Examining the impact of advertising, firm-generated content, and user-generated content on customers' propensity to buy food online

This study examines the impact of advertising, firm-generated content (FGC), and user-generated content (UGC) on the customer's propensity to buy food online. An online survey questionnaire was developed and administered to users of food aggregators. The collected responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between advertising, user-generated content (UGC), firm-generated content (FGC), and customers' propensity to buy. The findings reveal that both advertising and firm-generated content (FGC) influence customers' propensity to buy. However, user-generated content (UGC) does not appear to have a significant impact. Additionally, advertising does not directly influence the creation of UGC, suggesting that customers may not produce content purely based on advertising, and other factors likely play a role in encouraging UGC. This study offers valuable insights into the varying impacts of different marketing communication channels on consumer behavior within the food aggregator context. By differentiating the effects of advertising, FGC, and UGC, the research deepens our understanding of how these channels influence customers' propensity to buy. The implications of these findings can help marketing managers better understand the flow of communication across these mediums.