Forecasting the purchase intention of IT product: Key roles of trust and environmental consciousness for IT firms

Abstract

The dramatic deviations between a firm's CSR statements and its actual business practices show negative effects on consumers' trust and purchase intention. This study assesses consumers' purchase intention of IT product from the aspect of trust and environmental consciousness. The empirical results of this study show that the positive relationship between trust and purchase intention is positively moderated by environmental consciousness. Materialism increases the positive interaction effect of trust and environmental consciousness on purchase intention, such that the positive relationship between trust and purchase intention is stronger when both environmental consciousness and materialism are higher. Materialism increases the negative interaction effect of hypocrisy and environmental consciousness on trust, such that the negative relationship between hypocrisy and trust is stronger when both environmental consciousness and materialism are higher.