Understanding customer experiences in online blog environments

Blogs have recently become an influential medium and have demonstrated enormous marketing power. Consumers can freely conduct ongoing information searches through this new channel. However, the credibility of blogs plays an important role in creating opportunities for positive customer experiences that can shape consumers’ product/service purchase intentions and decisions. In light of this observation, this study proposes a theoretical framework that delineates the relationship among information credibility, customer experiences, and purchase intention in the blog environment. Data collected from 468 subjects in specific corporate blogs provide support for the proposed model using partial least squares (PLS). The results indicate that information credibility is critical for facilitating customer experiences, which, in turn, is necessary to enhance purchase intention. Additionally, greater involvement with blog significantly increases the effect of customer experiences on purchase intention. The detailed theoretical and managerial implications are presented.

► We examine the role of customer experiences in online blog environments.
► We surveyed 468 subjects in Taiwan's corporate blog.
► Information credibility has a positive association with customer experiences with a blog.
► Customer experiences with a blog have a positive association with purchase intention.
► Involvement with blog positively moderates the relationship between customer experiences with a blog and purchase intention.