Social influence, perceived social value and purchase intention

In Zeithaml (1988) study, the conception of consumer value was originated from utility theory in economics, which supposes consumers’ purchase decision are in accordance with product evaluations. The most commonly used the definition and conceptualization of consumer perceived value in the literature is Zeithaml (1988) study. It proposed that perceived value can be considered as the consumer’s overall evaluation of the utility of a product (or service) in view of the perceptions of what is received and what is given, that reflects the tradeoff between perceived benefits and perceived risks. In other words, value is what consumers perceive (Woodruff & Gardial, 1996). When consumers have the perception of value, they would generate having purchase intention, and consumers' purchase intention usually depends on benefits and values acquired by their perception (Zeithaml, 1988). Consumers will evaluate value based on the benefits of the product, that derives from the perceived quality of products’

features, as well as the psychological, physical and financial sacrifices which are resulting from purchases and uses of the product (Cronin, Brady, & Hult, 2000). And the two core factors affect consumers’ perceived value are the measurement of

consumers’ perceived value and their purchase intention (Grewal, Monroe, & Krishnan, 1998; Zeithaml, 1988).

Based on Sweeney & Soutar (2001) study, people use perceived value to measure their purchase decision. There are four value dimensions determining consumers’

value-driving purchasing behavior: price value, quality value, social value and emotional value, among these dimensions, social value is defined as “the utility derived from the product’s ability to enhance social self-concept” (Sweeney & Soutar, 2001, p.211). Therefore, social value often comes from the using of products shared with other people. We redefine social value is the value derived from the shopping companion’s ability to enhance the consumer’s social self-concept. In the context of consumption, factors such as people’s interactions in shopping, the relationship between consumers and shopping companions, and the social support or the enhancement of social self-concept obtained during shopping process can create social value. The consumer’s perceived social value is determined when the consumer feel being accepted by shopping companions they are with.

However, the information offered by the shopping companions in the consumption context is not only used as a standard for consumers to make comparisons on purchase decisions, but also can reduce their uncertainty. Moreover, adopting the opinion from shopping companions can satisfy consumers their self-defining relationship, and then maintain or enhance their social self-concept. Previous study has mentioned that there are two functions of using shopping companions during shopping processes: control consumers’ risk perception and reduce their uncertainty. And the perception of risks consumers may face during the shopping process can be divided into two categories:

functional risks and social risks (Mangleburg, Doney & Bristol, 2004). The functional risks refer to the risk of a product’s quality or performance; the social risks refer to owning or using a product may cause social embarrassment or harm to our self-esteem.

Therefore, using shopping companions during the shopping process can satisfy assistance motivations to provide consumers with social support and professional information about products. Furthermore, in addition to reducing the perception of risks and uncertainties associated with purchase decisions, it also enables consumers to have higher confidence and believe that they have made the wise and appropriate purchase decision (Kiecker & Hartman, 1994). If consumers believe they have the social support and being accepted by their shopping companions, it is likely to enhance consumers’

social self-concept and increase social value, thus further increasing their purchase intention.

When consumers go shopping with companions, shopping companions may offer positive or negative opinions to consumers, the positive opinion consumers received will perceive benefits, and it will generate the social support from shopping companions, the social value consumers perceived will be higher, and thus it also enables consumers to have higher confidence on their purchase intention. On the contrary, the negative opinion consumers received will perceive risks, and it will not generate the social support from shopping companions, the social value the consumer perceived will be lower, and thus it also enables consumers to have lower confidence on their purchase intention.

To speak more clearly, when consumers are affected by the informational social

companions say will be like “this product has good quality and performance in using”, and consumers will perceive benefits and have the social support from shopping companions on this product, the social value which consumers perceived will be higher, and thus consumers’ purchase intention will be higher. When consumers are affected by the informational social influence with negative opinions from shopping companions, the statement shopping companions say will be like “this product has bad quality and performance in using”, and consumers will perceive risks and not have the social support from shopping companions on this product, the social value which consumers perceived will be lower, and thus consumers’ purchase intention will be lower. When consumers are affected by the normative social influence with positive opinions from shopping companions, the statement shopping companions say will be like “this product you have and use will give others good impressions, it is very suitable for you”, and consumers will perceive benefits, it is likely to enhance consumers’ social self-concept from shopping companions on this product, the social value which consumers perceived will be higher, and thus the consumers’ purchase intention will be higher. When consumers are affected by the normative social influence with negative opinions from shopping companions, the statement shopping companions say will be like “this product you have and use may cause social embarrassment, it is not suitable for you”, and consumers will perceive risks, it is likely to harm consumers’ self-esteem from shopping companions on this product, the social value which consumers perceived will be lower, and thus consumers’ purchase intention will be lower.

In conclusion, we predict when consumers go shopping with shopping companions, they may be affected by normative social influence and informational social influence from shopping companions, and influences with positive opinions will

have higher purchase intention through higher perceived social value. This research proposed the following hypotheses:

H2a: Perceived social value will mediate the relationship between informational social influence and purchase intention.

H2b: Perceived social value will mediate the relationship between normative social influence and purchase intention.