Examining Antecedents of Customer Engagement: The Role of Customer Engagement towards Driving Purchase Intention of Fashion Apparel Brands

Abstract

Although the literature on customer engagement is developing considerably, empirical studies on its drivers and outcomes are minimal. The aim of current paper is to examine the effect of brand interactivity, brand intimacy, brand involvement, brand psychological ownership, and brand trust on customer engagement.This research also seeks to measure the effect of customer engagement on purchase intention.A sample of 443 participants was collected employing a convenience sampling technique via a self-administered online survey from the users of fashion apparel brands in Pakistan. For the data analysis, researchers employed partial least squares. The findings of the structural analysis show that brand interactivity, brand involvement, brand intimacy and brand trust affects customer engagement.Overall, the results of this paper broaden the understanding of brand interactivity, brand involvement, brand psychological ownership, brand intimacy, brand trust, customer engagement and purchase intention in the fashion apparel context. This research expands the knowledge base of customer engagement in the fashion apparel sector. Research shows that brand managers should focus on non-brand owners because non-customers can also build intention to buy fashion apparel brands, if they are engaged.The current research focuses only on fashion brands in Pakistan. Future research may conduct research in other sectors and in different countries.