Social Network Marketing: A Segmentation Approach to Understanding Purchase Intention

This study investigates the effect of online and offline pre-purchase influences and the role of fashion brand involvement and online brand engagement in predicting purchase intention of products marketed in social media. A four-construct structural model was developed and validated on a sample of 799 shoppers in North America. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the model. All six hypotheses were supported and fashion brand involvement was identified as a mediator. The analysis incorporated an advanced segmentation technique, Partial Least Squares Prediction Oriented Segmentation, (PLS-POS). Two groups of similar size emerged with differences that are of theoretical and managerial interest. Expansion of the model and future testing in different contexts will help to refine and develop it, providing insights into social media marketing.