The effect of influencer credibility on attitude towards influencers in repurchase intentions: perspective from Malaysia.
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Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
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This study investigates the mobile gaming industry, focusing on influencers’ credibility, players’ attitudes towards the influencers, and repurchase intention for In-App Purchases (IAPs) among Malaysian Genshin Impact players. It aims to assess which influencer credibility factors affect spenders’ attitudes towards influencers, the relationship between players’ attitudes towards influencers and their repurchase intention for IAPs, and the moderating effect of players’ gender on this relationship. In particular, the study employed a quantitative approach, surveying 230 respondents and analysing the data with SmartPLS 4.0. Results indicate that the credibility dimensions, attractiveness, and similarity, were found to significantly and positively influence attitude towards influencers. Moreover, a significant and positive relationship was observed between attitude and repurchase intention, suggesting that players with a positive attitude towards influencers are more willing to repurchase IAPs. The results also demonstrated a significant moderating effect of player gender, with male players’ attitudes and repurchase intentions more likely to be affected. Additionally, this study provides insights for the mobile game industry on identifying influencers viewed as attractive and trustworthy to partner with and promote their games, and on stimulating repurchases to sustain the company’s revenue. For influencers, being perceived as attractive and trustworthy increases their chances of being selected by game companies for influencer marketing campaigns in Malaysia. The findings also extend the use of Source Credibility Theory in the Malaysian mobile gaming industry, with social identity theory’s player gender playing a significant moderating role. Concurrently, this study helps to improve understanding within the mobile gaming industry and enhance customer willingness to repurchase IAPs. Nevertheless, future research could explore the framework's use in other geographical contexts, including additional factors such as parasocial interactions or attitudes towards the brand or product, and analyse the role of gender across the entire framework using Multi-Group Analysis (MGA).