Trust and electronic word of mouth on purchase intention: Rating as mediator

ABSTRACT


Introduction
The rapid progress of technology is in accordance with science, which brings about changes in various aspects of human life (Lestari, 2015).Technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated and modern, providing convenience and new ways to carry out human activities (Ngafifi, 2014).In addition, the emergence of a disease outbreak in Indonesia in early 2020, namely Corona Virus , which originated in China, has quickly spread among people and almost all countries in the world.The rapid global spread of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on how organizations conduct their day-to-day operations due to the social distancing enforced by countries worldwide.It is a lot of diverting all their activities to smartphones or online shopping to fulfil their needs and desires.Online shopping or ecommerce is a transactional process that takes place through media or intermediaries, namely, in the form of online buying and selling sites where goods or services are traded (Harahap, 10.12928/fokus.v14i1.8984 2018).Consumers guided by the practicality of making transactions tend to feel the existence of online shopping (Lestari, 2015).
Shopee was an e-commerce company formerly known as Garena, an Internet company in Southeast Asia.Its services include gadgets, fashion items, cosmetics, electronics and automobiles.The platform has integrated live chat features that enable easy interaction between sellers and buyers (Prabowo & Arofah, 2017).In online marketplaces, Shopee has emerged as a prominent leader, boasting a considerably greater user base than its competitors.An escalation in Shopee's number of visitors has a bearing on the growth of consumer purchase intention during COVID-19 (Johan & Juwita, 2021).In addition, the prices of products on Shopee also vary, and some goods are directly imported from abroad; thus, the prices are much lower so that they can compete with others (Devi, 2019).
Online shopping is based on a person's purchase intention.E-commerce recommendations influence customers' purchase decisions (Wang et al., 2016).Marketers must know this to meet consumers' needs and desires.Purchase intention appears after a product evaluation and can influence buyers to decide what product or service to buy until transactions occur in online shopping or e-commerce available in the marketplace (Hermawan, 2021).
During COVID-19, it is important to keep health in mind.Aspects of life are currently hitting the world, causing people to shift towards e-commerce to meet their purchasing needs (Rakhmawati et al., 2021).Therefore, most people are looking for health support products, such as masks, hand sanitizers, supplements, and medicines.The COVID-19 implementation of work-from-home has encouraged Indonesian consumers to shift from offline to online shopping.This is supported by the availability of various types of e-commerce, including Shopee, for online shopping to meet health needs.
In online shopping, trust is a strong basis for determining e-commerce success in attracting consumers to visit and transact (Orariri, 2020).A study by Dzaki and Zuliestiana (2022) concluded that trust has no effect on purchase intention.This result differs from that of Priansa (2017), who argues that trust is an evaluation of one's relationship with others in carrying out certain transactions.Priansa (2017) explained that consumer trust is one of the most important factors because it is the foundation of a business.This claim is corroborated by the latest research by Johan and Juwita (2021), which shows that trust has had a significant bearing on consumers' inclination to buy from Shopee during COVID-19.Additionally, the existence of electronic word of mouth is one of the determinants that impels consumers to purchase.According Semuel and Lianto (2014), purchase intent is directly impacted by electronic word of mouth.Owing to its increased accessibility and reach, electronic word of mouth as a platform for customer opinion expression is thought to be more effective than conventional word of mouth (Jalilvdan, 2012).These findings do not align with Prastyo et al. (2018) and Al Majid (2022), who argue that electronic word of mouth has a negative and insignificant impact on consumers' purchase intention.Consequently, a discrepancy in the research results emerged regarding the relationship between trust and electronic word of mouth on consumer purchase intention.
To answer the discrepancy in the research findings, the researchers used the rating variable to mediate the relationship between trust and electronic word of mouth on consumer purchase intention.The rating is part of the review in the form of a star symbol to indicate customer opinions (Farki & Baihaqi, 2016).With a rating, more detailed information regarding the product to be purchased can be obtained, and the seller receives useful information (Arbaini, 2020).Electronic word of mouth has a significant impact on purchase intention (Muninggar & Rahmadini, 2022;Wardhana et al. 2021).More active interactions with consumers in the marketplace will encourage consumers to give good ratings to the products offered, thereby increasing their intention to buy these products.In addition, a higher level of consumer confidence in a product encourages consumers to give a good rating, which influences other consumers' purchase intentions.Customers are likely to spread information about their experiences, news, and fun to their friends, and their happiness and enthusiasm may work as catalysts for word of mouth marketing (Lovett et al., 2013).As rating can explain the relationship between electronic word of mouth and trust variables on consumer purchase intention, it suggests that rating is a mediating variable.As a result, a new conceptual model is proposed in which rating acts as a mediator in the connection between customer purchase intention, electronic word of mouth, and trust.
From the background outlined, the rise of e-commerce within Indonesia throughout the COVID-19 has highlighted the significance of researching consumer trust, electronic word of mouth, and the rating of healthcare products.This is particularly relevant in Salatiga City because gross regional domestic products in the wholesale and retail trade sectors experienced significant growth in 2022 compared to other cities in Jawa Tengah Province.This is to support consumers in having a better online shopping experience and as evaluation material for sellers during the COVID-19 pandemic.Based on demographic variations in the population of Salatiga City, including age, gender, and occupation, a survey was conducted involving Shopee users.This is influenced by the presence of students who like to shop online (Setiawan et al. 2021).

