Impact of heuristic–systematic cues on the purchase intention of the electronic commerce consumer through the perception of product quality

For electronic commerce (e-commerce) consumers, it is impossible to evaluate the quality of the products on offer as they are unable to physically test them before purchase. Therefore, sellers must convey quality cues that are readily identifiable to such consumers. However, thanks to major technological advances and the development of social interaction systems on e-commerce platforms, individuals can now access large volumes of information (reviews, opinions, ratings) posted directly by fellow consumers, which can also provide cues by which to judge product quality, pre-purchase. Based on dual-process theory and signaling theory, the objective of this study is to analyze the impact of the heuristic or systematic cues related to electronic word-of-mouth on consumer perceived product quality, to determine how this quality affects perceived product performance risk and consumer purchase intention. A quantitative approach was taken using a structured online questionnaire. Data were collected from 835 consumers of e-commerce platforms and analyzed using maximum likelihood structural equation modeling and LISREL software. The results show that the quantity of reviews, source credibility, review usefulness, and brand experience all exert a positive and significant effect on perceived product quality, which, in turn, positively and significantly influences purchase intention. A negative and significant relationship between product performance risk and purchase intention is also found. The findings contribute to the literature by improving our understanding of those determinants of perceived product quality in e-commerce that motivate consumers to make a purchase and can help sellers improve their use of integrated social interaction tools to adequately reflect the quality of their products.