Role of Online Trust and Social Media in Influencing Consumers' Online Fmcg Buying Intention and Buying Behaviour

Abstract

The rapid growth of e-commerce and digital technologies has transformed consumers' purchasing patterns, particularly in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector. This study examines the factors influencing Online FMCG Product Buying Intention and Online FMCG Product Buying Behaviour. The research investigates the effects of Raises Awareness, Online Trust, Facilitating Conditions, Social Media and Influencers, and Price and Offers on consumers' online purchasing decisions using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM).Primary data were collected from 200 respondents through a structured questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and SEM to examine the direct relationships between the study variables. The findings reveal that Raises Awareness, Online Trust, Social Media and Influencers, and Price and Offers have a significant positive influence on Online FMCG Product Buying Intention, whereas Facilitating Conditions do not have a significant effect. Among the significant predictors, Online Trust and Price and Offers emerged as the strongest determinants of purchase intention. However, none of the five exogenous variables exhibited a significant direct influence on Online FMCG Product Buying Behaviour, indicating that these factors primarily shape consumers' purchase intentions rather than their actual buying behaviour.