The Influencing Mechanism of Interaction Quality of UGC on Consumers’ Purchase Intention – An Empirical Analysis

User-generated content (UGC) refers to online information created and shared by consumers that can influence other users’ purchase decisions. Due to the rapid development of new technologies in business, marketers’ dependency on UGC is rising. This study aims to explain how the interaction quality of UGC affects its credibility as a source and the usefulness of its information, as well as how it influences consumers’ online purchase intention. In addition, we examine the moderating effect of product involvement. We collected data from 272 users of social media in China to conduct empirical research. The SPSS and Amos were used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. The results reveal that UGC interaction quality is positively related to purchase intention, and this relationship is mediated by perceived usefulness and trust. Further, consumers’ product involvement negatively moderates the effect of perceived usefulness and trust on purchase intention. Findings from this study are expected to extend the literature on UGC and give benefits to marketers and online business operators.