Understanding users’ switching intentions and switching behavior on social networking sites

The factors influencing customer loyalty in social commerce platform: variety-seeking and social impact perspective

Purpose

This study aims to address the factors influencing customer loyalty in social commerce (SC) sites from different standpoints with the intention to use the “variety-seeking” perspective and social impact theory as the foundation of the theoretical model. Specifically, it examined the factors capable of diverting user loyalty from using the current platform to other SC sites.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical model developed consists of five factors, including the intention to switch, perceived herd behavior, life events, satiation and hedonic motivation. However, this proposed model was validated by 568 users of SC in Indonesia.

Findings

The result showed that all direct and indirect predictors of the dependent variable were statistically significant except the direct effect of the perceived herd behavior. Meanwhile, age, income, and experience were found to have a significant moderating effect on the direct influence on the dependent variable.

Originality/value

This study is different from previous studies in SC, which focused on customer loyalty. It makes an alternative approach by investigating a “negative” factor capable of diverting user attention and commitment with the current SC platform, which leads to switching to another SC.

Understanding the effects of WeChat on perceived social capital and psychological well-being among Chinese international college students in Germany

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the intensity use of WeChat is associated with perceived social capital and psychological well-being factors among Chinese international students in Germany.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an online survey data collected from 212 Chinese international college students in Germany, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were sequentially implemented to deal with the research questions.

Findings

The correlation analysis results indicate that the intensity of WeChat use is positively correlated with bridging, bonding, and maintained social capital. Additionally, a path model demonstrates that bonding social capital is positively related to life satisfaction and negatively related to the sense of loneliness. Furthermore, both bonding and maintained social capital mediate the relationship between WeChat use and these two well-being outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

Theoretically, the research is an initial study contributing to the existing social media literature on evaluating the effects of WeChat use on social capital and well-being. Practically, these obtained results can be beneficial to the understanding the dynamics of how social media may potentially impact students’ social connectedness and life quality.

Originality/value

Although WeChat has become the most prevalent social networking site in Mainland China, the social and psychological implications of the emerging technology are not completely understood. The paper offers evidence that WeChat has functioned as an efficient platform for sojourners to develop diverse types of social capital and promote well-being in an intercultural setting.