消費者之所以能接收到口碑訊息，是來自於傳播者做出了資訊的傳遞。而口碑的來源以及傳遞過程會受到許多因素的影響，進而讓接收者在收到訊息之後做出不同的反應。因此本研究欲透過國內外相關領域之文獻回顧，在網路環境下探討訊息來源，也就是口碑傳播者，本身的一些特質(專業度、相似度)及性別如何影響消費者在接收到訊息之後的行為，並探討購物目的作為調節變數的作用。 本研究參照 Donnavieve Smith, Satya Menon 與 K. Sivakumar (2005) 所提出之模型：以專業度及相似度作為口碑傳播者的特質，觀察兩者對接收者知覺到自己受到口碑影響的程度；然後，加入實用型購物目的作為專業度和接收者知覺受到的影響之間的調節變數。 同時，依據 DeAnna S. Kempf 與 Kay M. Palan (2006) 提出性別方面相關的論點，探討傳播者性別對於接收者收到口碑後知覺受到之影響的作用，接著更進一步加入接收者性別作為前述關係之間的調節變數。最後，在探討完前述變數對接收者知覺受到口碑影響之程度大小後，接著本研究分析此影響是否和接收者的購買意圖有所關連。 本研究一共提出6個假設，採用實驗法作為研究之設計，並利用影片拍攝的方法進行實驗，將受試者分為2 (專業v.s. 不專業) x 2 (相似 v.s. 不相似) x 1 (實用型購物目的) = 4 組來探討。經過分析後，本研究之問卷被證實具有信、效度，並成功地操弄了「專業度」及「相似度」這兩個變數。最後共有4個假設成立，證明傳播者「專業度」、「相似度」對接收者的「知覺影響」有正相關，「知覺影響」又對「購買意圖」有正向影響；而「性別」方面的相關假設皆不成立。 Consumer receives word-of-mouth messages delivered by communicator, however the source of word of mouth and process of delivery are affected by numerous factors which resulted in varied reactions of receiver. Thus this research reviewed related literature domestically and overseas in order to discuss how word-of-mouth communicator's characteristics (Expertise and similarity) and gender affect consumer's behavior after receiving the messages in addition shopping goal as a mediator. The concept model of this research conformed two previous studies: 1. Donnavieve Smith, Satya Menon, and K. Sivakumar (2005) have demonstrated expertise and similarity of communicator as manipulation variables to observe their relationships with perceived influence of consumers respectively. Consequently, an utilitarian shopping goal was added to mediate the relationship between expertise and perceived influence in this research. 2. DeAnna S. Kempf, and Kay M. Palan (2006) have established that different gender of communicators would create different influence to receivers. Thus, the study has add receivers’ gender as a mediator between the relationship previously mentioned. In the end, an analysis was conducted to see if perceived influence has relationship with shopping intention. This research has proposed 6 hypotheses. An experimental design was implemented by using videos of recommenders on a web-site. Subjects were separated into 4 groups: 2 (expert or not) x 2 (similar or not) x 1 (utilitarian shopping goal). Finally, 4 hypotheses are supported, “Expertise” and “Similarity” have positive effects on “Perceived influence”, and “Perceived influence” has positive effect on “Shopping intention.” The hypotheses about “Gender” are not supported.
