User-generated content and micro-celebrity posts encourage Generation Z consumers to search social media for online purchase: A study on Dhaka City, Bangladesh

This study aims to examine the impact of user-generated content (UGC) and micro-celebrity posts on Generation Z consumers' online purchasing behavior. The role of search intent as a mediator is examined. The stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theory included in it has not yet been widely found in Bangladesh's existent study literature that examines Generation Z consumers' preferences regarding their online buying behavior. Using a cross-sectional study approach, the primary data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire. The population consisted of members of Generation Z in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Systematic random sampling was used to select participants from six universities in Dhaka for the study involving Generation Z. Besides, non-probability sampling techniques, convenience sampling, were used to acquire the primary data. A total of 565 samples were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Direct and indirect analyses of the expected linkages revealed considerable correlations between user-generated content (UGC), micro-celebrity posts, intention to search, and online purchase behavior. The investigation's findings demonstrated the mediational relationship between users' search intentions and other constructs. Significant contributions have been made to the theory of online buying behavior decision-making and the social media marketing strategies that should be used.