Investigating consumer word-of-mouth behaviour in a Chinese context

Word of mouth (WOM) is important for online store survival and success. By focusing on Chinese online stores, this study investigates the effect of customer satisfaction and trust (CST) on customer WOM behaviour. Online shopping experience and social value are proposed as the main moderating factors in the context of Chinese e-commerce. Data are collected from 236 online customers and they ultimately support the proposed research model. The results reveal the following key findings: (1) CST is positively related with customer WOM behaviour; (2) online shopping experience positively moderates the relationship between CST and WOM and (3) social value positively moderates the relationship between CST and WOM. The findings provide insightful guidelines for online retailers to improve their commercial strategies.