Influence of On-line Brand Experience on Purchase Intention: An Empirical Study of Non-standardized Commodity

Since the explosion and popularity of Internet, virtual brand community has been serving as a new and important brand experience centre for consumers to acquire necessary brand and product knowledge. Based on the empirical literature and the nature of online shopping, this study proposed a series of research hypotheses and a theoretical model. Internet shoppers´ brand experience (sensory, affective, behavioral and intellectual factors), perceived risk (financial and product performance risk) and their relationship to purchase intention were introduced. The research was conducted by members of a brand virtual community through questionnaire toward non-standardized commodity. And research model was evaluated with structural equation modeling. Results of this empirical study indicated that sensory, affective and intellectual factors significantly influence perceived risk online. However, behavioral -oriented experience has no significant effect. Finally, conclusion and implications of these findings were also discussed.