Consumption-related social media peer communication and online shopping intention among Gen Z consumers: A moderated-serial mediation model

Abstract

Despite scholars' efforts to examine the impact of consumption-related social media peer communication (SMPC) on consumer behaviors in recent decades, no evidence has been collected to shed light on how SMPC motivates Gen Z consumers' online shopping intentions (OSI). Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between Gen Z consumers’ SMPC and their OSI in the Vietnamese e-commerce environment. Based on the stimulus-organism-response theory, this study examined a moderated serial-mediation model in which SMPC was related to OSI via perceived brand quality (PBQ) and brand preference (BP). Additionally, this study tested whether higher subjective norms (SN) could substantialize these potential relationships for Gen Z consumers. Data from 280 Gen Z Vietnamese were analyzed using the PLS-SEM technique and path analysis with SmartPLS v. 4.0.8.5 software. The results showed that with Gen Z consumers, (1) SMPC was related to higher OSI (a) directly and (b) indirectly via both sequential and serial mediations of PBQ and BP; (2) the positive indirect effects of SMPC on OSI via the sequential and serial mediation of PBQ and BP increased as SN increased. Together, these findings extend the current literature and provide several implications for businesses.