How online brand community participation strengthens brand trust and commitment

Abstract

Advancements in information technology have shaped the way customers and organizations interact with one another. Online brand communities (OBCs), especially have found their way into 21st century relationship marketing. While research embraces these OBCs for their cost-efficiency and ability for faster interactions, it has not thoroughly examined the procedure through which participation in such OBCs affects the major constructs of relationship marketing. Drawing from the trust-commitment theory and its central concepts of brand trust, brand commitment and brand loyalty, this thesis discusses the applicability of this theory in a brand community and in an online context. It also introduces the concept of OBC commitment as a very important outcome of participation in an OBC. Using probability sampling and a self-administered questionnaire, this study employs a deductive logic to investigate if higher levels of participation in an OBC translate to higher levels of member commitment toward that OBC and higher levels of trust, commitment and loyalty toward the brand that the OBC supports. This study underlines the importance of understanding the process through which an OBC member gradually develops strong emotional ties with that OBC, as a result of continuous interaction with other OBC members. Additionally, how participation in an OBC evolves to attachment towards the brand that the OBC supports.