Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to examine whether there is an impact of viral marketing on impulse buying with the mediating effect of online trust during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is important to study the impact of viral marketing towards impulse buying via online trust during the pandemic as there is a lack of studies conducted about this phenomenon. Thus, the current study intends to fill that empirical gap as well as the contextual gap, since only a few research studies have been conducted in the Sri Lankan context. The research sample consists of 155 respondents and a questionnaire consisting of a five-point Likert scale had been distributed among online customers in order to collect primary data required for the research purpose. The data analysis was then carried out to examine the impact of viral marketing on impulse buying via the mediating effect of online trust using both SPSS and SmartPLS soft wares. Overall results suggested that viral marketing has a positive impact on online trust, online trust has a positive impact on impulse buying, viral marketing has a positive impact on impulse buying, and that there is a partial impact of online trust towards the relationship between viral marketing and impulse buying. Marketers can use the outcome of this study to obtain insights into customers and to develop effective marketing strategies.
