Integrating Review Dynamics and Influencer Attributes: A Structural Model of Purchase Intention and Decision

DOI: https://doie.org/10.10399/APER.2025705179

Authors:

Dr. Anurag Tiruwa, Dr. Himanshu Matta, Dr. Amit Kumar, Dr. Raghav Jain

Keywords:

Digital persuasion; Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM); Influencer authenticity; Review dynamics; Engagement cues; Purchase intention; Purchase decision; Trust formation; User Behaviour

Abstract:

Purpose: This study aims to decode how review dynamics and influencer authenticity jointly shape consumer purchase intention and decision in digital environments. It integrates the traditionally separate streams of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and influencer marketing into a unified predictive framework, the AB model, to understand how informational and affective trust cues operate in tandem to drive persuasion.

Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using data from 400 active online consumers in India. Validated scales were adapted from prior research and analysed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) in IBM SPSS AMOS 26. Measurement reliability and validity were established (CR = 0.73–0.84; AVE > 0.50; RMSEA = 0.047).

Findings: The results demonstrate that review volume, community consensus, sentiment, authenticity, and engagement cues significantly enhance purchase intention, which strongly predicts purchase decision (β = 0.664, p < 0.001). Informativeness showed a weaker, non-significant influence, suggesting that affective and social validation cues outweigh cognitive ones. The findings affirm that digital persuasion operates through trust-transfer mechanisms, where emotional resonance and peer validation drive consumer behavior.

Practical implications: Marketers should foster authentic influencer partnerships, encourage sentiment-rich reviews, and cultivate interactive community engagement to strengthen digital trust. Emotionally framed, transparent communication enhances credibility and conversion.

Originality/value: This study advances theory by empirically bridging eWOM and influencer authenticity into a single framework of digital persuasion, offering methodological rigor and cross-cultural insights from an emerging market. It redefines persuasion as a multi-layered, co-creative process, driven by authenticity, engagement, and community consensus rather than one-way brand communication.

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