Why do People Seek Shopping Recommendations in Social Commerce Sites?

Understanding why people seek shopping recommendations from others on social commerce sites can help managers design strategies to encourage users’ engagement of social commerce. The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of customers’ intention to seek shopping recommendations on social commerce sites. Drawing upon the theories of social capital and behavioral intention, a research model was developed by incorporating perceived helpfulness, perceived trustworthiness, and subjective norm to predict users’ intention to seek shopping recommendations in the future. The model was empirically evaluated via SEM analysis using survey data collected from 204 subjects. The results reveal that perceived usefulness, subjective norm, and perceived trustworthiness can directly or indirectly influence behavioral intention. The implications of this study on theory and practice are discussed.