Effect of Rich Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) to Predict Online Purchase Intention in Indian Context Using the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and SEM-FsQCA

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of rich eWOM (verbal and non-verbal) content on credibility, adoption, and online purchase intention using the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. It also examines the interaction effects among representation modes of review format on eWOM behavior. We adopted structural equation modeling and Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to gain quantitative and qualitative insight into determinants of credibility and adoption. Using purposive and systematic sampling, we have collected 315 usable samples. The results confirm that detailed text, image, and video reviews positively affect eWOM credibility and adoption. It reveals that verbal review enhances the positive effect of nonverbal reviews on eWOM credibility and adoption, and both review credibility and adoption affect purchase intention. This study provides insights to industry practitioners and highlights the importance of video and image reviews in retail websites that provide sufficient audio-visual information to engage customers in online purchases.