The role of social presence and trust on customer loyalty

Purpose E-commerce and social media technologies can significantly benefit the food and beverage industry by reducing costs, streamlining supply activities, and, most importantly, engaging users in active interaction and enhancing social presence. This research aims to propose a model to examine the role of trust and social presence on loyalty in the food and beverage industry. Moreover, the mediating role of trust is the link between social presence and loyalty examined in this study. Design/methodology/approach A survey has been conducted to examine the structural model. The research model is tested using structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings The result indicated the effect of Social presence and Trust in social media on Customer loyalty in the context of online shopping. Our finding contributes remarkable insights into the food and beverage industry, particularly in the COVID-19 era, as more consumers buy through e-commerce platforms. Originality/value This study expands the understanding of the role of the managers of social commerce websites in maintaining customer loyalty. Hence, the social commerce site managers can use this finding to develop strategies for building customer trust and, ultimately, customer loyalty.