Quantity-Sourced or Quality-Sourced? The Impact of Word-of-Mouth Recommendations on China Rural Residents’ Online Purchase Intention: The Chain Mediating Roles of Social Distance and Perceived Value

This study examines how different types of word-of-mouth (WOM) influence online purchase intention (OPI) among rural residents, an area not yet fully explored. Based on social tie strength theory, we classify WOM into “quantity-sourced” (e.g., friends, family, general consumers) and “quality-sourced” (e.g., influencers, celebrities, professionals). We propose a chain mediation model involving social distance (SD) and perceived value (PV). Using survey data from 1005 rural residents in Jiangxi Province, China, and analyzing the data with structural equation modeling (SmartPLS 4), we find that quantity-sourced WOM positively affects OPI (β = 0.135), while quality-sourced WOM negatively affects it (β = −0.166). Mechanism analysis shows SD is a key mediator: quantity-sourced WOM shortens SD, thereby increasing OPI (β = 0.152), whereas quality-sourced WOM widens SD, reducing OPI (β = −0.047). PV mediates between quantity-sourced WOM and OPI (β = 0.043), but it shows no significant mediation between quality-sourced WOM and OPI (β = −0.002). Additionally, SD and PV serve as chain mediators between both types of WOM and OPI. These findings extend WOM theory to rural contexts and offer practical insights for governments and e-commerce platforms to develop differentiated WOM strategies and build localized WOM networks.