Intelligent Digitalization and Immersive Experience in Cross-Border e-Commerce Environment (I): The Formation Pathway and Underlying “Mediator” of Consumer Brand Attachment

The exponential growth of cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) has notably emphasized the significance of strengthening consumer-brand relationships and enhancing brand equity in the digital age. Particularly, user-generated content (UGC) has emerged as a pivotal element in shaping brand perceptions and fostering emotional connections between consumers and brands. This study aims to dissect the influence of UGC quality on the formation of brand attachment (BA) and examine the mediating role of brand involvement (BI) in this relationship. By adopting a mixed-method approach that integrates theoretical induction with empirical analysis, our research scrutinizes the pathway through which UGC quality impacts BA, with a special focus on the mediating influence of BI. The findings illuminate that UGC quality significantly affects BA directly and indirectly through BI, highlighting the critical role of consumer engagement in the digital branding strategy. The implications of this study offer profound insights into consumer behavior dynamics and strategic guidelines for enhancing brand management practices in the global marketplace. Our investigation contributes to the nascent body of literature on consumer-brand relationships within CBEC settings by uncovering the bottom-up mechanisms of BA from a consumer-centric perspective.