The Value of It Habit in Microblogs on Brand Loyalty

10.7903/ijecs.1069

Hong Zhang；Kem Z. K. Zhang；Matthew K. O. Lee；Feng Feng

Microblogs ； Virtual Community ； Brand Loyalty ； IT habit ； Satisfaction

International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies

5卷1期（2014 / 06 / 01）

63 - 80

英文

With the prevalence and potential value of microblogs, many marketers have leveraged this technology to build brand community for broadcasting products and attracting consumers. However, from a marketing point of view, few studies address how practitioners can benefit from microblogs in terms of building brand loyalty. This study investigates the effects of IT habit on brand loyalty within microblogs. We develop a research model and empirically test it using data collected from a survey on a Chinese microblog site. The findings suggest that consumers' habit of using microblogs to follow their preferred brands can significantly affect their brand loyalty. Satisfaction, importance, and social interaction are found to be important antecedents of IT habit. Theoretical and practical implications are offered.

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