View article

Digital marketing has accelerated e-WOM (electronic word-of-mouth) growth and enabled openness in communication. E-WOM remains a widely accepted medium to achieve a competitive advantage, especially since consumer trust in organisations and marketing initiatives declines rapidly. This study examines the impact of normative influence, informative influence and trust on Generation Y’s e-WOM adoption. The impact of e-WOM on purchase intention; and the moderating role of gender are also assessed. 406 respondents completed self-administered questionnaires. AMOS and SPSS were used to test the hypothesised relationships. Results indicate that trust and informative influence have an impact on e-WOM, and e-WOM has an effect on purchase intention. Gender does not exert a moderating effect between e-WOM and purchase intention. The findings will assist marketeers to gain a clearer …