How Brand Experience Builds Loyalty: The Roles of Trust, Association, Word-of-Mouth, and Credibility

This study investigates how brand experience contributes to brand loyalty through the mediating roles of brand trust and brand association, with the moderating effects of word-of-mouth (WOM) and brand credibility. The purpose was to explore consumer behavioral patterns in emerging sectors like e-commerce and herbal wellness, where emotional and social influences drive brand engagement. Addressing a theoretical gap in integrated brand experience modeling, the study offers an empirically tested framework grounded in the Brand Experience Model, Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE), and Trust-Based Relationship Theory. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was used, collecting data from 200 consumers via an online survey. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4.0 was employed to test six hypotheses across multiple constructs including sensory, affective, intellectual, and behavioral brand experiences. Findings revealed that brand trust (β = 0.59) and brand association (β = 0.36) significantly mediate the relationship between brand experience and loyalty. WOM and credibility also positively influenced brand trust (β = 0.43; β = 0.53, respectively). The model exhibited good fit indices (SRMR = 0.062, CFI = 0.937), confirming structural reliability. This study adds originality by integrating emotional, cognitive, and social variables, offering strategic insights for trust-sensitive, digitally-driven brand ecosystems.