Effects Of Social Interactions on Purchase Intention in E-Commerce: An Analysis Based on The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) Model

This study examines the effects of social interactions, including online review quality and source credibility, on consumers’ risk perception and purchase intention in e-commerce based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model. Further, it investigates the role of risk-related feelings (immediate negative emotions) in consumers’ decision-making journeys. We used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to analyze 405 online questionnaires. Our analysis reveals that review quality and source credibility lower perceived risk and risk-related feelings while enhancing purchase intention. Moreover, it indicates that the online decision journey is twofold and varies based on emotions. Our results have considerable theoretical and practical implications. We enrich consumer risk perception and behaviour literature by incorporating social interactions and risk-related feelings. We also provide several impactful suggestions for marketing strategies for e-commerce businesses.