How do experiences enhance brand relationship performance and value co-creation in social commerce? The role of consumer engagement and self brand-connection

The presence of brands on social networking sites is raising the competitive bar and providing opportunities for consumers to experience products and services. In this sense, it has become very difficult for brands to differentiate themselves from one another. Therefore, providing good experiences to consumers becomes of paramount importance. The current study provides insights into the relationship between experiential value (cognitive, hedonic, social, and ethical) and consumer engagement (cognitive processing, affection, and activation), resulting in brand relationship performance outcomes that in turn lead to value co-creation intentions. In addition, the role of self-brand connection as a moderator and consumer engagement as a mediator is also examined. A large-scale survey was conducted with 485 consumers who follow brand pages at a popular social networking site. The findings reveal that experiential value has a positive impact on consumer engagement, while consumer engagement is positively associated with brand loyalty and satisfaction, which in turn leads to value co-creation. The current study uncovers the ways in which marketers can capitalize on consumer experiences when engaging in social commerce and thereby enhance value co-creation.