Literature Review and Hypothesis Development
2.1.Literature Review 2.1.1.Purchase Intention According to Helmi (2015), purchase intention refers to the desire to acquire a product or service based on an evaluation of that product or service.The development of purchase intention is based on a motivation that forms a robust pattern of activity that influences consumers to meet their needs (Khotimah & Febriansyah, 2018).Ferdinand's (2014) indicates that purchase intention consists of various indicators.First, transactional intention refers to a consumer's inclination to purchase a desired product.Second, referential intention indicates a consumer's propensity to reference previously purchased products, leading other consumers to buy the same product.Third, preferential intention denotes a consumer's tendency to choose a previously consumed product as their primary option repeatedly.Fourth, exploratory intention pertains to the behavior of individuals who seek information about a particular product of intention from diverse sources.Consumer trust is also a crucial factor in this regard.

Trust
Research by Sari and Yasa (2019) argues that trust exists when a working relationship is created that is reliable and has integrity.Trust is the basis for establishing a relationship between one party and another so that a mutually beneficial relationship is established (Johan & Juwita, 2021).In addition, trust is the most important factor when buying products on the Shopee marketplace because online buyers do not directly meet sellers.According to Fian (2016), there are three indicators of trust, which consist of perceived integrity (integrity) is a consumer perception that companies must keep promises, be honest, and behave ethically, perception of goodness (benevolence) is a partnership belief that has goals and motivations that become an advantage for other organizations when new conditions arise; and perception of competence (competence) is the ability to refer to skills and characteristics that have a dominant influence.

Electronic Word of Mouth
Researchers Sandes and Urdan (2013) defined electronic word of mouth as a statement expressing a positive or negative evaluation of a product or service.Another 10.12928/fokus.v14i1.8984definition, provided by Litvin et al. (2008), describes electronic word of mouth as social communication on the internet where users exchange information about products online.According to Goyette et al. (2010), there are several indicators of electronic word of mouth.First, components of intensity include the regularity with which information is accessed via social networks, frequency with which users engage with one another, and number of reviews posted by users.Second, opinion valence refers to a consumer's positive or negative opinion about a particular product, service, or brand.This opinion can fall under two categories: negative or positive.Opinion valence encompasses favourable comments and recommendations on social networking sites, clearly marked as such.Third, focus is on the products and services, with information provided on their range, quality, and pricing presented in the content metrics.When using technical terms for the first time, an explanation is provided and a logical flow with causal relationships between statements is maintained.Writing follows a traditional scholarly format, and the author's organization is frequently mentioned.Clear, objective language is used throughout with no ornamental or emotional expression.High-level standard language consistent with the subject matter is used, and contractions are avoided.

