How Do They Really Help? An Empirical Study of the Role of Different Information Sources in Building Brand Trust

Abstract

Previous research shows past experience contributes to consumers’ brand knowledge and affects consumers’ trust in the brand. However, little is known of the mechanism through which user experience influences brand trust. The present research examines how user experience affects brand trust in comparison with the effects of two other information sources: advertising and word of mouth (WOM) communication. The findings reveal that the three information sources have differential impacts on brand trust with user experience being the strongest influence. In addition, user experience was shown to affect brand trust both directly and indirectly, suggesting the mechanism of consumer trust formation varies with the sources of information. Implications of these findings for practitioners are discussed.

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