THE IMPACT OF BRAND REPUTATION AND NEGATIVE EWOM ON CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISIONS TOWARD BOYCOTTED PRODUCTS
Keywords:
Brand Reputation, Negative eWOM, Boycott, Consumer Purchase Decision, Consumer BehaviorAbstract
This study examines the influence of brand reputation and negative electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on consumer purchase decisions toward consumer products. Using a quantitative approach with survey data from 250 respondents, this research employs multiple regression analysis to test the hypothesis. The findings reveal that brand reputation has a significant positive effect on purchase decisions (β = 0.412, p < 0.001), while negative eWOM demonstrates a significant negative impact (β = -0.358, p < 0.001). The interaction between both variables shows that strong brand reputation can partially moderate the negative effects of eWOM. The results indicate that 47.3% of the variance in purchase decisions can be explained by these two factors. This study contributes to consumer behavior literature by demonstrating how brand equity and digital communication dynamics interact in controversial market contexts. Managerial implications suggest that companies facing Boycott movements should prioritize maintaining brand reputation while actively managing negative online narratives.
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