The Influence of Online Reviews and Advertising Attractiveness on The Purchase Decisions of Tiktok Users of the Z Generation with ConsumerTrust As a Mediating Variable

Abstract

This study aims to address the gap in previous research that has not explored the role of consumer trust as a mediating variable in the relationship between online reviews and advertising appeal on purchasing decisions, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok. The research subjects were beauty and personal care products on the TikTok Shop platform in Indonesia, with Generation Z TikTok Shop users as the purchasing subjects. Generation Z refers to individuals born between 1997 and 2012 and is characterized as a generation that grew up with and is familiar with advances in digital technology and social media. In this context, this study expands the understanding of Source Credibility Theory and Elaboration Likelihood Theory (ELM) in the context of Generation Z TikTok consumer behavior. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing purposive sampling of 230 Gen Z respondents who had experience purchasing beauty and personal care products on the TikTok platform. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). These findings are expected to contribute theoretically to the literature on digital consumer behavior and practically to marketing strategies on the TikTok platform, particularly in designing emotion- and symbolbased campaigns tailored to Gen Z preferences.