The Influence of Internet Celebrity on Purchase Decision and Materialism: The Mediating Role of Para-social Relationships and Identification

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to examine the influence of internet celebrities on customer purchase decision and materialism, with special attention on parasocial relationships and identification as mediators and how they play a role in celebrity influence on purchase decision and materialism.

413 female students from three universities in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China were sampled randomly using structured questionnaires. Structural equation modelling was used with the help of SmartPls3.

The highlight of the study is the mediating roles of para-social relationships and identification between internet celebrities and purchase decision and materialism. Again, the study portrayed that internet celebrity significantly influence parasocial relationships, whereas parasocial relationships in turn influence identification with the celebrity. More so, identification significantly influences purchase decision and materialism. Furthermore, internet celebrity ultimately influences purchase decision and materialism through the mediating roles of para-social relationships and identification.

The study made available some significant findings for marketers and academics. Marketers can use the internet celebrities as third parties to communicate to their target audience through their blogs and pages on the internet by endorsing their brands. Academics can explore how para-social relationships and identification mediates between internet celebrities and purchase decision and materialism.

To the knowledge of the authors, this study is the first of its kind in an attempt to examine the influence of internet celebrity on purchase decision and materialism using parasocial relationships and identification as mediators.

Keywords- Internet celebrity, Para-social relationships, Identification, Purchase decision and materialism, Structural equation modelling

Paper type: Research paper

DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-15-20

Publication date:May 31^st 2019