The Power of Digital Opinion Leaders in Driving of Consumer Electronic Word of Mouth in the Tech Gadget Sector

Abstract

This study examines how digital opinion leaders shape consumer electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) in the technology-gadget sector. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 286 respondents in Eastern Uttar Pradesh who regularly followed technology influencers. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire using five-point Likert-scale items. Information quality, influencer expertise, communication effectiveness, and argument quality were modelled as predictors of consumer e-WOM, and the measurement and structural models were assessed through structural equation modelling. Reliability coefficients for all five constructs exceeded 0.90. Composite reliability and average variance extracted values were above their stated thresholds, while the Fornell–Larcker results indicated adequate separation among the constructs. The structural results showed positive relationships between information quality and e-WOM (estimate = 0.179, t = 3.406), expertise and e-WOM (estimate = 0.247, t = 4.746), communication and e-WOM (estimate = 0.200, t = 3.737), and argument quality and e-WOM (estimate = 0.233, t = 4.995). All four relationships were reported at p < 0.001. Expertise had the largest estimated coefficient, followed by argument quality, communication, and information quality. The findings indicate that consumers’ willingness to discuss and share technology-related information online is associated with perceived influencer competence and with the quality, clarity, and persuasiveness of product-related content.