The influence of identity-driven customer engagement on purchase intention

Abstract

Drawing on social identification theory and motivation of expectancy, the current study examines the relationship between social identification, customer engagement and purchase intention in the context of online communities. Social identification is operationalised into person-to-person and person-to-community identifications, whereas customer engagement into attitudinal and behavioural engagement. This study was undertaken with members from two of the most popular online communities in China. The study confirms that identifying with other members of the online community is significantly related to identification with the community; both identifications have a significant impact on customer engagement, which can lead to purchase intention.