Social Media's Influence on Purchase Intention: The Roles of Community and Trust

Abstract

This study examines the impact of social media community participation and customer trust on purchase intention in the realm of social commerce.  This research utilizes the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Social Identity Theory to analyses the influence of online communities and trust mechanisms on consumer decision-making.  A quantitative, cross-sectional survey including 114 active social media users was performed, utilising regression analysis, ANOVA, and moderation/mediation tests.  The findings indicate that customer trust is a substantial predictor of purchase intention, but the influence of social media community interaction is less direct.  Moreover, demographic variables like work and wealth demonstrate minimal influence on users' reactions to social media signals.  The study highlights the significance of trust-building and focused community involvement techniques in digital marketing and proposes directions for future research that include platform-specific and longitudinal assessments.