Abstract:
The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Social Media and Intention to Buy with the mediating role of Trust and Moderating role of Perceived Usefulness. The data was collected from 250 university students from Islamabad/Rawalpindi. A survey instrument was used to conduct the survey that collected data that was quantitative and a variety of statistical test were used to analyze it. Users use the social media, and other online platforms, to for content creation and generation and to connect with each other for general communications or networking. The technology has also benefited different businesses that use these online platforms. Building on the technology acceptance model with a multidisciplinary approach with relevant literature on social media and trust of the consumers have been researched. The model demonstrates the social media's impact on the buying intention of the consumer with the mediating role of trust and moderating role of Perceived Usefulness between Trust and Intention to Buy. The study was result based and demonstrated that the social media has a significant impact on buying intention with mediating role of trust. The variable Perceived Usefulness has less or no effect as a moderator. The study has proved that all tools of Social Media and Other Networking Sites (SNSs) can be beneficial in doing online business in a developing country such as Pakistan
