How Virtual Celebrity Characteristics Drive Purchase Intention: Testing the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework with Structural Equation Modeling.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the antecedents of consumers’ purchase intention toward local dairy products. In doing so, this article delves into the relationships between perceived quality, perceived price, customer satisfaction, brand image, and customer purchase intention in the context of developing countries. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework, the research model was tested using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique with a questionnaire applied to 731 respondents from Saudi Arabia. Findings: The results showed that perceived quality, consumer satisfaction, and brand image have a positive impact on purchase intention, whereas perceived price could not explain purchase intention. Moreover, consumer satisfaction and brand image appeared to significantly mediate the relationships in the research model. Research limitations/implications: This article studies a specific country and local dairy consumption. One should be careful when generalizing the results to other food and country contexts. Originality/value: This study investigates consumer purchase intention specifically toward local dairy products, which was a matter underexplored in the literature as opposed to studies on a variety of other local products. Moreover, the article contributes to an extension of the SOR framework onto the body of literature regarding local products.

Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful tool of digital persuasion; nevertheless, the processes according to which it affects consumer decision-making have not been explored well enough in the case of emerging markets where the institutional trust in online shopping is weak. The paper explores the influencer marketing effect on consumer purchase intention through analyzing the impact of influencer credibility, content quality, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven personalization through the Pakistan social media environment. The study is based on the Source Credibility Theory and the Stimulus Organism Response (S-O-R) model and informed by attitude-based approaches as represented in the literature on consumer behavior and constructs an integrated model of both cognitive and affective influence pathways. The study utilized a quantitative, cross-sectional research design that involved the use of a structured survey in the sample comprised of active social media users in Pakistan and who have been recently exposed to influencer-endorsed content. There were 218 valid responses analyzed through the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) that is appropriate in the context of theory expansion and the complicated models with mediation and moderation. According to the results, influencer credibility and AI-improved personalization have a significant positive effect on consumer trust and emotional attachment, and miscellaneous contents generally have a positive impact on purchase intention through a functional assessment and not relational bond. However, the most notable predictor of the purchase intention was consumer trust and the emotional attachment did not readily translate to the actual buying behavior. The consumer attitude portrayed a small yet significant moderating influence on the trust purchase intention relationship. The results emphasize the importance of trust-driven mechanisms over emotional persuasion in risk sensitive online space and give context specific insights into influencer marketing practices in new market.

Objectives: This study explores the influence of live shopping behavior on consumer purchase intentions within the TikTok Shop, emphasizing its relevance to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Understanding the dynamics of live shopping behavior on platforms like TikTok is vital for businesses aiming to leverage this innovative marketing strategy. Theoretical framework: The research is grounded with a behavioral predictor in understanding shopping decisions using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory psychological model. SOR here, the stimulus uses store and brand image; the organism sees from quality and trust, and the response is based on purchase intention. Methods: Sample data was obtained from 419 respondents from an online survey using the snowball technique. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed hypotheses Results and discussion: Brand image affects perceived quality, and brand image affects trust. Store image affects perceived quality, and store image affects trust. Perceived quality and trust affect purchase intention. Research Implications: The findings can be used as an evaluation for a marketing platform tool for the purchasing decision-making process. The development of the live shopping research model framework with Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory effectively for evaluating consumer and online shopping behavior. Meanwhile, this research also provides managerial strategies related to insights to managers of online shopping services, especially for e-commerce to be able to develop business networks by paying attention to factors that influence consumer behavior in online shopping, which will impact consumer buying interest Originality/Value: This research gives insight to behavior literature which focus on the Stimuli-Organism-Response (SOR) theory as a review tool for the purchase decision-making process and consumer behavior. In addition, evaluating consumers' online shopping behavior (TikTok Shop) developed a robust online consumer behavior concept on the influence of variables used to measure live shopping behavior in making decisions on consumer purchase intention.

PurposeBased on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework, this study aims to investigate the effect of social media marketing (SMM) activities on consumers’ purchase intention (PI), as well as to test the mediation effect of consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) and consumer inspiration (INS) between the relationship of SMM and PI. Further, this study has also proposed and validated SMM as a reflective–formative higher-order construct (R-F-HOC) with its five first-order dimensions: customization, entertainment, interaction, trendiness and word of mouth (WoM).Design/methodology/approachUsing a non-probability purposive sampling method, a structured questionnaire survey using Google forms was used to collect data from a sample of 236 UAE consumers. Subsequently, the data was analyzed with a hybrid method that combined partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis.FindingsThe findings suggest that SMM has a direct effect on CBBE, INS and PI. Both proposed mediation effects are statistically significant, and there is a partial complementary mediation effect of CBBE and INS between SMM and PI. This study validated the operationalization of SMM as R-F-HOC. Further, the results of the ANN analysis validate the results of the PLS-SEM, suggesting that SMM is the strongest predictor of PI followed by CBBE and INS.Research limitations/implicationsIn terms of theoretical significance, this study has advanced our understanding of the process by which the influence of SMM is transferred to PI via CBBE and INS. This study has also made a significant contribution by validating SMM as a R-F-HOC. In terms of practical implications, this study suggests that SMM should be best assessed as a R-F-HOC construct with five dimensions: customization, entertainment, interaction, trendiness and WoM. This study has also demonstrated the importance of CBBE and INS in transmitting the effect of SMM on PI to marketers.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the digital advertising literature by filling a knowledge gap about the mediation effect of CBBE and INS between SMM and PI via the SOR framework. SMM’s multidimensionality as a R-F-HOC has also been established.

