Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the influence of Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) on consumers’ online purchase intentions, focusing on its mediating mechanisms via argument quality, source credibility, and customer involvement. It further examines the implications for distribution channels, e-commerce logistics, and supply chain management in Vietnam’s rapidly evolving digital trade environment. Research Design, Methodology, and Approach: Drawing on the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Purchase Behavior Theory (PBT), an online survey was conducted with 240 valid responses from Vietnamese consumers. The measurement model was assessed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and hypotheses were tested via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SPSS and AMOS. Results: Argument quality and source credibility significantly affect eWOM effectiveness, whereas customer involvement demonstrates no significant impact. EWOM strongly predicts online purchase intentions, accounting for 59.2% of its variance. Conclusions: eWOM is pivotal for building consumer trust and shaping purchasing behaviors in digital marketplaces. These findings enrich ELM and PBT, and provide practical insights for enterprises to enhance distribution efficiency, logistics responsiveness, and customer engagement through credible eWOM strategies. This research underscores how eWOM analytics can support logistics planning and supply chain agility, ensuring improved product availability and delivery performance in competitive e-commerce environments.