Impact of Online Reviews and Ratings on Shopee to the Purchasing Intention of Customers in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija

Abstract

The study, "Impact of Online Reviews and Ratings on Shopee on the Purchasing Intention of Customers in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija," examined how online information—specifically reviews and ratings—influenced customer purchasing decisions. The e-commerce industry experienced significant growth in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Platforms such as Shopee gained an unprecedented number of users. Online reviews and ratings emerged as influential tools, offering accessible insights regarding product quality, customer satisfaction, and seller reliability—factors that heavily influenced purchasing decisions.
Although awareness of online evaluations is widespread, previous research indicated that gaps remain in understanding customers' perceptions of these reviews and, more importantly, how those perceptions influence their intent to purchase. This study focused on Shopee users in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, aged 18 and above, who had completed at least one transaction on the platform within the past three months. It investigated both central cues (e.g., content quality and accuracy) and peripheral cues (e.g., visuals and star ratings) to determine how these factors aligned with the respondents' agreement or disagreement with reviews. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, the study further examined how review perceptions correlated with three key components of purchase intention: attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control.
A descriptive quantitative method was employed, using a Likert-scale questionnaire to gather data. Spearman's rho correlation test was utilized for analysis. Results revealed statistically significant relationships (p < .001) between both central and peripheral cues and all three behavioral components. In conclusion, respondents who placed trust in and reacted positively to reviews—and who were influenced by peer opinions and their own confidence in making purchase decisions—demonstrated a significantly higher intention to buy.