The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM) and Trust on Online Purchase Intention: The Moderating Role of Perceived Risk

The widespread growth of the internet and its related communication channels in the modern day has led to a significant move toward online platforms in the fields of marketing and business. This revolutionary development emphasizes how important Trust dynamics and Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM) are becoming in shaping customer buy intentions. The increasing dependence on online platforms for promotional activities and purchase choices highlights the critical role that e-WOM and Trust considerations play in the modern marketing environment. As such, these factors have become of the highest importance in the marketing industry, acting as pivotal factors that profoundly influence customer behavior and purchase intentions. The primary objective of this research is to investigate and clarify how Trust and e WOM affect consumers' intentions to buy on online environments. Understanding the impact of these variables is crucial for marketers and policymakers who aim to understand the elements influencing consumer preferences for making online purchases. Furthermore, the goal of this research is to clarify how perceived risk influences the link between e-WOM and buy intentions, as well as trust and purchase intentions, by examining the moderating function of perceived risk. The objective of this study is to further our understanding of the complex mechanisms that underlie consumer behavior in online shopping environments by investigating the subtle interactions between these factors. The data utilized in this study was obtained from a sample of 214 individuals residing in Northern Cyprus. Based on the analysis performed utilizing the available data, the findings demonstrate that e-WOM and Trust exert favorable influences on the intention to purchase online. Furthermore, the association between e-WOM and Purchase Intention is effected by the moderating role of the Perceived Risk, while there is no substantial moderating influence of perceived risk on the relationship between Trust and Online Purchase Intention. The final section of this research comprises a comprehensive examination of the constraints encountered in this study, as well as the managerial suggestions for further investigation on this subject in subsequent research endeavors.