User experience in social commerce: in friends we trust

Abstract

Social commerce (s-commerce), a new form of commerce that involves using social media, has been rapidly developing. While the adoption of social technology is well studied, new theoretical development is needed to explain the specific characteristics of s-commerce and their interactions with the user. This study analyses consumer behaviours in s-commerce, focusing on the role of social influence in s-commerce. A model is created to validate the relationship between the subjective norm and trust, social support, attitude, and intention. The results of the model show that the subjective norm is a key behavioural antecedent to use s-commerce. In the extended model, the moderating and mediating effects of the subjective norm on relationships among variables were found to be significant. The new set of variables adapted from previous research can be s-commerce-specific, acting as factors that enhance attitudes and behavioural intentions in s-commerce. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of building a theory of social interaction and providing practical insights into developing user-centered s-commerce as a platform.