IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v88y2026ics096969892500284x.html

Green influencers' source credibility in driving customers’ green behaviors: Role of trust, engagement, and knowledge in a cross-country study

Author

Listed:
  • Nguyen, Phuong Van
  • Le, Hoang Tran Phuoc Mai

Abstract

This paper aims to develop a model of consumers' engagement with green social media influencers (GSMIs) for sustainability. It investigates the effect of source credibility's components on trust in GSMIs, driving engagement toward GSMIs; the relationship between engagement and consumer green behavior dimensions are also examined. Moreover, the study evaluates the moderating effects of environmental knowledge on the relationship between engagement and consumer green behavior dimensions. An online survey was used to collect data from mobile users and followers of GSMIs in Vietnam and South Korea through panel data from a research company. A final sample size of 600 (n_Vietnam = 300; n_Korea = 300) participants was analyzed, including structural equation modeling for the main impacts and multiple group analysis for the moderating effects. The results show that the main impacts in the conceptual framework were confirmed, except the impact of trustworthiness on Trust in GSMIs (Vietnam) and the effect of both expertise and trustworthiness on Trust in GSMIs (South Korea). Environmental knowledge moderated the effect of engagement on consumer green behavior dimensions differently. The comparison between the two countries shows the difference in perception and behaviors between developing and developed markets. This helps bridge the gap between environmental studies and marketing research, leading to a holistic approach to understanding green consumer behaviors. The research will encourage businesses to adopt more sustainable marketing practices. In practice, this shift towards sustainability is not only beneficial for the environment but also for the long-term success and reputation of GSMIs and businesses.

