The Impact of Auditory Environment on Customer Revisit Intention in Wellness Hotels in Sri Lanka. with The Mediating Role of Customer Emotional Experiences.

Abstract

This study examines the role of social media influencers in mitigating post-purchase dissonance in Sri Lanka’s brand-new mobile phone market, with a focus on the moderating effect of consumer income levels. Addressing a critical gap in existing literature, the research evaluates how key influencer attributes—attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise shape consumers' post-purchase perceptions. By integrating Source Credibility Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study provides new insights into influencer marketing in emerging markets and offers strategic implications for targeting income-diverse consumer segments. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing structured surveys distributed to 390 respondents from urban, suburban, and rural areas across Sri Lanka. Regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between influencer characteristics, income levels, and post-purchase dissonance. The results provide strong empirical support for the study’s hypotheses. Key findings reveal that expertise and attractiveness significantly reduce post-purchase dissonance, reinforcing prior research on Source Credibility Theory. However, trustworthiness did not exhibit a significant impact, as consumers remained skeptical of influencers frequently promoting brand-sponsored content. Moreover, consumer income level moderated these effects, with lower-income consumers experiencing greater post-purchase dissonance due to their heightened sensitivity to financial risks. These insights highlight the need for tailored influencer marketing strategies that consider income-based segmentation. Despite its contributions, the study is limited in scope to Sri Lanka’s mobile phone industry, raising concerns about its generalizability to other sectors. Additionally, reliance on self-reported data may introduce social desirability bias, and the absence of qualitative insights from influencers and brands restricts a deeper understanding of influencer marketing strategies. From a theoretical perspective, this study expands social media influencer marketing literature by contextualizing its impact in an emerging economy, particularly within the interaction of influencer attributes and consumer income levels. Practically, the findings offer valuable insights for marketers and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of authentic, engaging, and informative influencer content to reduce post-purchase dissonance. The research also provides a conceptual framework for future studies in developing markets, encouraging further exploration of income-based segmentation strategies influencing marketing.