What drives customers to use retailers’ Facebook pages? Predicting consumers’ motivations and continuance usage intention

Abstract

The emergence of social networking sites (SNSs) has changed business–consumer communication and become one of the major marketing tools in current retailing, including fashion retailing. Implementing SNSs in their businesses is no longer an option for retailers but a requirement. This study examined factors related to cognitive, social integrative, and hedonic benefits influencing consumers’ extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, which in turn predict their intent to continue to use retailers’ Facebook pages. Using a web-based survey and college students as a sample, this study collected 404 usable responses. This study revealed that information quality and sense of community influenced perceived usefulness and enjoyment. Vividness of information and entertainment affected only perceived enjoyment while interactivity influenced only perceived usefulness. The antecedents of consumer’s motivations indirectly influenced intent to continue to use retailers’ Facebook pages via perceived usefulness and/or perceived enjoyment. The findings of this study provide retailers with valuable insights about what drives customers to use their Facebook pages and how to design their Facebook pages to attract customers and expand their fan base. This study fills a gap in the literature by integrating external factors to predict customers’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for using retailers’ Facebook pages.