Commerce and Management
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Item The Role of Electronic Word of Mouth in Shaping Purchase Intentions: Insights from the Sri Lankan Skincare Industry(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Fonseka, W. M. S. A.; Bandara, B. S. S. U.This study examines the impact of Electronic Word of Mouth (E-WOM) on purchase intention in the Sri Lankan skincare industry, emphasizing the mediating role of brand credibility. E-WOM, a rapidly expanding form of digital communication, has become a key determinant of consumer behavior, particularly in industries where trust and authenticity are critical, such as skincare. This research investigates the core dimensions of E-WOM—credibility, quality, and intensity—and their influence on consumer decision-making processes. Addressing a significant gap in the literature, the study explores the interplay between E-WOM and brand credibility within an emerging market characterized by distinct cultural and economic factors. A quantitative research approach was adopted, utilizing structured questionnaires distributed to 380 respondents in Sri Lanka’s Western Province. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to assess and validate the relationships between E-WOM, brand credibility, and purchase intention. Findings reveal that E-WOM significantly influences purchase intention, with brand credibility playing a crucial mediating role. High-quality, frequently shared, and credible E-WOM enhances brand credibility, fostering consumer trust and increasing the likelihood of purchase. The study highlights that Sri Lankan consumers place greater trust in peer-generated content over traditional advertising, which is often perceived as less reliable. Additionally, the study underscores the evolving digital landscape in Sri Lanka, where consumers prioritize peer recommendations and shared experiences over brand-driven narratives. This shift makes E-WOM a powerful tool for marketers seeking to enhance consumer engagement and brand loyalty. The results emphasize the potential of E-WOM-driven strategies to build strong consumer-brand relationships in a market increasingly transitioning to digital-first communication models. Despite its contributions, the study acknowledges several limitations. The focus on the skincare industry and a single geographic region (Western Province, Sri Lanka) may limit the generalizability of findings to other industries and regions. Furthermore, external factors such as economic fluctuations, regulatory changes, and competitive market dynamics were not considered, which could influence the observed relationships. Additionally, the reliance on quantitative methods may restrict in-depth consumer insights that could have been obtained through qualitative exploration. Future research could broaden the scope by incorporating other industries, geographical regions, and mixed-method approaches to deepen the understanding of E-WOM’s impact across diverse consumer segments. The study makes important theoretical and practical contributions. Theoretically, it reinforces the role of brand credibility as a mediating factor between E-WOM and purchase intention, extending existing literature on digital marketing and consumer behavior within an emerging market context. Practically, the findings provide actionable insights for marketers, highlighting the importance of fostering credible, high-quality E-WOM through strategic digital engagement and consumer feedback management. Marketers are encouraged to cultivate online environments that facilitate authentic peer interactions, ensuring that consumer trust is consistently reinforced. This study also sets the stage for future research on platform-specific E-WOM dynamics, demographic variations, and longitudinal trends. A deeper understanding of how E-WOM shapes consumer behavior will help marketers refine their digital marketing strategies, enhancing brand-consumer relationships and sustainable business growth in the skincare industry and beyond.Item Impact of E-Word of Mouth on Purchase Intentions Among Generation Z: The Mediating Role of Brand Credibility in Sri Lanka's E-Commerce Industry in the Western Province(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Jagoda, N. Y.; Wijenayaka, S. I.In Sri Lanka's rapidly evolving e-commerce industry, E-WOM has emerged as a pivotal factor influencing consumer decision-making, particularly for Generation Z, who rely heavily on co-generated digital content. E-WOM has proven to be an effective tool in shaping purchase intentions among this demographic. However, despite its capacity to capture consumer attention, questions remain about how trust built through E-WOM translates into actual purchasing behavior. Additionally, past research has yet to sufficiently explore the mediating role of brand credibility, leaving gaps in understanding how E-WOM strengthens the trust and credibility between brands and consumers, especially in emerging markets like Sri Lanka. Compounding this issue is the underexplored influence of trust dimensions such as expertise, trustworthiness, and E-WOM valence on customer loyalty and purchasing behavior. While studies conducted in global contexts emphasize the importance of these dimensions, their interaction within Sri Lanka's e-commerce industry, particularly among Generation Z, has not been adequately addressed. This underscores the need for a focused investigation into the factors that maximize the impact of E-WOM on purchasing intention, while simultaneously strengthening consumer trust and loyalty in a dynamic and growing digital marketplace. This study seeks to fill these gaps by analyzing the