Exploring the Impact of Consumer Trust on Purchase Intentions in Social Commerce: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia

The rapid growth of electronic commerce, driven by technological advancements, has led to the emergence of social commerce (s-commerce), where social media platforms facilitate online transactions. Despite these advancements, consumer trust remains a critical factor for the success of online businesses due to the inherent uncertainties and perceived risks of virtual transactions. This study investigates the impact of consumer trust on social e-commerce among Saudi online consumers. By examining trust as a mediating factor, the study explores various dimensions such as communication, word-of-mouth marketing, economic viability, transaction safety, reputation, and information quality. Quantitative data were collected through a survey distributed across social networking sites, targeting frequent s-commerce users in Saudi Arabia. Structural equation modeling using partial least squares was employed to analyze the data. The findings reveal that reputation, transaction safety, and economic viability significantly enhance consumer trust, whereas information quality and communication show negligible effects. Additionally, consumer trust positively influences word-of-mouth intentions. This research contributes to the literature on online consumer behavior and provides insights for social commerce businesses in Saudi Arabia to develop strategies that enhance consumer trust.