9th Student Research Conference in Marketing (SRCM) - 2025
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Item The Impact of Electronic Word of Mouth on Consumer Repurchase Intention for Whitening Skin Care Products Among Gen Z Facebook Users: The Moderating Role of Brand Trust(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) De Silva, R. M. K. A.; Karunanayake, R. K. T. D.This study examines the impact of electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) on the repurchase intention of skin-whitening products among Generation Z consumers in Sri Lanka, with a particular focus on the moderating role of brand trust in this relationship. While prior research establishes that brand trust influences purchasing decisions, conflicting studies suggest that negative e-WOM consistently reduces repurchase intentions. This study contributes to this debate by exploring whether brand trust mitigates the adverse effects of negative e-WOM, thereby sustaining repurchase behavior. The research also underscores the importance of brand trust in the Sri Lankan cosmetics industry, particularly given the perceived risks associated with skin-whitening products. Grounded in the Information Adoption Model (IAM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study adopts a quantitative research design. Data were collected from 407 Generation Z consumers with experience in skin-whitening products. Convenience sampling was employed, targeting respondents through social media platforms, particularly Facebook groups frequented by the target demographic. An online structured questionnaire was distributed, and responses were analyzed using IBM SPSS, incorporating descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression to test the proposed hypotheses. Reliability and validity checks were conducted to ensure the robustness of findings. Results indicate that brand trust plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between e-WOM and repurchase intention. Consumers with higher brand trust exhibited stronger repurchase intentions, even when exposed to negative e-WOM regarding potential health risks of skin-whitening products. These findings align with studies emphasizing brand trust as a key driver of consumer decision-making, but diverge from research asserting that negative e-WOM invariably leads to lower repurchase rates. Despite its contributions, this study has several limitations. The use of convenience sampling limits the generalizability of findings, as the sample consisted exclusively of Generation Z Facebook users who have experience with skin-whitening products. Additionally, the cross-sectional research design restricts the ability to establish causal relationships between e-WOM, brand trust, and repurchase intention. The study’s narrow industry focus also limits its applicability to other sectors within the cosmetics market. Moreover, self-reported data may introduce response biases, such as social desirability and recall bias, which could influence the validity of the conclusions. From a practical perspective, the study provides valuable insights for marketers in Sri Lanka’s cosmetics industry. It highlights the critical role of brand trust in shaping consumer responses to e-WOM, emphasizing that strengthening brand credibility can mitigate negative feedback effects. Marketers are encouraged to build consumer trust through transparency, ethical product formulations, and consistent customer engagement. Furthermore, businesses should focus on leveraging positive e-WOM strategies and establishing long-term brand credibility to maintain customer loyalty and repurchase behavior. Future research should explore broader consumer demographics and additional moderating factors, such as brand loyalty, influencer credibility, and regulatory perceptions, to develop a comprehensive understanding of e-WOM dynamics in the beauty and cosmetics industry.