The Mediating Effect of Online Trust on the Relationship of Consumer Engagement to Purchase Intention of Gen Z: The Case of TikTok Shop Cues

In the relatively short time it has been around, TikTok has made a significant influence in marketing through its unique algorithm, outperforming all other platforms when it comes to engagement levels across accounts of all sizes. However, since the introduction of TikTok Shop, a social commerce platform that offers in-app shopping and product discovery back in 2021, there has been little research on how effective TikTok is, not only as an e-commerce platform but also as a marketing tool, particularly to the Gen Z demographic, who dominates the app with over 60% of users belonging to this cohort (Forbes Technology Council, 2020). Thus, the purpose of this research is to examine the indicators throughout the TikTok platform that directly influence customer engagement and online trust as a mediator to the buying behavior and inclinations of consumers belonging to the Gen Z demographic with the use of partial least squares - structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. Accordingly, this research first evaluated the link between parameters such as Influencers, and User Interface and Consumer Engagement and Online Trust in order to identify its comprehensive influence and bearing on the consumption behavior of the intended audience. This study used a quantitative and causal research methodology and employed a purposive sample strategy to collect data from 201 participants. The results revealed that there is a strong connection between consumer engagement and factors such as influencers and user interface. In addition, the research demonstrated a relationship between customer engagement and purchase intent, as mediated by online trust.