Value co-creation and purchase intention in social commerce: The enabling role of word-of-mouth and trust

Social commerce combines commercial and social activities, and has managed in a very short period of time to attract the interest of researchers and practitioners. In this study we use theories of trust and value co-creation to understand how word-of-mouth (WOM) affects purchase intentions in social commerce settings. Drawing on a sample of 385 survey-based responses from users of social commerce platforms, we empirically examine a set of hypotheses by means of partial least squares analysis. The outcomes of the analysis demonstrate that WOM has a direct effect on purchase intentions, as well as an indirect one by developing a sense of trust to consumers. WOM and its impact on trust also has a positive effect on a consumers' propensity to engage in value co-creation, which ultimately contributes to increased levels of purchase intentions. In closing, theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and limitations of the study are highlighted.