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Sustainable product purchase: does information about product sustainability on social media affect purchase behavior?

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Amad Saeed

    (Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Business Logistics and General Management)

  • Ammara Farooq

    (University of Management and Technology)

  • Wolfgang Kersten

    (Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Business Logistics and General Management)

  • Semah Ibrahim Ben Abdelaziz

    (Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Business Logistics and General Management)

Abstract

Nowadays, consumer-to-consumer communication and its impact on purchase decisions have gained substantial consideration owing to digitalization and the emergence of internet-based social media platforms. Social media allows consumers to communicate with thousands of people well beyond their network. Consequently, the demand for transparency from industrial corporations has increased. It even becomes more important to understand how sustainability-related information on social media holds organizations accountable for their wrongdoings and reward them for taking sustainability-related initiatives. In this research work, the authors investigate how information that is available on social media influences consumers’ purchase behavior with regard to sustainable products in the context of developing countries. Therefore, the authors surveyed social media users residing in Pakistan and used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the collected data. The results established that positive and negative sustainability-related information on social media significantly influences consumers’ intention to purchase sustainable products. Furthermore, this study explains that consumers’ willingness to seek sustainability-related information makes them dependent on social media and this dependency on social media affects their intention to purchase.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Amad Saeed & Ammara Farooq & Wolfgang Kersten & Semah Ibrahim Ben Abdelaziz, 2019. "Sustainable product purchase: does information about product sustainability on social media affect purchase behavior?," Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ajossr:v:4:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1186_s41180-019-0029-3
    DOI: 10.1186/s41180-019-0029-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Rizal Edy Halim & Shinta Rahmani & Gita Gayatri & Asnan Furinto & Yudi Sutarso, 2022. "The Effectiveness of Product Sustainability Claims to Mitigate Negative Electronic Word of Mouth (N-eWOM)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, February.
    2. Pejman Ebrahimi & Datis Khajeheian & Maria Fekete-Farkas, 2021. "A SEM-NCA Approach towards Social Networks Marketing: Evaluating Consumers’ Sustainable Purchase Behavior with the Moderating Role of Eco-Friendly Attitude," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-21, December.
    3. Rusitha Wijekoon & Mohamad Fazli Sabri, 2021. "Determinants That Influence Green Product Purchase Intention and Behavior: A Literature Review and Guiding Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-40, May.
    4. Bora Ly, 2024. "Understanding pro-environmental behavior: the effects of social influence and environmental awareness in Cambodian context," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 14(4), pages 710-719, December.

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