Suggested Citation

  • Nguyen, Phuong Van & Le, Hoang Tran Phuoc Mai, 2026. "Green influencers' source credibility in driving customers’ green behaviors: Role of trust, engagement, and knowledge in a cross-country study," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:88:y:2026:i:c:s096969892500284x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104505
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096969892500284X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104505?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abdulaziz Alhumud, Abdullah & Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Alarfaj, Weam & Ioannidis, Alexis, 2025. "The impact of digital CSR disclosure on customer trust and Engagement: The moderating role of consumer deontology and law obedience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    2. Lee, Jung Eun & Watkins, Brandi, 2016. "YouTube vloggers' influence on consumer luxury brand perceptions and intentions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 5753-5760.
    3. Zhao, Xiaowen & Zhu, Zhenzhong & Shan, Minghui & Cao, Rui & Chen, Haipeng (Allan), 2024. "“Informers†or “entertainers†: The effect of social media influencers on consumers' green consumption," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    4. Fang, Xing & Shin, Seong Kyoung & Huang, Xingyu, 2025. "Enhancing social media engagement: Speech act strategies across influencer types," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    5. Edward F. McQuarrie & Jessica Miller & Barbara J. Phillips, 2013. "The Megaphone Effect: Taste and Audience in Fashion Blogging," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 40(1), pages 136-158.
    6. Mert Gürlek & Mehmet Ali Koseoglu, 2021. "Green innovation research in the field of hospitality and tourism: the construct, antecedents, consequences, and future outlook," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(11-12), pages 734-766, September.
    7. Kim, Do Yuon & Kim, Hye-Young, 2021. "Trust me, trust me not: A nuanced view of influencer marketing on social media," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 223-232.
    8. Giovanni Luca Cascio Rizzo & Jonah Berger & Matteo De Angelis & Rumen Pozharliev & Andrew T Stephen & Jacob Goldenberg, 2023. "How Sensory Language Shapes Influencer’s Impact," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 50(4), pages 810-825.
    9. Patzer, Gordon L., 1983. "Source credibility as a function of communicator physical attractiveness," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 229-241, June.
    10. Jung Wan Lee & Young Min Kim & Young Ei Kim, 2018. "Antecedents of Adopting Corporate Environmental Responsibility and Green Practices," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 397-409, March.
    11. Le, Hoang Tran Phuoc Mai & Van Nguyen, Phuong & Stokes, Peter, 2025. "Green influencers and consumers’ decoupling behaviors for parasocial relationships and sustainability. A comparative study between Korea and Vietnam," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    12. Jiang, Kan & Zheng, Junyuan & Luo, Shaohua, 2024. "Green power of virtual influencer: The role of virtual influencer image, emotional appeal, and product involvement," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    13. Zhou, Shuang & Blazquez, Marta & McCormick, Helen & Barnes, Liz, 2021. "How social media influencers’ narrative strategies benefit cultivating influencer marketing: Tackling issues of cultural barriers, commercialised content, and sponsorship disclosure," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 122-142.
    14. Pittman, Matthew & Abell, Annika, 2021. "More Trust in Fewer Followers: Diverging Effects of Popularity Metrics and Green Orientation Social Media Influencers," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 70-82.
    15. K. Vladimirova & C. E. Henninger & S. I. Alosaimi & T. Brydges & H. Choopani & M. Hanlon & S. Iran & H. McCormick & S. Zhou, 2024. "Exploring the influence of social media on sustainable fashion consumption: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 181-202, April.
    16. Na Cai & Shuhong Gao & Jinzhe Yan, 2024. "How the communication style of chatbots influences consumers’ satisfaction, trust, and engagement in the context of service failure," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cheung, Man Lai & Leung, Wilson K.S. & Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi & Koay, Kian Yeik, 2022. "“I follow what you post!†: The role of social media influencers’ content characteristics in consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs)," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    2. Le, Hoang Tran Phuoc Mai & Van Nguyen, Phuong & Stokes, Peter, 2025. "Green influencers and consumers’ decoupling behaviors for parasocial relationships and sustainability. A comparative study between Korea and Vietnam," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Wu, Haoyu & Li, Wu, 2026. "Environmental guardians: How virtual influencers and human influencers can more effectively promote green products," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Ma, Caiyuan & Wang, Billy Wei & Dai, Lingqi & Guan, Xinya & Yang, Zhilin, 2025. "What determines the effectiveness of social media influencer marketing? An fsQCA-based study of influencer characteristics and content features’ configurational effects," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    5. Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi & Chuah, Stephanie Hui-Wen, 2021. "“Stop the unattainable ideal for an ordinary me!” fostering parasocial relationships with social media influencers: The role of self-discrepancy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 146-157.
    6. Sardar, Sainaz & Tata, Sai Vijay & Sarkar, Subhro, 2024. "Examining the influence of source factors and content characteristics of influencers' post on consumer engagement and purchase intention: A moderated analysis," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    7. Zhang, Mingli & Xie, Kesheng & Cai, Shensheng & Wang, Yu, 2025. "How sentiment volatility of influencer product recommendation posts affects customer engagement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    8. Xiao Liu & Xiaoyong Zheng, 2024. "The persuasive power of social media influencers in brand credibility and purchase intention," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Dong, Xuebing & Wang, Biao & Fan, Xiucheng & Deng, Nianqi, 2026. "“Manipulated virtual influencers (VIs)†： The impact of VI post customization level on consumers’ willingness to engage in VI marketing campaigns," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    10. Fang, Xing & Shin, Seong Kyoung & Huang, Xingyu, 2025. "Enhancing social media engagement: Speech act strategies across influencer types," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    11. Soni, Aishwarya & Bhukya, Ramulu, 2025. "Do social media self-care influencers promote unsustainable consumption? A mixed methods study," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    12. Fayyaz, Muhammad Shahzeb & Abbasi, Amir Zaib & Kumar, Sanjeev & Qureshi, Ammar & Hussain, Khalil & Muhammad, Lakhi, 2025. "Integrating digital influencer persuasion model and theory of planned behavior: The mediating role of consumer involvement in endorsed brands," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    13. Xia, Hui & Zhang, Longyun & Chen, Junjie & Wang, Xinchun, 2025. "Decoding virtual influencer endorsement using machine learning: The role of virtual influencer, posting, and disclosure characteristics," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    14. Wang, Bin & Han, Yao & Kandampully, Jay & Lu, Xiaoli, 2025. "How language arousal affects purchase intentions in online retailing? The role of virtual versus human influencers, language typicality, and trust," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    15. Eun Ah Ryu & EunKyoung Han, 2021. "Social Media Influencer’s Reputation: Developing and Validating a Multidimensional Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, January.
    16. Koivunen, Kati & Haanpää, Milka Aino Annikki & Saraniemi, Saila, 2025. "“The emergence of cause-oriented influencers – conceptualizing de-influencing on TikTok”," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    17. Farivar, Samira & Wang, Fang & Yuan, Yufei, 2021. "Opinion leadership vs. para-social relationship: Key factors in influencer marketing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    18. Benevento, Elisabetta & Aloini, Davide & Roma, Paolo & Bellino, Davide, 2025. "The impact of influencers on brand social network growth: Insights from new product launch events on Twitter," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    19. Lu, Hsiao-Han & Chen, Ching-Fu & Tai, Yi-Wen, 2024. "Exploring the roles of vlogger characteristics and video attributes on followers’ value perceptions and behavioral intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    20. Barak Libai & Ana Babić Rosario & Maximilian Beichert & Bas Donkers & Michael Haenlein & Reto Hofstetter & P. K. Kannan & Ralf Lans & Andreas Lanz & H. Alice Li & Dina Mayzlin & Eitan Muller & Daniel , 2025. "Influencer marketing unlocked: Understanding the value chains driving the creator economy," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 4-28, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:88:y:2026:i:c:s096969892500284x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing-and-consumer-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.