The evolution of digital technology has transformed consumer behavior patterns, especially in purchases made online via e-commerce sites. Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM) or consumer opinions and word of mouth provided via online platforms is one of the major factors that shape such behavior. Examining how e-WOM impacts consumer trust and how it influences Shopee purchase decisions is the aim of this study. This study involved the quantitative approach type with survey method to 100 active Shopee users in Semarang who had ever read reviews before purchasing products. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed by SmartPLS application. The findings show that e-WOM significantly increases consumer trust, and trust has a big impact on buying decisions. These results indicate that the relationship between e-WOM and purchasing decisions is significantly mediated by trust. The implication of this study is that reputation management and digital reviews are very important for online business actors. The conclusion of this study confirms that e-WOM is an effective tool to build consumer trust which ultimately drives increased purchase decisions.
Susilowati et al. (Tue,) studied this question.