The Characteristics of Imported Brand Community Website’s on Community Commitment and Brand Loyalty in Pakistan: Focused on Moderating Effects of Self-Construal

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This research aimed totest the influence of four online Cosmetics brand community characteristics (information quality, system quality, reward, virtual interactivity) on community commitment and brand-loyalty. In addition, it examined the moderating effect of self-construal between online community characteristics and community commitment to enhance brand loyalty.

Methods/Statistical analysis: To investigate above effects, questionnaires were delivered to Facebook Users through online survey link with the help of Email, WhatsApp and Facebook Contacts in Pakistan through a non-probabilityconvenience-Sampling approach.Exploratory factor analysis, regression and correlation analysis were performed using 174 participants.

Findings: The empirical results from the analysis suggests thatCommunity commitment was positively influenced by information quality, system quality and reward, but not by virtual interactivity.Community commitment also proved a strong positive relation with brand loyalty, higher community commitment leads to higher brand loyalty.Both, self-construal-independent and self-construal-interdependent have near-about equal role in relation of information quality and reward with community commitment. In addition,thepossible influence of online community characteristics information quality, system quality and reward on brand loyalty is mediated by community commitment.Furthermore, Loyalty can be increased by providing updated information, higher system quality and by offering monetary/Psychological rewards. Cosmetics decisions are Independent in developing county “Pakistan” which was the focus of study.

Improvements/Applications: Online communitiesare still playing key role in building loyalty. Managers are advised to increase brand loyaltyby analyzing factors which enhance interaction between members of community. To find more generalize results cross-cultural study can be conducted.

 Keywords:Imported Brand Community, Community Characteristics, Community Commitment, Brand Loyalty, Self-Construal