Influence of Feedback from SNS Members on Consumer Behavior in Electronic Commerce

Positive feedback from previous users can affect consumer behavior towards an electronic commerce website. Social Network Sites provide a way to gather feedback from SNS users and show them on websites, but not much research has been done on this type of feedback mechanism. In this study we investigate the influence that SNS-based feedback has on the behavior of consumers, comparing the effect in consumers who are members of a SNS vs. those who are not members. We conducted a survey in Japan, using a mock Thai website that showed three different levels of SNS information. We found that consumers who are SNS members have a more positive attitude towards the website when SNS-based feedback information is shown. We also found that the nationality of the SNS members giving the feedback affects trust and risk perceptions differently.