This study aims to analyze the impact of market atmosphere and product diversity on consumer purchase intention, with perceived value as a mediating variable, at the newly revitalized Pasar Gembrong Sukasari, Bogor City. Although traditional markets such as Pasar Gembrong Sukasari have fully upgraded their physical facilities, they still encounter competitive challenges and suffer from low consumer purchase intentions, even after revitalization efforts. This study uniquely uses perceived value as a mediating variable to explore the relationship between market atmosphere and product diversity as independent variables and purchase intention as a dependent variable in a revitalized traditional market. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results and rarely integrated all four variables into their analyses. This study addresses this gap by incorporating perceived value. This study, grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theoretical framework, implemented a quantitative methodology by distributing questionnaires to a purposively selected group of 190 respondents. The collected data were subsequently analyzed using SmartPLS v. 3.2.9 in conjunction with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that market atmosphere (39.1% influence) and product diversity (53.2% influence) significantly impact perceived value. Perceived value, in turn, exerts the most substantial influence on purchase intention (63.4% influence) and plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between environmental stimuli (market atmosphere and product diversity) and purchase intention. Notably, the direct effect of product diversity on purchase intention was found to be insignificant (p-value > 0.05), highlighting the essential role of perceived value as a full mediator. To sustainably boost consumer purchase intentions, efforts to enhance market atmosphere and product diversity should prioritize creating a positive perceived value in consumers' minds.

Sponsorship is very important for the sustainable development of sports, and the motivation of sponsors will have an impact on consumers’ willingness to buy the products of sports sponsors. This paper takes China’s CBA sports sponsors, TCL Corporation and Li Ning Corporation, as examples to conduct an empirical stud. Structural equation model, regression analysis, and correlation analysis are used in our study. The results show that altruistic sponsorship motivation has a positive impact on consumer attitude and purchase intention. Sponsorship egoistic motivations have a reverse impact on consumer attitudes. However, the reverse impact on purchase intention is relatively low. Consumer attitude plays a mediating role in the process of sponsorship motivation influencing purchase intention. Based on SOR (Stimulus- Organism-Response) theory, this paper proposes a model to study the impact of sponsorship motivation on customers’ purchase intention and comes to the conclusion of the intermediary effect of consumer attitude in the impact of sponsorship motivation on customers’ purchase intention. Our study provides a reference for the study of the impact of sports sponsorship motivation on consumer purchase intention.

Numbers of researches have been conducted to investigate the interrelationship among corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and consumer purchase intentions. However conflicting results were found regarding effects of corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior. This research has investigated the effects of product/service quality and consumer satisfaction along with corporate social responsibility actions on consumer purchase intentions and further on consumer loyalty. This was an exploratory research based on primary and secondary data with some experimentation to manipulate respondents’ attitude towards organization and its corporate social responsibility actions. The primary data has been collected from university students, whereas secondary data was collected from newspapers and website of corporation. The data has been analyzed using structural equation modeling through AMOS 7.0 version. The study found no relationship between awareness of corporate social responsibility activities and consumer purchase intention. However significant relationship was observed between service quality and customer satisfaction. Moreover the study noted no relationship between consumer satisfaction and purchase intentions and purchase intention and consumer retention for cellular industry of Pakistan. The findings of this study are important for corporations and future researchers on corporate social responsibility and consumer behavior. Key words: Corporate social responsibility, corporate sustainability, consumer behavior, consumer satisfaction, consumer retention.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping cultural and creative design and raising new questions about how consumers evaluate museum cultural and creative products (MCCPs). Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, this study conceptualizes novelty (NOV), originality (ORI), and cultural congruence (CUL) as key GenAI-enabled design stimuli in MCCPs, and models perceived value (PV) and emotional resonance (ER) as organismic states linked to purchase intention (PI). We surveyed Chinese consumers with basic GenAI literacy (N = 312) and analyzed the data using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Within the focal context and sample, NOV, ORI, and CUL are all positively associated with PV, ER, and PI, and PV and ER exhibit small but stable partial mediating roles in the relationships between the three stimuli and PI. Among the direct paths, NOV shows the strongest association with PI (β = 0.269, p < 0.001), ORI is more strongly related to ER, and CUL exerts a comparatively larger impact on PV. The model explains 48.0% of the variance in PI (R2 = 0.480) and demonstrates positive predictive relevance (Q2 > 0). These findings suggest that consumer responses to GenAI-enabled MCCPs are jointly shaped by multiple design features and the value judgments and emotional experiences they elicit, rather than by any single cue or pathway. Theoretically, the study applies and tests the SOR framework in a culture-technology hybrid setting and provides an operational measurement and structural model for NOV, ORI, CUL, PV, ER, and PI, while discussing cultural authenticity and disclosure intensity as plausible boundary conditions to be examined in future research. Managerially, the results imply that museums and cultural-creative practitioners may, conditional on cultural congruence, cautiously leverage GenAI to enhance novelty and originality and use value-oriented cues and culturally resonant narratives to support consumer acceptance of GenAI-enabled MCCPs.

