The Impact of Social Media on Agricultural Product Purchasing Behavior: Evidence from Rural Communities in Vietnam Online First

Abstract

In the context of Vietnam’s rapid digital transformation, social media has become an increasingly important channel for information dissemination and consumer interaction, especially in rural areas. This study examines the impact of social media on agricultural product purchasing behavior among rural consumers in Vietnam, focusing on the mediating roles of trust, perceived quality, and purchase intention. Data were collected from a survey of 600 consumers in six rural communes across the Northern, Central, and Southern regions of Vietnam. Quantitative methods, including Cronbach’s Alpha, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression, were applied. The research model is developed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and tested through hypotheses H1–H7. The findings indicate that social media has a positive and statistically significant effect on trust, perceived quality, purchase intention, and actual purchasing behavior of agricultural products. Purchase intention is identified as the strongest determinant and a key mediating variable linking social media and purchasing behavior. Trust and perceived quality also play important mediating roles in translating social media information into actual consumer decisions. Although demographic factors such as age and income influence purchasing behavior, their effects are relatively weaker compared to psychological and information-related factors.

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