Social Media Credibility on Social Commerce Purchase Intention with the Mediating Effect of Trust in Online Communities (Evidence from Skincare Consumers on Facebook)

Abstract

Social commerce integrates social media and e-commerce, transforming consumer purchasing behaviour. As more consumers rely on social media for shopping, the credibility of information has become increasingly significant, particularly in the skincare product market. Although the effect of the credibility of the information on purchase intention has been examined in the past, most of the studies are within the developed economies, and limited knowledge exists on how the same dynamics apply in emerging markets like Sri Lanka. Besides, few studies have focused on the synergistic impact of source credibility, message credibility, and trust in online communities, particularly Facebook-based skincare buying. This research paper fills this gap by examining the role of the credibility of information on purchase intention mediated by the importance of trust in online communities within the research context of Sri Lanka. Purposive sampling was used to obtain data from 384 Sri Lankan Facebook users who had bought skincare products online due to the necessity of relevant experience. The study used a structured questionnaire to collect data by distributing it among active members of Facebook-based skincare consumers in Sri Lanka. Analysis was carried out using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results indicate that source credibility and message credibility have a significant and positive influence on purchase intention. Moreover, the role of trust in the online community is an important mediator, which supports the need to establish credible online spaces. The research paper adds to the dearth of literature on social commerce in an emerging economy and provides practical implications in credibility-based marketing steps in the skincare products sector.