In recent years, climate change and global warming have been exacerbated by human over-development, and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of environmental protection. Therefore, many companies are now implementing green production approaches, taking environmental protection as an integral aspect of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This study aims to explore the influence of green perceived value (GPV), CSR, and consumer conformity on consumer purchase intention toward environmentally friendly Nike sneakers. The data were collected by employing an online survey of 18–24-year-old Taiwanese consumers. A total of 660 consumers were randomly selected and 480 valid responses were acquired. The data were analyzed using SPSS25.0 (IBM Corp, New York, NY, USA).and a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) is used to test the hypotheses. The results of the study are as follows: (1) GPV and brand image had a significant effect on consumers’ attitude toward purchasing environmentally friendly sneakers; (2) GPV and CSR had a significant effect on brand image; (3) the attitude toward purchasing environmentally friendly sneakers had a significant effect on consumers’ purchase intention; (4) CSR and consumer conformity had no significant effect on consumers’ attitude toward purchasing environmentally friendly sneakers; (5) brand image had no significant effect on consumers’ purchase intention; (6) consumers’ environmental awareness had no significant moderating relationship between their attitude toward purchasing environmentally friendly sneakers and consumer purchase intention. The research results suggest that Nike can hold events to recycle old shoes, so that consumers can directly participate in advancing green initiatives and understand all the efforts the company has made for society. Moreover, through news media coverage of such events, the company’s intentions to promote its CSR commitment can be more fully understood by people, while simultaneously publicizing its CSR performance.

The rapid growth of short-video–based social media, particularly TikTok, has transformed the way companies engage with consumers and stimulate purchase intention, especially among Generation Z as digital natives. However, for local brands such as Eiger in the travel and outdoor equipment industry, a key challenge remains in converting digital marketing activities into actual purchase intention, as reflected in the gap between high offline conversion rates and relatively low online sales contributions. This research aims to analyze the effects of content marketing and influencer marketing on purchase intention for Eiger’s travel products among Generation Z using a quantitative approach through a survey of 300 respondents who have been exposed to Eiger’s TikTok content. The research model is analyzed using the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework and tested with Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) employing SmartPLS software. The findings indicate that both content marketing and influencer marketing significantly enhance perceived enjoyment, which in turn serves as a strong mediator in increasing purchase intention. Furthermore, gender moderates the relationship between content marketing and perceived enjoyment, with female consumers showing greater responsiveness to storytelling and aesthetically appealing content, while male consumers respond more strongly to informative content. In contrast, gender does not moderate the relationship between influencer marketing and perceived enjoyment, suggesting a relatively homogeneous perception of influencers among Generation Z consumers. This study contributes to the literature by extending the application of the S-O-R theory to short-video marketing contexts and enriching empirical insights into Generation Z consumer behavior in Indonesia.

Topromote the sustainable consumption ofprepared dishes, this study examines how green attribute information (GAI) and live streaming scenes experience (LSSE) influence consumers' green perceptions (GP) – including perceived green value (PGV) and perceived green trust (PGT) – and subsequently affect their purchase intention (PI). Agreen perception model was developed and tested using amixed-method approach. Word cloud analysis was conducted onconsumer comments collected from e-commerce platforms toextract key descriptors and concerns, which informed the design ofastructured questionnaire. Atotal of291 valid responses were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results show that: <i>(i</i>)<i>GAI</i> does not directly impact <i>PI</i>, indicating that <i>GP</i> isanecessary mediator; <i>(ii</i>)<i>GAI</i> significantly influences <i>PGV</i>, but not <i>PGT</i>; <i>(iii</i>)<i>GP</i> fully mediates the <i>GAI</i>–<i>PI</i> relationship, although <i>PGV</i> has anegligible direct effect on<i>PGT</i>; <i>(iv</i>)<i>LSSE</i> significantly enhances both <i>GP</i> and <i>PI</i>; <i>(v</i>)<i>GP</i> partially mediates the <i>LSSE</i>–<i>PI</i> relationship. These findings highlight the dual role of LSSE in facilitating information adoption and emotional engagement, and suggest that enhancing LSSE design and enriching GAI are effective strategies to increase consumers' green perception and purchase intention towards prepared dishes.