Rating
Rating are incorporated into reviews in the form of star symbols rather than text when customers provide their opinions (Farki & Baihaqi, 2016).In addition, according to Farki and Baihaqi (2016), rating represent an experimental assessment of a product that pertains to psychological and emotional states experienced while interacting with virtual products within an environment.Moe and Schweidel (2012) discovered that the impact of customer rating on rating is contingent on the frequency of customer rating.This links rating to the level of customer decision-making.According to Lee and Shin (2014), rating consists of three dimensions, they are credibility consists of trustworthiness and honesty, expertise consists of professionalism and usefulness, and fun consists of fun, interesting, and the possibility to buy from the website.

Hypothesis Development 2.2.1. Positive Effect of Trust on Purchase Intention
Shopee is an e-commerce company that sells online, so trust is an important factor in sales (Johan & Juwita, 2021).The trust factor also affects how people shop on online sites with the trust of customers, any business will run smoothly (Permana, 2020).Setiadi (2011) research show that purchase intention is derived from consumers' trust in specific brands and their assessment of the brand's value, which creates an impetus to purchase.The higher the consumer's confidence, the higher the consumer's purchase intention (Kusumawati & Saifudin, 2020).This is supported by several other studies by Wang et al. (2016)

Positive Effect of Trust on Rating
Users of online buying and selling applications feel safe when comfort and security are created so that users can trust and make product purchase decisions (Putri & Susanti, 2022).Prospective consumers are confident in buying products online, one of which is searching for information about product attributes and customer rating (Wahyudi et al., 2019).Farki and Baihaqi (2016) stated that the main feature that exists in online marketplaces today is the use of reviews and rating as a tool to increase customer intention and trust.The higher the level of consumer confidence in a product, the better the product rating.This is supported by the research of Ali et al. (2021) and Kamisa et al. (2022), who argue that online customer reviews has a positive effect on consumer trust.

Positive Effect of Rating on Purchase Intention
Rating consisting of product-specific information lead to stronger purchase intentions.Research by Farki and Baihaqi (2016) shows that the rating variable has a positive and significant effect on purchase intentions.Mukhopadhyay and Siong (2015) found that the number of stars can be associated with the quality of an item sold online.This is because rating are a way for potential buyers to obtain information about a sale, so it is logical to have rating in buying and selling if consumers consider rating as a measure of quality (Ramadhani & Sanjaya, 2021).The rating is a determinan of purchase intention.If the rating is higher, the purchase intention will be higher.This is supported by Pyle et al. (2021), Harli et al. (2021), and Cheng et al. (2022) who concluded that rating has a positive effect on consumers purchase intention.

Positive Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Purchase Intention
Respon to a product on the internet is the most important form of electronic word of mouth communication.This is because consumers tend to look for information about products and services online, which eventually creates an intention to buy these products (Putri & Amalia, 2018).Jalilvand (2012) states that electronic word of mouth, which is positive, has the function of increas purchase intention by creating a favourable image of the company.Another study by Semuel and Lianto (2014) suggests that word of mouth communication can influence several conditions, namely awareness, expectations, perceptions, attitudes, desire to act, and behaviour.This behaviour leads to purchase decisions that begin with consumer intention in a product or service.This is supported by research by Maskuri et al. (2019), Ho and Chung (2020), Srivastava and Sivaramakrishnan (2021), which found that electronic word of mouth has a positive effect on consumer purchase intention.

Positive Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Rating
Electronic word of mouth, which can be a powerful tool in business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing, is any favorable or negative comment made about a product or company by prospective, real, or past customers via the internet or social media.Camilleri (2022) and Pyle et al. (2021).Electronic word of mouth has a more significant and reliable impact on consumers' purchasing decisions than traditional word of mouth.Electronic word of mouth is a valuable way for customers to learn about the caliber of goods and services.The greater the level of electronic word of mouth communication with customers.

