Use of Social Commerce to Develop Intentions to Buy With Mediating Role of Social Support

Abstract

Web 2.0 technology and social media have paved a new way for the communication for individuals and for the businesses of e-commerce firms. This technology has opened the opportunities to introduce new business model which incorporates several social aspects of individuals. As Social Networking Sites are gaining more popularity, these have formed the links between internet consumers and it has become a critical way of getting knowledge for individuals. It has introduced social commerce which is joining of three concepts; e-commerce, web 2.0 and social media. E-commerce firms have started to engage their potential consumers on social media websites for the sake of contacting potential consumers and getting feedback on their products and services. Social Commerce is expanding because of its importance in information sharing. However, emotional support is also considered important factor which is comprised of informational and emotional factors that lead to trust and then ultimately, intentions to buy. This proposed structural model was assessed through collecting data from the online buyers of Pakistan through social media. It was found that in order to generate intentions to buy through social networking sites, social support is vital component that should be focused by the online businesses. This paper is concluded with research limitations and some suggestions for future research.

Keywords

• Social Commerce
• Social Support
• Trust
• Intentions to Buy
• E-Commerce