Utilization of E-WoM strategy and WhatsApp group texting in building trust and shopper intention to conventional business sectors during the coronavirus pandemic

Abstract

Indonesia is a country with the largest female population in Asia, 51% of whom are housewives. The consumer behavior of housewives in Indonesia is mostly like shopping at traditional markets, unfortunately, since the COVID-19 outbreak, they cannot shop as often as possible to the market for reasons. safety and temporary closure of markets to reduce crowd levels in traditional markets, as a result of which traders and consumers cannot interact and transact. There are social media activists in Bandung city who try to both traders and consumers of traditional markets by utilizing chat group Apps such as Whatsapp group for promoting and trading traditional market. Opinion leaders are used as positive spreaders of traditional market products, this business is free for traders, payments are made directly to merchants via bank transfers and use of delivery services by couriers who are victims of COVID-19 dismissal, sales traffic is quite high but no one has tested the impact increase in consumer behavior and product trust.