| With the rise of new media,we have entered a whole new era.The emergence of social networking platforms and online communities has provided people with a broader platform for communication and access to information.Consumption patterns have also been iterated and upgraded with the continuous advancement of technology.Against this backdrop,self-media opinion leader marketing has become a new industry,helping consumers to make better use of their fragmented time for shopping and improving the efficiency and experience of online shopping.As the main consumer,women’s consumption psychology and behaviour have also become a hot topic of concern.In this context,Internet KOL opinion leaders have emerged to play a key role in shaping IWOM and are also important participants in word-of-mouth marketing strategies by using online technology to spread information and interact with a wide audience.They understand the buying psychology of female consumers and influence their complex impulse buying behaviour,and the importance of KOL opinion leaders to word-of-mouth marketing cannot be overlooked,as they can help increase brand awareness and consumer trust in a company’s products and services.However,while some organisations have recognised the importance of key opinion leaders(KOLs)in word-of-mouth marketing,most still lack a clear strategy for selecting online opinion leaders.Therefore,companies need to be more careful when selecting online opinion leaders and choose KOL opinion leaders who are in line with their brands and products in order to better achieve their marketing objectives.This paper summarises the three typical characteristics of KOLs:attractiveness,visibility and product involvement,and explores which characteristics of KOLs themselves are more likely to stimulate female consumers to make impulse purchases online.The paper further reveals the mechanism by which KOLs’ characteristics act as external stimuli for female consumers’ perceived value,perceived trust and impulsive buying behaviour.Through a review of the literature and related theories,a model is constructed and hypotheses are formulated using KOL characteristics(attractiveness,popularity,product involvement)as independent variables,consumer perceived value and perceived trust as mediating variables,female role characteristics(high level of popular involvement,concern for self-image,role overload)as moderating variables,and female consumers’ impulsive buying behaviour as dependent variables.A total of 520 formal questionnaires were distributed in the course of the empirical study,with 489 valid returns.The data collected were analysed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 26.0 to conduct relevant data analysis and further hypothesis testing.The results of the study showed that:(1)Among the three characteristics of KOL,attractiveness,popularity and product involvement all positively influenced female consumers’perceived value,perceived trust and impulse purchase,with KOL attractiveness having the most significant impact on female consumers’ perceived value and impulse purchase,and KOL popularity having the most significant impact on female consumers’ perceived trust.(2)Two mediating variables,perceived value and perceived trust,positively influence female consumers’ impulse purchases.(3)Female role characteristics can positively moderate the relationship between KOL characteristics and female consumers’ impulsive buying behaviour.This paper starts from three aspects of KOL’s own characteristics(attractiveness,popularity,and product involvement),and revolves around a deeper exploration of female consumers’ intrinsic states.It enriches the gender dimension of KOL theory and impulse buying,and also expands the research horizon of KOL theory and impulse buying theory,revealing the mechanism of KOL characteristics’ influence on female consumers’ impulse buying behaviour.The findings of the study provide suggestions and references for management marketing related to the selection of KOLs by corporate brands and the accumulation of fans by KOLs. |
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