Influence of Advertising Appeal, Information Quality, Ease of Use, and Trust on Purchase Decisions in the Shopee Marketplace: The Mediating Role of Purchase Intention

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FORMOSA NEWS - Jakarta - What Drives Shopee Buyers? Study Uncovers Why Clicks Do Not Always Equal Final Sales. High traffic on e-commerce platforms does not automatically translate into completed checkout transactions. A study published in 2026 by researchers Nurul Sakilah and Viniyati Maftuchah from Universitas Teknologi Muhammadiyah Jakarta examines how advertising appeal, information quality, perceived ease of use, and consumer trust affect online shopping choices on Shopee. The findings highlight a critical gap between browsing interest and actual purchasing, revealing that while consumers rely heavily on clear product information, seamless navigation, and engaging promotions to complete transactions, platform trust alone fails to drive direct checkout decisions.

Background and Context

E-commerce dominance in South East Asia relies heavily on consumer traffic, yet platform engagement frequently fails to produce finalized sales. Industry metrics cited in the study show Shopee leading Indonesia's e-commerce market with over 53% of active user visits and monthly web traffic exceeding 130 million visits. However, high visitor volume often masks significant cart abandonment rates. Many users utilize mobile marketplaces primarily to compare prices, verify product details, or hunt for temporary promotions rather than execute immediate purchases. Understanding the specific digital stimuli that bridge the gap between initial browsing and actual financial commitment is essential for digital retailers navigating an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Research Methodology
The authors conducted an empirical quantitative study using a cross-sectional survey design. Data was gathered in June 2026 from 100 verified Shopee shoppers living in RW 012, Menteng Dalam Urban Village, South Jakarta. Participants were selected via purposive sampling, requiring respondents to be at least 17 years old and to have completed at least one Shopee purchase within the preceding six months. To analyze the complex behavioral pathways, the researchers utilized Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) executed through SmartPLS software. The model evaluated four independent variables advertising appeal, information quality, perceived ease of use, and trust against two dependent outcomes: purchase intention and actual purchase decision.

Key Research Findings
The empirical analysis yielded distinct insights into how different digital platform factors guide consumer behavior:

• Ease of Use Drives Interest: Perceived ease of use exerted the strongest influence on purchase intention ($\beta = 0.319, p = 0.001$), proving that intuitive app navigation, simplified searching, and flexible payment setups are paramount for capturing consumer desire.
  
• Information Quality Wins the Sale: Information quality emerged as the single strongest direct driver of final purchase decisions ($\beta = 0.300, p < 0.001$). Accurate specifications, transparent pricing, and credible reviews provide the concrete reassurance consumers need to finalize checkout.
  
• Advertising Accelerates Action: Advertising appeal showed significant direct positive effects on both purchase intention ($\beta = 0.264, p = 0.001$) and final purchase decisions ($\beta = 0.255, p = 0.002$).
  
• Trust Is a Baseline, Not a Trigger: Trust significantly influenced initial purchase intention ($\beta = 0.180, p = 0.022$), but had no statistically significant direct impact on final purchase decisions ($\beta = -0.025, p = 0.748$).
  
• The Intention–Behavior Gap: Purchase intention did not significantly drive final purchase decisions ($\beta = 0.180, p = 0.064$), and failed to act as a mediating variable between the inputs and final sales. Browsing interest alone remains insufficient to guarantee a sale without supporting economic and functional incentives.
  

Real-World Impact and Industry Implications
These findings provide operational insights for e-commerce executives, digital marketers, and independent online sellers. Because platform trust functions as an industry standard rather than a competitive differentiator, businesses cannot rely solely on platform security to generate revenue. Instead, merchant strategies must prioritize high-quality, comprehensive product listings and friction-free user experiences. For digital marketplace strategists, closing the intention-behavior gap requires converting window-shoppers into buyers through real-time conversion incentives. Clear calls to action, transparent shipping costs, detailed visual descriptions, and streamlined checkout sequences directly address the hesitation points where cart abandonment typically occurs.

Author Profiles
Nurul Sakilah, S.E. holds a degree in business management from Universitas Teknologi Muhammadiyah Jakarta, specializing in digital consumer behavior and e-commerce marketing strategies.
Viniyati Maftuchah, M.M. is a faculty researcher and academic lecturer at Universitas Teknologi Muhammadiyah Jakarta, focusing on strategic management, marketing communication, and business consumer dynamics.

Source 
Nurul Sakilah, Viniyati Maftuchah. Influence of Advertising Appeal, Information Quality, Ease of Use, and Trust on Purchase Decisions in the Shopee Marketplace: The Mediating Role of Purchase Intention. Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, Akuntansi dan Keuangan (JAMBAK). Vol. 5, No. 5 2026, pp. 119–136
DOI : https://doi.org/10.55927/jambak.v5i1.14
URL: https://journaljambak.my.id/index.php/jambak