Trust in sellers and purchase intention in social commerce: a study of the fashion industry

The rapid growth of social media paved the way for the emergence of social commerce, an innovative e-commerce framework that integrates the power of e-commerce and social media. In Vietnam, the fashion industry is embracing social commerce, utilising social media platforms and technology. This research aims to explore the impact of information quality, reputation, and interaction with sellers on trust in sellers, as well as the effect of trust on shaping fashion purchase intentions within the social commerce environment. By employing the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method and analysing 563 survey responses from users in Vietnam, this study establishes that information quality, reputation, and interaction with sellers positively influence trust in sellers. Furthermore, trust in sellers is found to have a positive effect on fashion purchase intentions in the social commerce context. The study also identifies research gaps in the field of social commerce, offering valuable insights for future investigation.