Scholars around the world have studied electronic word of mouth (eWOM) heavily in the past decade. However, despite extensive knowledge of the effect of eWOM on consumer behavior, there is still a lack of understanding of how the eWOM source shapes those behaviors. There are many sources of eWOM, the influence of which may have different outcomes when it comes to consumers’ purchase intentions. Moreover, most studies have measured social tie strengths (strong/weak) as one variable. Weak-tie eWOM (W-tie) and strong-tie eWOM (S-tie) are always studied in contrast to each other. The versus characteristics of these two constructs have been considered in almost all studies; however, they may work together via different mechanisms. This study split social ties into two separate constructs, W-tie and S-tie, while adding another source of eWOM (celebrities eWOM), and investigated how W-tie moderated the effect of S-tie and celebrity eWOM on purchase intention, as well as the mediation effect of perceived value/perceived enjoyment on purchase intention. A total of 726 valid responses were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. The results showed that all direct relationships in the model were supported. Moreover, perceived value mediated only the effect of celebrity eWOM on purchase intentions and did not successfully convey the effect of S-tie on purchase intentions. On the other hand, perceived enjoyment mediated both relationships. W-tie did not moderate the relationship between S-tie and perceived value, perceived enjoyment, or purchase intention. In contrast, W-tie moderated the positive relationship of celebrity eWOM with perceived value, perceived enjoyment, and purchase intention, while it also moderated the positive relationship of perceived value and perceived enjoyment with purchase intention. This research illuminates how different eWOM sources and social ties on social media platforms affect purchase intentions.

The electronic word of mouth (eWOM) has emerged as a communication tool that significantly influences consumers’ attitudes and purchasing behavior in the online market. Research indicates that the effect of eWOM sources, such as (strong ties, weak ties, and influencers) varies in terms of perceived value components (price, quality, emotional, and social value) and purchase intention, particularly with regard to gender. This study, which is based on the SOR framework; examines the role of eWOM as a stimulus affecting student responses and considers the mediating role of perceived value components and the moderate effect of gender. A sample of 901 students from Westbank universities was analyzed using Smart PLS software. The findings reveal that strong ties and influencer eWOM are positively associated with perceived value components and purchase intention, while weak tie eWOM does not directly correlate with purchase intention. Mediation analyses show that perceived quality and social value act as mediators of purchase intent towards eWOM sources, while emotional value specifically mediates strong relationships and influencers. Notably, price value exerts only a mediating effect on purchase intention when communicated through influencers, highlighting the unique role of the influencer in shaping price perceptions and its broad impact on all components of perceived value. Gender differences were observed in students’ responses to eWOM content; particularly in terms of price, quality, and emotional appeal but not in terms of social factors. The outcomes of this study underscore the significance of considering both the source of the message and the characteristics of the audience when formulating targeted marketing strategies.

Social media influencers (SMIs) are becoming increasingly powerful in shaping customers’ perceptions and behaviors regarding the products they purchase and the brands within digital marketing environments. This research proposes to assess the extent to which social media platforms, particularly Instagram and TikTok, affect SMIs’ capacity to persuade their followers concerning brand credibility and purchase intention. Using an online survey of 701 active users of both platforms in Palestine, the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) through SmartPLS 4.0 for the simultaneous evaluation of both the measurement models and the structural models. The research findings indicate that follower involvement, interactivity, and emotional attachment positively influence the persuasive outcomes through the creation of parasocial relationships (PSRs) between followers and SMIs, and that these influences are different for each platform. Results show that Instagram had a larger overall influence compared to TikTok, whereas there were no differences between platforms regarding how PSRs shape follower perceptions of brand credibility and emotional attachment to SMIs; both of these perceptions are strongly linked to PSRs. Therefore, these findings underscore the importance of platform-specific engagement mechanisms in shaping PSRs and offer theoretical and practical implications for influencer marketing strategies. The findings further suggest that platform affordances may condition not only overall engagement levels but also the relative strength of persuasion mechanisms underlying PSRs and their behavioral consequences. By situating the analysis within a non-Western digital market, this study provides context-specific insights and highlights avenues for future research in comparable digital consumption environments.

This paper investigates the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and marketing performance (MP) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Oman, with specific focus on the mediating roles of digital marketing capabilities (DMC) and digital marketing implementation (DMI). Although there has been evidence of the performance benefits of EO, there has been limited empirical evidence to illustrate how entrepreneurial behavior translates into marketing performance through digital channels in emerging markets. Using the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, this study bridges this gap to examine the mediating dual roles of digital capabilities and implementation in an SME setting. The data for this study was collected from 402 SME employees using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings of this study reveal that EO has a positive direct impact on MP and also an indirect relationship with MP via both DMC and DMI, thus confirming that marketing performance in entrepreneurial firms becomes superior when digital readiness and implementation synergies become aligned. The implications of this study for SME managers and policy-makers who aim to improve digital competitiveness in SMEs in emerging markets such as Oman are provided. Further studies may investigate this model in different countries or use longitudinal approaches to analyze how changes in dynamic capabilities over time affect marketing performance.

The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) is reshaping digital retail, yet how algorithmic transparency, explainable AI, and AR-based immersion jointly shape consumer responses remains theoretically underdeveloped. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) model, this study examines the influence of cognitive stimuli (algorithmic transparency and explainable AI) and experiential cues (AR immersion) on trust, perceived usefulness, immersion, purchase decisions, and continued usage intention. Using survey data from 420 online shoppers in the West Bank, Palestine, and analyzed via structural equation modeling, the findings indicate that cognitive evaluations—particularly perceived usefulness and trust—exert stronger effects on purchase decisions than immersion. Specifically, algorithmic transparency enhances trust, while explainable AI strengthens perceived usefulness; AR immersion contributes to engagement, but its behavioral effects remain comparatively weaker. The results suggest that experiential engagement serves as a complementary enhancer, operating most effectively when supported by transparent and useful AI systems. The study extends AI–AR commerce literature by proposing a multi-stage S–O–R framework and demonstrating the conditional role of immersion in emerging digital markets.

Background: This study analyses the effects of Influencer popularity, Influencer network centrality, and authenticity on content virality and followers’ trust in Jordan. Methods: Data were collected through a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 330 respondents who follow social media influencers. Results: Results indicated that authenticity had a significant positive effect on audience trust (β = 0.573, p = 0.000) and the virality of the content (β = 0.454, p = 0.000). Network centrality was a significant positive factor for audience trust (β = 0.159, p = 0.003) and not significant for content virality (β = 0.051, p = 0.435). influencer popularity had no significant effect on audience trust (p = 0.793, β = 0.014) or content virality (p = 0.128, β = 0.101). Conclusions: The findings suggest that perceived authenticity enhances the audience’s trust and content diffusion more than popularity-based indicators. The research underscores the value of recruiting influencers based on their credibility, authenticity and social network positions.