The Impact Of Marketer-and User-generated Content On Consumer Purchasing Decision

In e-commerce transaction, the problem of information asymmetry exists due to the lack of direct face to face contact between buyers and sellers. Many online transaction platforms provide a variety of online content to reduce such risk. The most typical of online content is Marketer-generated Content (MGC) and User-generated Content (UGC). Therefore, the study of UGC and MGC impact on consumer purchasing decisions has important significance. As a classic topic in e-commerce, the impact of online content on consumer purchase decisions has been debuted by research scholars. Most prior studies have been focused on the motivation and influence factors.The empirical study of the the relative effectiveness of UGC MGC induce consumers buy is rare, Howerve, most studies examine the impact of online content on sales from the polymerization level so that they ignore the study of the complex process of online content be accepted by consumers and further effect making purchasing decisions from the individual level. Therefore, this study research relative impact of UGC and MGC on consumers’ purchasing decisions based on the perspective of consumer buying decision process.Based on the literature review and relevant theories, this paper analysis the impact mechanism of UGC and MGC on consumer purchase decision process by action-oriented. This paper explores the relationship of UGC and MGC between consumer awareness, attitudes and final decision-making through empirical research in different types of goods situation, and further discuss relative impact of MGC and UGC on consumers’ purchasing decisions process from the dimension of uality and quantity through taking experience goods as example.First, this paper explore the the relative impact of UGC and MGC on consumer awareness, attitudes are formed and the final decision stage in different types of goods. On the basis of the existing research on consumer decision making,this study analyze the impact mechanism of UGC and MGC on consumers’ purchasing decisions, combined with cognitive fit theory,and build research model and hypothesis of UGC and MGC impact on purchasing decisions on consumer.This research validation model through analyzing relevant data that obtained by experiments. The empirical results found a large impact of MGC on consumer awareness stage, but a greater impact of UGC on consumer attitudes and the final decision-making stage.More importantly, this results identifies a moderating effect of goods types on the relationship between UGC and MGC on consumer purchasing decisions process.Then, this paper explores and analyzes the influence degree of quality and quantity of UGC and MGC on consumer purchase decision process by taking experience goods as example.In this study, combined with ELM theory and establishing purchasing decisions linear model, validate the model with the actual data of sales, promotion and evaluation for shoebox Lynx flagship store. The empirical results found that greatest impact of the quantity of MGC on consumers purchasing decisions in cognitive stage; but UGC quality have a greatest impact in attitude stage.In the final decision-making stage, quantity of UGC is the greatest influence. This study further validate and expand the impact of UGC and MGC on consumer purchase decision process.Results of this study make up for the shortcomings of online content research in social e-commerce environment, and provides a new perspective for consumers purchasing decision. Meanwhile, the results provide valuable suggestions for c business practitioners, as well as online platform managers.