The Effects of Online Social Influencers on Purchasing Behavior of Generation Z: An Empirical Study in Vietnam

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of influencers on generation Z (Gen Z) in the online environment. This article has applied the theories of source credibility, TAM, IAM, and TPB to identify influencer characteristics that affect the purchasing behaviors of Gen Z customers. This research was conducted using a Google Form survey with 24 pre-designed questions. A total of 464 valid questionnaires from Gen Z Vietnamese were collected between November 2020 and January 2021. Data was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 3 software. The analysis results confirmed that the components of influencer credibility have a positive impact on Gen Z's purchasing behaviors under the mediated influence of argument quality, perceived usefulness, and social influence. Surprisingly, for Gen Z, the influencers' attractiveness has the strongest impact on their online behavior. More specifically, attractiveness plays the most important role in the perceived usefulness and social influence of Gen Z customers, while influencers' expertise has the strongest impact on argument quality delivered to customers. This study provides evidence of a change in the way Gen Z responds to marketing activities. They are more drawn by the attraction of influencers than their expertise.