The Effect of Trust on Purchase Intention with Rating as a Mediating Variable
Consumer trust will increase purchase intention if it is supported based on product superiority and service quality (Harto & Munir, 2021).Consumer confidence in online shopping is based on the hope that e-commerce promises transactions that will satisfy consumers and enable them to send the goods or services they sell (Rodrigues & Brandão, 2021).The higher the confidence of consumers, the higher the intention of consumers to make purchases online (Rosdiana et al., 2019).When someone is shopping 10.12928/fokus.v14i1.8984online, the most important thing to consider is whether the rating is good according to consumer expectations (Cheng et al., 2022).If consumer confidence is higher for a product on Shopee, it will affect the high rating given so that it stimulates consumer intention to make online purchases.H6: Rating Can Mediate the Relationship between Trust and Purchase Intention

The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Purchase Intention with Rating as a
Mediating Variable Electronic word of mouth has become a means of communication to share information about a product or service.Furthermore, electronic word of mouth is regarded as more successful than word of mouth because of its greater reach, making it a crucial platform for customers to offer feedback (Farzin & Fattahi, 2018).Electronic word of mouth refers to comments made by customers on the internet and social media, whether favorable or unfavorable (Muninggar & Rahmadini, 2022).The higher and more positive the electronic word of mouth efforts to attract attention in the Shopee application, the higher the rating given by consumers to encourage them to purchase products on Shopee.Rating have a good impact on consumers and sellers (Casado-Díaz et al., 2017).Thus, the existence of a rating can lead to a stronger purchase intention for customers (Kostyk et al., 2017).

Research Framework
Based on the research hypothesis, this study aims to reveal the effect of trust and electronic word of mouth on purchase intention by mediating using rating variables.Figure 2 is a model of the research framework that illustrates the objectives of this study.

. Population and Sampling Method
This study is a quantitative approach that examines the population and the sample, as well as the causal relationships between variables.Population refers to a broad domain in which objects or subjects exhibit specific qualities and characteristics (Hair et al., 2014).The research population used is all people in Salatiga City who have a Shopee marketplace.The sample collection technique uses purposive sampling based on certain criteria (Sugiyono, 2017).The sample criteria used are Salatiga City residents who have the Shopee application and who have purchased health products (masks, hand sanitiser, supplements, medicines, etc.) on the Shopee marketplace during the COVID-19.An appropriate sample size in research is 30 to 500 respondents (Alwi, 2015).According to Hair et al. (2014), sample members are determined by 10 times the number of indicators in the study.

Data Collection Method
Data collection methods for this study involved an online questionnaire consisting of researcher questions.The Likert scale was used as the response scale to measure attitudes, opinions, and perceptions of a group of individuals toward social phenomena (Hair et al., 2014).This study uses trust (TR), which comprises four items that are integrity, benevolence, honesty, and fulfilment (Xue et al., 2020).Electronic word of mouth (EW) comprises five items that are intensity, the valence of opinion, content, recommendation, review, and fulfilment (Srivastava & Sivaramakrishnan, 2021).Rating (RT) comprises three items that are credible, expert, and likeable (Pyle et al., 2021).Purchase intention (PI) consists of three items that are transactional, preferential, and referential intentions (Ho & Chung, 2020).

Validity Test
The statistic used to evaluate the validity of convergent constructs is the average variance extracted (AVE) for all indicators in each idea.The community of a construct is, therefore, equivalent to AVE.To be regarded as acceptable, the AVE must be at least 0.5, and the construct must explain at least 50% of the variation of the indicators that make up the construct (Hair et al., 2014).A measure of convergent validity is deemed to have been met and valid if the factor loading value is more significant than 0.7 (Ghozali & Latan, 2015).

Reliability Test
The measure of a measuring instrument's trustworthiness is known as reliability.Instruments that consistently produce the same results in their measurements are considered reliable.Reliability testing assesses the consistency and reliability of instruments for multiple measurements on a single subject.The Cronbach's alpha number can be used to identify whether statistical test calculations are reliable or unreliable.Cronbach's alpha reflects all the questions in the research model and measure the test's reliability.A minimum value of 0.6 is accepted for the test's reliability, while the ideal value is 0.8 or 0.9 (Ghozali & Latan, 2015).

