Issue #3 (Volume 21 2025)

The emergence of live-streaming commerce has significantly altered the purchasing patterns of consumers, and it has become a critical component of e-commerce and marketing, specifically during the pandemic. This study investigates how customer engagement and trust are impacted by perceived utility, platform interaction, and source credibility, as well as how these factors affect purchase intention and actual purchasing behavior. Data were gathered from 247 regular live streaming platform users in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, employing purposive sampling and a standard questionnaire. From August to November 2024, the survey was administered during periods of significant online purchasing events and increasing live commerce activities. Participants were selected among technology-savvy, digitally engaged shoppers at major metropolitan shopping malls to generate a representative sample. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, results indicate that source credibility, platform interactivity, and perceived usefulness significantly affect consumer engagement (β = 1.376, p < 0.001). The results indicate that source credibility, platform interactivity, and perceived utility strongly affect trust (β = 1.198, p < 0.001, β = 0.351, p < 0.001, β = 0.224, p = 0.010). The findings also showed that customer engagement has a favorable impact on both purchase intention and the actual purchase (β = 1.272, 0.404; p = 0.001, 0.003). Trust positively affects both purchase intention (β = 0.994, p = 0.002) and actual purchase (β = 0.546, p = 0.001). Marketers and e-commerce platforms could apply these results to create more authentic and dynamic live streaming experiences that boost consumer engagement and trust.

Influencer marketing is a prominent strategy for engaging young consumers via social media. This study aimed to explore the effects of different dimensions of influencer value of content and influencer credibility on purchase intention among young Egyptian adult consumers. Employing a descriptive-explanatory design, survey data were collected from 633 social media users. Analysis via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) revealed that all examined dimensions of influencer content value significantly and positively influence purchase intention, with entertainment value (r = 0.878 in correlation analysis, SEM estimate = 0.150) and functional value (r = 0.819 in correlation, SEM estimate = 0.118) demonstrating particularly strong contributions. Regarding influencer credibility, perceived trustworthiness (r = 0.918 in correlation, SEM estimate = 0.218) and perceived similarity (r = 0.923 in correlation, SEM estimate = 0.280) exhibited the most substantial positive impacts on purchase intention; perceived expertise and attractiveness also yielded significant, albeit comparatively moderate, effects. These findings underscore the critical, differentiated roles of specific content value and credibility facets in shaping consumer purchase decisions within the Egyptian youth market, offering actionable insights for optimizing influencer marketing strategies.

Acknowledgment
The authors are thankful to the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at University of Bisha for supporting this work through the Fast-Track Research Support Program.

Electric vehicles (EVs) present a promising pathway to reduce carbon emissions, yet their adoption in developing markets remains constrained by high production costs, infrastructure gaps, and supply chain inefficiencies. This study investigates the Indonesian EV market using a mixed-method approach, combining techno-economic analysis with a system thinking framework. Primary data were collected through interviews and FGDs with eight stakeholders, while secondary data from 2020-2024 supported trend analysis. The study employs a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) to map systemic interactions among policy, technology, and market forces. The results suggest that a 25% increase in subsidies and a 40% infrastructure expansion could lead to a 60% rise in EV adoption, assuming battery prices remain stable. Policy and marketing strategies, such as targeted incentives and circular economy practices like localized battery recycling, emerge as key leverage points for building a sustainable and resilient EV supply chain. The findings offer actionable insights for developing markets to design integrated policies that align economic incentives with clean mobility goals.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Visual marketing encompasses elements that affect how customers perceive visuals and influence their behavior. It significantly enhances customer experience, particularly in visually-driven sectors like tourism. However, there has not been much research on the impact of visual elements on customer behavior at tourist destinations, so this research was conducted to examine the impact of visual marketing on the revisit intentions of customers in coffee shops located in popular tourist destinations across Vietnam. A survey was conducted using popular social media platforms in Vietnam to collect the data of 455 participants during the second half of 2024. The findings suggest that visual marketing elements, such as layout, color, and interior design, significantly and strongly impact customers’ attention located in a coffee shop at a tourist destination, these elements positively influence customers’ intentions to revisit the coffee shop, albeit to a lesser degree. While location does not affect the relationship between visual marketing and customer attention, it plays a significant role in moderating the impact of visual marketing on customers’ intentions to return. The study offered potential solutions to improve visual marketing strategies for coffee shops located in popular tourist destinations, ensuring their continued success in Vietnam’s rapidly changing tourism industry. Future research directions include examining how the popularity of destinations and the online image management of tourism sites impact visual marketing.

