“A Study on Electronic Word-of-Mouth on Social Media and Its Influence on Brand Trust among Online Shoppers”

Abstract

The emergence of social media and online shopping platforms has greatly affected how consumers get information and assess brands prior to making purchase decisions. Electronic word-of-mouth in the form of online reviews, recommendations, ratings, comments and other consumer-generated content has become a valuable source of information for consumers. This review article discusses the impact of electronic word-of-mouth in social media on brand trust in online shoppers. A systematic literature review approach was employed in examining the available literature on this subject matter from 2018 to 2025. Research articles related to the impact of eWOM on brand trust were critically examined from major academic databases using relevant search terms on eWOM, social media, brand trust, consumer trust and online shopping. The reviewed literature was analyzed using thematic analysis to discover important relationships and patterns. Credible and reliable eWOM is capable of decreasing the level of risk and uncertainty and therefore increasing the level of confidence and trust of consumers in online brands. According to the review, brand trust is one of the factors that can lead to positive results for the consumer such as purchase intention, brand loyalty, repurchase intention, and positive recommendations. Nonetheless, fake reviews, sponsored posts, misleading information, and AI-generated information pose new problems for the credibility of eWOM and consumer trust. It has been found that there is a lack of research on the link between eWOM and brand trust through social media among online consumers in emerging countries like India. Keywords: Electronic Word-of-Mouth, eWOM, Social Media, Brand Trust, Online Shoppers, Online Retail, Consumer Trust.