Hypothesis Test
Hypothesis testing is used to test the significance level of the influence between exogenous and endogenous variables (Hair et al., 2014).The stipulation in hypothesis testing is that the hypothesis is accepted if it has a significance value of < 0.05.Conversely, the hypothesis will be rejected if the significance value is > 0.05.

Validity Test
The convergent validity test is measured by the outer loading or loading factor parameters.A measure of convergent validity is deemed to have been met and valid if the factor loading value is more significant than 0.7 (Ghozali & Latan, 2015).All manifest variables have loading factor values larger than 0.7, as shown by the results of the convergent validity test in Figure 2

Reliability Test
Table 2 displays the results of the reliability test.For the test's reliability, a minimum of 0.6 is acceptable; an optimal value would be 0.8 or 0.9 (Ghozali & Latan, 2015).

Hypothesis Test
Table 3 is the result of the standard path coefficient model of this study.The path coefficient of trust to purchase intention is positive but insignificant, so the first hypothesis needs to be supported.Then, the path coefficient of trust to the rating is positive, so the second hypothesis is supported.Next, the path coefficient of rating to purchase intention is positive, so the third hypothesis is supported.Moreover, the path coefficient of electronic word of mouth to purchase intention is positive, so the fourth hypothesis is supported.Finally, the path coefficient of electronic word of mouth to the rating is positive, so the fifth hypothesis is supported.In addition, the indirect relationship of trust to purchase intention through rating as a mediator is also positive, so the sixth hypothesis is supported.Conversely, the indirect relationship of electronic word of mouth to purchase intention through rating as a mediator is also positive but not significant, so the seventh hypothesis needs to be supported.It can be concluded that the rating influences the full mediation used to link trust and purchase intention.

The Effect of Trust on Purchase Intention
Trust is the main thing that affects how to shop on online sites.Trust from customers is necessary for any business to run smoothly (Permana, 2020).The higher consumer trust, the higher consumer purchase intention (Kusumawati & Saifudin, 2020).Similar to previous research conducted by Budi et al. (2023), trust is one of the obstacles in conducting online transactions in Indonesia; this is due to the difficulty of forming consumer trust In the site to generate purchase intentions.Çelik (2022) and Dzaki and Zuliestiana (2022) show that trust does not affect purchase intention.Trust that does not affect purchase intention is caused by several things, such as the lack of testimonials given, lack of information about online shops and products from sellers, bad rating from buyers who are dissatisfied, and communication that exists between sellers and buyers is not good.

The Effect of Trust on Rating
A crucial aspect of the online marketplace is the employment of reviews and rating to enhance customer engagement and confidence, as stated by Farki and Baihaqi (2016).The study established that trust influences rating, with the product receiving a better rating when it enjoys higher levels of trust.The existence of consumer trust in the Shopee marketplace is due to the high rating given by consumers who have purchased at the online store.Therefore, it makes new consumers believe in the quality and service provided by online stores at Shopee.In addition, reviews, recommendations, and rating from other credible members can also be seen as a way to build trust.There is a high level 10.12928/fokus.v14i1.8984 of heterogeneity in the relationship between trust in ratins which has a positive effect on consumer trust (Wang et al., 2016).

The Effect of Rating on Purchase Intention
Rating is a way for potential buyers to obtain information about sales, so having a rating in buying and selling becomes a logical thing if consumers consider that rating is a measure of quality (Ramadhani & Sanjaya, 2021).This study demonstrates that rating have a positive impact on the intent to purchase.The existence of a high rating can generate strong purchase intention for customers (Harli et al., 2021).Rating are a source of information for consumers to shop.The rating is part of the review, which uses the star symbol to indicate the opinions of customers (Arbaini, 2020).These results are supported by several studies from Kim et al. (2017), which state that reviews in the form of rating have a significant effect on purchase intention because online rating can explain performance metrics more clearly.

The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Purchase Intention
Positive electronic word of mouth, according to Jalilvand (2012), has a significant role in boosting purchase intention by enhancing the company's reputation.The results of the study indicate that consumers' intentions to make purchases on Shopee are positively influenced by electronic word of mouth.The more electronic word of mouth is done, the more it will affect new consumers to raise awareness, expectations, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours that lead to the desire to buy certain products (Maskuri et al., 2019).