Acknowledgment
The authors wish to express deep gratitude to all survey participants for taking the time to share their information, significantly contributing to the success of this study.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
This study aims to explore the impact of social media engagement on brand image and brand love among senior tourists in Jiangsu Province, China. Additionally, the study investigates the mediating role of emotional attachment and the moderating role of digital literacy in shaping these relationships. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and September 2024 in Jiangsu Province, China, targeting 300 senior tourists aged 60 and above who were active users of social media and had recent interactions with tourism-related brands. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SmartPLS 4. The results indicate that social media engagement has a strong positive effect on both brand image (β = 0.598, t = 8.850, p < 0.001) and brand love (β = 0.352, t = 4.309, p < 0.001). Emotional attachment significantly mediates the relationship between social media engagement and brand outcomes, including brand image (β = 0.071, t = 2.162, p = 0.015) and brand love (β = 0.172, t = 3.935, p < 0.001). Moreover, digital literacy moderates the effect of social media engagement on emotional attachment (β = 0.155, t = 5.855, p < 0.001), indicating that higher digital proficiency enhances emotional bonding with brands. These findings underscore the importance of personalized, emotionally resonant, and accessible digital marketing strategies when targeting the senior tourism segment.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Retailers are leveraging social commerce by integrating advanced social media features to drive customer engagement and create superior value. Thus, a present study is an attempt to analyze the impact of perceived ease of use, user engagement and technological factors on social commerce usage and to assess its contribution towards the purchase intention of the working professionals. 380 working women (from organized sectors including education, industry, health, government, banking, and IT) were targeted from Bengaluru city of India by adopting the snowball sampling method which was further analyzed using independent sample t-test, regression analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling. The results of the study show the effects of perceived ease of use (β = .434), user engagement (β = .517), and technological factors (β = .662) on social commerce usage (SCU) are studied, which mediates purchase intention (β = .689). These results indicate that SCU is one of the main factors affecting purchase intention (β = .751). This also show that there is significant influence of perceived ease of use, user engagement, and technological factors on social commerce usage that has ultimately led to their purchase intention among working professionals. Based on these findings, it is crucial to perfect social commerce strategies in order to improve consumer’s engagement and encourage purchase behavior.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Customer loyalty is a pressing priority and strategic imperative in the Jordanian hotel sector. With the rapid technological transformation in consumer behavior, social media marketing activities have emerged as a tool for engaging with hotel guests and building long-term relationships. This paper aims to explore the impact of Social Media Marketing activities (SMM activities) on brand loyalty through the mediating role of brand love and brand trust in the five-star hotel sector. The study adopted a quantitative design, employing a descriptive correlational approach to examine the relationship between study variables. Data were collected from June 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024, using a structured online questionnaire from guests of five-star hotels in Jordan, in Amman. A purposive sample was used to select hotel guests, using social media platforms for 280 respondents. The questionnaire was designed to measure the variables of the study. Statistical analysis was conducted using Smart PLS to test the hypotheses. The study results indicate a significant impact of social media marketing activities (β = 0.299, p < 0.001) on brand loyalty, as well as the mediating role of brand trust (β = 0.09, p < 0.001) and brand love (β = 0.18, p < 0.001) in mediating the relationship between marketing activities and customer loyalty. The results also revealed a positive relationship between social media marketing activities and brand loyalty in the hotel sector. The results also indicate that brand love and trust mediate the relationship between social media marketing activities and brand loyalty, enhancing brand loyalty in the hotel industry.

Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank all the participants involved in this research work, and the authors are grateful to the Philadelphia University, Amman, Jordan for the financial support granted to cover the publication fee of this article.