A study on the mediating role of digital influencers in the effect of hedonic and conspicuous consumption on trust in social commerce

Social commerce, which emerged with the integration of social media platforms into shopping processes, is a new shopping platform that supports consumers' purchasing activities. Trust in these platforms is one of the most important factors influencing consumer behaviour. Consumers' perceptions of trust in social commerce can be influenced by both internal (such as consumption motivations and trust propensity) and external (such as digital influencers) factors. The research aims to reveal the effect of hedonic and conspicuous consumption on trust in social commerce. Additionally, the study examines the mediating role of trust in digital influencers in the effect of hedonic and conspicuous consumption behaviours on trust in social commerce. In this context, the research model is based on trust transfer theory. Furthermore, the study considers gender and individuals' trust propensity levels in formulating hypotheses. As part of our research, we surveyed 1,260 young consumers. The analysis of the data was conducted using a structural equation modeling. The analysis revealed that hedonic and conspicuous consumption directly impact trust in digital influencers; hedonic consumption does not directly affect trust in social commerce; and conspicuous consumption directly impacts trust in social commerce. It was indicated that trust in digital influencers has a direct impact on trust in social commerce. Furthermore, it was determined that trust in digital influencers plays a mediating role in the effect of hedonic and conspicuous consumption trust in social commerce. Finally, the findings of the structural equation modeling were discussed according to gender and trust propensity levels.