THE INFLUENCE OF E-WORD OF MOUTH ON BRAND IMAGE AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS OF SONY XPERIA IN INDONESIA

Word of Mouth has been recognized as one of the most influential resources of information transmission. Advances in technology and the emergence of online social network sites have changed the way information transmitted. This phenomenon impacts consumers as this easily accessible information could greatly affect the consumption decision. The purpose of this research is to examine the extent to which e-WOM among consumers can influence brand image and purchase intention in the mobile communication vendor industry. Measurement item are adapted from existing scales found in the marketing literature. The scales were evaluated for reliability and validity using data collected in a survey of Indonesian’s perspective consumers in Indonesia. A Structural Equation modeling procedure is applied to the examination of the influences of e-WOM on brand image and purchase intention. The research model was tested empirically using 124 samples respondents who had experience within online communities of Sony Xperia’s consumers. The research found that e-WOM is one of affecting factors influencing brand image and purchase intention. Keyword: e-Word of Mouth, Brand Image, Purchase Intention, Structural Equation Modeling