The marketing concept holds that the key to realizing the goals of the organization lies in the ability of the organization in creating, delivering and communicating customer value to the target market more effectively compared to the competitors. This research examined brand image, and customer satisfaction as determinants of purchase intention with the moderating role of service quality. A quantitative research which employed both survey and cross-sectional research designs. The study has an infinite population with a sample size of 422. Purposive sampling techniques were employed in the process of administering the copies of questionnaires to respondents. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilised to ascertain the hypothesised relationship. The findings of the study suggested that brand image, customer satisfaction and service quality have a positive and significant effect on purchase intentions. In addition, service quality significantly moderated the relationship between brand image and purchase intentions and customer satisfaction and purchase intentions. The study recommends that managers should improve service quality in clients' views, such as improving banking facilities, commitments to the customer, the interaction between the staff and the client, being ready to listen to the concerns of customers, and being prepared to solve the problems of customers.

In the past few years, there has been a significant focus on investigating the impact of social media engagement. Although previous studies recognize the importance of social media engagement, there is still a lack of in-depth analysis regarding the specific influences of likes, comments, and shares on consumer behaviour, especially concerning how these engagements affect different platforms. This study aims to examine the relationship between social media engagement metrics (likes, comments, and shares) and consumer purchase intention on two prominent platforms, Facebook and Instagram. By adopting a cross-sectional design, this study employed purposive sampling to gather data from Malaysian university students who have engaged in purchasing activities on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. The analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) based on 265 completed responses, comprising 131 from Facebook users and 134 from Instagram users. The results reveal a significant positive relationship between likes and shares with consumer purchase intention on both Facebook and Instagram. However, comments were not found to be associated with consumer purchase intention on either platform. Furthermore, the study conducted a comparative analysis between Facebook and Instagram and found no significant differences in the relationships between engagement metrics and purchase intention. These findings have practical implications for marketers, emphasizing the importance of fostering engagement through likes and shares to drive consumer purchasing behaviour on social media platforms.

The rapid growth of live stream commerce has reshaped online shopping by fostering real-time interactions between consumers and influencers. In this dynamic environment, social presence, trust, and innovation acceptance converge to shape strong purchase intentions. Despite live streaming's widespread adoption as a marketing tool, limited research investigates the psychological mechanisms influencing consumer behavior in this setting. This study explores how social presence, trust, and innovation acceptance impact purchase decisions in live shopping. Using a quantitative approach, data was collected from 359 consumers with live shopping experience and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results show that social presence, trust, and innovation acceptance significantly and positively influence purchase intentions. Trust also mediates the relationship between social presence and purchase intentions, emphasizing the role of credibility and authenticity. Furthermore, innovation acceptance bridges trust and consumer behavior, highlighting that consumers open to new technologies are more inclined to engage in live shopping. The study identifies key psychological and behavioral factors crucial for marketers aiming to enhance live commerce strategies. Organizations can leverage these insights to strengthen audience connections, build trustworthy relationships, and boost purchase conversion rates during live shopping events, offering a deeper understanding of decision-making in interactive e-commerce contexts.

The increasing influence of social media influencers (SMIs) on consumer purchase intentions has become a crucial topic in marketing research, particularly in understanding the mechanisms that drive this effect. This study examines how SMI credibility—defined by trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness—affects consumer purchase intentions through the mediating role of parasocial relationships (PSRs) and the moderating role of product involvement. A survey of 205 Thai social media users was conducted, and data were analyzed with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that SMI credibility positively impacts purchase intentions and strengthens PSRs, which partially mediate this relationship. Moreover, the moderating role of product involvement uncovers a conditional mediation effect: PSRs have a stronger influence on purchase intentions for low-involvement products, where emotional appeals are more effective than rational evaluations. In contrast, for high-involvement products, consumers prioritize cognitive processing and influencer expertise, weakening the impact of PSRs. This research enhances influencer marketing literature by incorporating emotional and cognitive pathways within a mediated-moderated framework. Practically, it highlights the importance of aligning influencer strategies with product involvement, recommending emotionally engaging influencers for low-involvement products and credibility-driven influencers for high-involvement products to maximize marketing effectiveness.