Abstract:
Social media marketing is the latest effective tool for
disseminating marketing related information, increasing
consumer awareness and providing a perception of the
size, reputation and ease of transaction associated with
online stores. Consumers' trust in online stores is
influenced by messages delivered by the companies
themselves as well as own social media contacts. This
research paper explores four store characteristics which
may lead to trust and, in turn, facilitate formation of
willingness to purchase, electronic word of mouth and
social capital in consumer's social networks,. A
conceptual model is proposed and tested empirically
with partial least square. It finds that awareness and
absence of risk significantly influence development of
trust. Social capital and electronic word of mouth (e-
WOM) are most influenced by trust, while there is least
effect of trust on willingness to purchase..