The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Rating
According to Latief and Ayustira (2020), consumers can freely and easily comment on and review various products or services online.In addition, obtaining information about the quality of products and services through electronic word of mouth is important.This study supports the findings of Farzin and Fattahi (2019), who found that user reviews have a major impact on electronic word of mouth ratings.This demonstrates how electronic word of mouth, via social media intermediaries, can affect the success of internet-based products by influencing consumer behavior online (Yen & Tang, 2019).One factor buyer considers when selecting a product is its rating on the market.Thus, the better electronic word of mouth in the marketplace makes it easier for consumers to dig up extensive information about the experience of products and services, so that they can increase the better (Savitri & Fauji, 2021).

The Effect of Trust on Purchase Intention with Rating as Mediation
This study shows that rating can mediate the relationship between trust and consumer purchase intention.The higher consumer trust, the higher the intention that arises in consumers to make purchases online (Rosdiana et al., 2019;Pyle et al., 2021).
Trust is an important factor in the e-commerce business, so it greatly influences the intention to buy online (Ramialis & Besra, 2021).When consumers believe it is safe to shop online, consumers will look for a lot of information about products according to their needs.Then, consumers will begin to consider the product or service through a good rating.The higher a product's rating is, the more likely consumers are to buy it.

The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Purchase Intention with Rating as Mediation
Consumer comments regarding a firm or product posted on social media and the internet are considered electronic word of mouth (Casado-Díaz et al., 2017;Muninggar & Rahmadini, 2022).The results of this study indicate that there is no mediation impact of electronic word of mouth on the link between rating and purchase intention.A good rating does not support trust in online shopping, so it does not affect consumer's intention in buying products or services on Shopee.Rating has a good impact on consumers and sellers.Consumers can obtain more detailed information regarding the product to be purchased, and sellers can obtain useful (Kostyk et al., 2017).This study highlights a dissimilar aspect, whereby customers received comprehensive information about a product or service on Shopee yet remained dissatisfied with the reviews.Consequently, this did not stimulate the customers' intention in purchasing the product or service.

Conclusion
The results of this study offer fresh insights into how trust and digital word of mouth impact consumers' intentions to buy in Salatiga City shopping centers.The Shoppe marketplace's client intention to purchase products is significantly influenced by electronic word of mouth.However, because online stores require reviews and information, trust has no bearing on the intention to buy.The relationship between trust, electronic word of mouth, and purchase intention can be mediated by ratings.Lastly, when it comes to strengthening the connection between trust and purchase intention, ratings have a greater influence than electronic word of mouth.One of the findings of this study is that rating does not affect the relationship between electronic word of mouth and purchase intention.This can be a material for future research by including brand trust variables, if future research focuses on specific products or brands.According to Song et al. (2019) states that the attitude of trust in a person can be seen by trust in a person can be seen with a sense of security and has a basis based on individual behaviour that is motivated and led by a desire for the welfare and intention of their partner.Trust in brands can influence purchase intention and can be a mediating factor between trust in e-WOM and purchase intention.
, Xue et al. (2020), Furi et al. (2020), and Pyle et al. (2021), who concluded that trust has a positive effect on consumer purchase intention.H1: Trust Has a Positive Effect on Purchase Intention

Figure
Figure 1.Research Framework 3. Research Method 3.1.Population and Sampling MethodThis study is a quantitative approach that examines the population and the sample, as well as the causal relationships between variables.Population refers to a broad domain in which objects or subjects exhibit specific qualities and characteristics(Hair et al., 2014).The research population used is all people in Salatiga City who have a Shopee marketplace.The sample collection technique uses purposive sampling based on certain criteria(Sugiyono, 2017).The sample criteria used are Salatiga City residents who have the Shopee application and who have purchased health products (masks, hand sanitiser, supplements, medicines, etc.) on the Shopee marketplace during the COVID-19.An appropriate sample size in

Figure 2. Measurement Model Table 1. Validity Test Result Indicator Trust Electronic Word of Mouth
and Table 1.10.12928/fokus.v14i1.8984