity of online recommenders and purchase intention.

Practical implications

The findings can be used to guide vendors in s-commerce platforms to make good use of platform features to improve interpersonal interaction. Meanwhile, s-commerce platforms should be enhanced with efficient interaction tools to help cultivate relationship quality between consumers and online vendors.

Originality/value

This study combines social exchange theory, trust transfer theory and relationship quality theory to investigate the factors that influence swift guanxi and initial trust between consumers and online vendors, which extends the study of interpersonal interaction and enriches the dimensions of relationship quality in the context of s-commerce.

Citation

Zhou, W., Dong, J. and Zhang, W. (2023), "The impact of interpersonal interaction factors on consumers’ purchase intention in social commerce: a relationship quality perspective", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 123 No. 3, pp. 697-721. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-06-2022-0392