Influence of virtual communities in purchasing decisions: The participants' perspective

This study intended to fill some gaps in knowledge about virtual communities and their influence on consumers' purchasing decisions. A Brazilian Orkut community, whose central theme is preparing for wedding ceremonies, was investigated to reveal relationships among members and group influences...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of business research 2014-05, Vol.67 (5), p.882-890
Main Authors: Leal, Gabriela Pasinato Alves, Hor-Meyll, Luis Fernando, de Paula Pessôa, Luís Alexandre Grubits
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brazil
Community
Consumer behavior
Consumer preferences
Decision analysis
Group dynamics
Group influence
Latin America
Online word-of-mouth
Opinion leaders
Participant observation
Studies
Virtual communities
Virtual reality
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Summary:This study intended to fill some gaps in knowledge about virtual communities and their influence on consumers' purchasing decisions. A Brazilian Orkut community, whose central theme is preparing for wedding ceremonies, was investigated to reveal relationships among members and group influences on purchasing decisions. Twenty-one interviews were conducted by telephone. Results unveil a basic code of conduct, suggesting that the community can also act as a normative reference group, with strong identification among participants. Although the central interest – the wedding ceremony and party – could be considered as episodic, many members actively stay in the community after being married, just to help others. Group leaders seemed to be active participants, those with more experience with products related to the group's interests, or those perceived as having refined tastes. There was evidence that purchasing intentions and behavior can be altered as a result of interactions among members.
ISSN:0148-2963
1873-7978
DOI:10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.07.007