relationship between E-WOM and purchasing intention, with brand credibility acting as a mediating variable. Operating within a positivist paradigm, the research follows a deductive approach, surveying 406 respondents aged 18-26 from Sri Lanka's Western Province. A structured questionnaire was used to measure key variables, including dimensions of E-WOM (source expertise, trustworthiness, volume, and valence), brand credibility, and their collective influence on purchasing intention. Regression and mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS to test the hypotheses and provide actionable insights. The results indicate a significant positive correlation between E-WOM and purchasing intention, with brand credibility partially mediating this relationship. Among the dimensions of E-WOM, source expertise and trustworthiness were identified as key drivers of consumer trust, while higher message volume and positive valence further amplified purchasing intentions. These findings highlight the importance of brand credibility and consistent digital communication in building trust, ultimately influencing Generation Z’s purchasing behavior within Sri Lanka’s e-commerce sector. However, the study has some limitations. The focus on Sri Lanka's Western Province limits the generalizability of the findings to other regions, including suburban areas. The cross-sectional design also restricts the ability to observe long-term changes in consumer behavior. Furthermore, by exclusively concentrating on E-WOM and brand credibility, the study overlooks other potential factors, such as cultural nuances or digital literacy, which could provide further insights into consumer behavior in emerging markets. Despite these limitations, the study offers significant theoretical and practical contributions. Conceptually, it advances the understanding of E-WOM as a critical driver of purchasing intention, while elucidating the mediating role of brand credibility in this process. From a practical perspective, the findings offer valuable guidance for e-commerce businesses aiming to enhance consumer engagement and loyalty. By prioritizing trust-building through credible and consistent E-WOM strategies, businesses can effectively influence Generation Z’s purchasing behavior. Future research could build on these findings by employing longitudinal designs, exploring additional mediators, and expanding the scope to include diverse geographic and cultural contexts.Item Impact of Brand Credibility on Purchase Intention towards Women Fast Fashion Brands in Sri Lanka: Examining the Mediating Effect of E-WOM(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Gampolage, T. L.; Jayawardene, S. M.This study investigates the relationship between consumers intentions to purchase from Sri Lankan women's fast fashion brands and brand credibility, with a focus on the mediating effect of electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM). The study assesses the growing significance of E-WOM in shaping consumer behavior by examining the components of brand credibility, namely; consistency, reputation, and experience. The study offers insights into consumer decision-making processes in an emerging market context, and it is based on Source Credibility Theory and Signaling Theory. The study intends to bridge the knowledge gap regarding consumer behaviors unique to fast fashion in developing countries such as Sri Lanka. 71% of respondents lived in Colombo, and the survey was conducted in the Western Province of the nation. Using data from 355 female respondents, the findings offer significant new insights into the connection between brand credibility and purchase intention. Brand credibility was found to be a strong predictor of purchase intention, with a beta coefficient of 0.681 (p < 0.01), highlighting its direct impact on consumer behavior. Additionally, the study demonstrated the significance of E-WOM as a mediating factor, showing that when consumers came across positive online reviews, their purchase intentions increased by 12%. Remarkably, 74% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 30 said they heavily relied on peer reviews and recommendations, indicating a dependence on E-WOM that is unique to this demographic. This dependence emphasizes even more how digital interactions influence consumers' perceptions of brands. Furthermore, 64% of participants shared positive experiences after receiving outstanding service, highlighting how crucial customer satisfaction is for building brand reputation and encouraging online advocacy. These results show both localized consumer preferences and behaviors specific to Sri Lanka's fast fashion industry, in addition to global trends. Although the study offers insightful theoretical and practical information, the findings generalizability is constrained by its cross-sectional design and geographic focus on Sri Lanka's Western Province. Additionally, the research allows for the exploration of other market segments or demographic groups by focusing solely on women's fast fashion brands. However, by validating the mediating function of E-WOM in the relationship between purchase intention and brand credibility, especially in a developing market context, the study makes a substantial theoretical contribution. From a practical standpoint, it emphasis how crucial it is to use digital platforms to improve customer engagement and foster trust in cutthroat marketplace. When doing future market research, it can be investigating different industries or using longitudinal study designs to capture changing consumer behavior over time in order to further broaden the scope and applicability of research findings.