An exploration of online brand community (OBC) engagement and customer’s intention to purchase

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the influence of online brand communities on customers’ attitude, who engage with such communities, and their further influence on purchase intention (PI). Design/methodology/approach A conceptual framework was developed by reviewing literature and then validating it in the context of customers, engaged with Facebook brand pages. The framework empirically examined the influence of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence and attachment with brand (AWB) on attitude towards brand and PI; alongside the influence of AWB on PI, from 206 responses gathered from an online survey administered to Facebook users. The framework was validated by using structural equation modelling. Findings The results demonstrate that the proposed framework was found to have a good fit, and seven of eight relationships hypothesized were found to be significant. The study establishes that the online brand communities have an impact on the customers’ attitude, which in turn has an influence on customers’ intention to purchase. Originality/value This study is first of its kind to analyse the engagement on Facebook online brand communities and the influence they have on the customers’ attitude towards a brand which further develops the PI of the customer. The paper suggests and supports the adoption and usage of online brand communities as a part marketing and communication strategy.