Influencer Marketing, Source Credibility and Customer Purchase Intentions: Mediating Role of Attitude Towards Influencers in the Fashion Retailing Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

"This study aimed to explore the influence of Influencer Marketing, Source Credibility, and Attitude Towards Influencers on Customer Purchase Intentions within Sri Lanka's fashion retail industry. The research addressed a gap by examining the dynamics of Influencer Marketing and influencer credibility, as well as how Attitude Towards Influencers mediates these factors' impact on purchase intentions.

Theoretical frameworks guiding the study included the Theory of Planned Behavior, Media Dependency Theory, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, Source Credibility Model, Technology Acceptance Model, and Stimulus-Organism-Response Model. Additional theories, such as the Theory of Reasoned Action, Source-Attractiveness Model, Associative Network Memory Model, Social Exchange Theory, and Interactivity Theory, provided broader perspectives on the relationships among the variables.

The research employed a positivist philosophy and deductive approach to test hypotheses. A Snowball Sampling Strategy was used to collect data through a questionnaire, yielding 250 valid responses after a pilot test with 30 participants. The sample size was determined using data from the Department of Census and Statistics of Sri Lanka and Morgan's Table.

Data analysis was conducted using SPSS, including tests for normality, reliability, validity, correlation, and regression, as well as hypothesis testing. Mediation effects were examined using Sobel’s test. The findings indicated that Attitude Towards Influencers significantly mediates the relationship between Influencer Marketing and Customer Purchase Intentions, as well as between Source Credibility and Customer Purchase Intentions. The results highlight the crucial role of attitude in shaping consumer behavior in the context of influencer-driven marketing."