The Impact of WOM Information Characteristics of e-Commerce Platform on Reuse Intention Through Customer Trust and Satisfaction

Abstract

This study examines the relationships among word-of-mouth information characteristics, customer trust, customer satisfaction, and reuse intention with a focus on users of e-commerce platforms. Despite the importance, studies exploring the word-of-mouth information characteristics of e-commerce platforms and their impact on customer attitudes and behavioural intentions have been relatively overlooked. Therefore, this research aims to contribute to the understanding of the field by highlighting and deeply examining the causal relationship between word-of-mouth information characteristics and reuse intention on e-commerce platforms. Additionally, it is significant that the study focuses on small lodging businesses, such as pensions, which have seen rapid growth since the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Empirical analysis results show that among the word-of-mouth information characteristics, consensus and vividness have a significant positive relationship with customer trust, while recency and playfulness do not have a significant impact. Customer satisfaction has an indirect effect on the relationship between customer trust and reuse intention. The findings of this study provide important theoretical contributions and practical implications regarding the word-of-mouth information characteristics of e-commerce platforms and customer attitudes and behavioural intentions. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.