The Mediating Role of Trust in Shaping Consumer Purchase Intentions on TikTok Shop: Insights from Johor, Malaysia

Social commerce, combining social media and e-commerce, has revolutionised consumer behaviour, with platforms like TikTok Shop driving this shift by offering real-time engagement and direct purchasing features. Understanding the factors influencing consumer purchase intentions on these platforms is crucial for businesses aiming to capitalise on this growing trend. This study focuses on TikTok Shop users in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia, employing the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to explore key factors such as brand image, price perception, trust, perceived quality, and brand association, with trust as a mediator. A quantitative research design was adopted, utilising purposive sampling to collect responses from 381 users, and data were analysed using SmartPLS to assess the measurement and structural models. Results indicate that all independent variables significantly influence consumer purchase intentions, with trust playing a critical mediating role. The study's findings underscore the importance of brand-related factors and trust in shaping consumer behaviour on live-stream shopping platforms, offering valuable insights for marketers and platform operators to enhance engagement and drive purchase decisions. Further research could explore the role of emerging variables such as social influence, user-generated content, and the impact of influencer marketing on purchase intentions. Additionally, cross-cultural studies or longitudinal research examining how consumer behaviour evolves on social commerce platforms could deepen understanding and support more targeted strategies for different markets. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on social commerce, emphasising the need to continuously adapt to the dynamic consumer environment shaped by technological advancements and social interactions.