Social influence is the extent to which an individual's perception of other people's opinions, suggestions, and behavior—both from the immediate social environment and the online community—can influence an individual's decision to use a particular product, service, or technology (Kurniawan & Subhi, 2021; Haryono et al., 2015; Hoffmann & Broekhuizen, 2009).

Based on component informational theory (Bearden et al., 1992; Hoffmann

& Broekhuizen, 2009), social influence can be measured through several indicators, namely: the individual's tendency to seek information from others before purchasing a product; the habit of observing the experiences of others in shopping or using similar products; consider suggestions or recommendations from social environments such as friends, family, or online communities; consult with others before deciding to buy a product; and consider the information provided by others as a valid and credible reference in making purchase decisions.

Online customer reviews are reviews or ratings given by consumers to products or services after making a purchase on an online platform, which serves as a source of information for other potential consumers (Park et al., 2019).

Indicators of online customer reviews include the credibility of the source of the review, the quality of the argument presented, the usefulness of the review in decision-making, and the valence or positive/negative tone of the review.

Consumer trust is consumer confidence in the integrity, goodwill, and ability of the product or service provider to meet their expectations and needs (McKnight et al., 2016), which is measured through the indicators of benevolence (the seller's goodwill in serving), integrity (the seller's honesty in fulfilling promises), competence (the seller's ability to provide the service or product expected), willingness to depend (the willingness of consumers to depend on the seller), and subjective probability of depending (consumer belief that dependence on the seller will provide positive results).

Repurchase interest is the tendency of consumers to make a repurchase of a product or service based on previous positive experiences (Kotler & Keller, 2021), which is measured through transactional interest (desire to buy back and how often to buy), preferential interest (tendency to choose a brand as the main choice and liking for the brand), and exploratory interest (desire to seek more information and try new products from the brand).

This study analysis was carried out using a quantitative method approach with descriptive analysis and hypothesis testing using SEM-PLS.

From Table 1 it can be seen that the majority of respondents in this study are women (63.8%), showing the dominance of female respondents which is in line with The American Consumer's findings that women shop more often. Most respondents aged 18–23 (77.1%), reflecting the characteristics of Gen Z who actively use online shopping platforms. Most of the respondents are students/students (87.6%) who use Tokopedia when they have free time. The highest frequency of Tokopedia use was 3-4 times (56.2%), indicating that students feel that online shopping is more practical than shopping directly at physical stores.

Evaluation of Measurement Model

Based on the results of the analysis carried out, the results of the loading factor, Composite Reliability, Cronbach's Alpha and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) are known as follows:

Source: Smartpls 4 processed data, (2025)

Based on Table 2. It is known that each of the indicators of many research variables has an outer loading value of > 0.5. According to Ghozali (2016), an outer loading value between 0.5 – 0.6 is considered sufficient to meet the convergent validity requirements. The data shows that the indicators are declared feasible or valid for research use and can be used for further analysis.

Source: Smartpls 4 processed data, (2025)

Table 3. Showing that the category is quite good, each construct has met the criteria for assessing the reliability of the outer model with a composite reliability value of > 0.7. Thus, the analysis of the outer model is continued to the stage of outer model validity.

Source: Smartpls 4 processed data, (2025)

Table 4. indicates that the AVE value of each construct in the final model has reached a value of > 0.5. Thus, the proposed structural equation model meets the criteria convergent validity.

Structural Model Evaluation

Source: Smartpls 4 processed data, (2025)

H1 has been “rejected” H2 has been “accepted” H3 has been “rejected” H4 has been “accepted” H5 has been “accepted” H6 has been “rejected” H7 has been “accepted”

Evaluation of Model Fit and Goodness Of Fit

Source: Smartpls 4 processed data, (2025)

Based on Table 6, known R value2 of confidence is 0.785. This value can be interpreted as the variable social influence (X1) and Online Customer Reviews (X2) is able to affect confidence (Z) by 78.5%, the remaining 21.5% is influenced by other factors. Known R value2 of the repurchase interest (Y) is 0.786. This value can be interpreted as a variable social influence (X1), Online Customer Reviews (X2), and trust (Z) was able to influence repurchase interest (Y) by 78.6%, the remaining 21.4% was influenced by other factors.

The results of the hypothesis test showed that social influence had a positive but insignificant influence on consumer repurchase interest on Tokopedia, with a path coefficient of 0.025 and a significance of 0.630 (> 0.05). This means that social influences are not strong enough to influence repurchase decisions statistically. E-commerce consumers in Indonesia, especially among students, tend to rely on personal experience, quality of service, and objective information such as product reviews and ratings, rather than external influences. This is in line with the theory of the Consumer Decision-Making Model (Engel, Blackwell, & Miniard, 1995), which emphasizes the importance of personal evaluation in post- purchase decisions.

However, social influence in the form of observation remains, as shown by 41.9% of respondents who strongly agree that they pay attention to the products or brands used by others. However, many respondents also rely more on searching for independent information through digital media. These findings are in line with the view of Schiffman and Kanuk (2008), that the influence of reference groups varies depending on the context and consumer experience. Previous research by Susanti et al. (2020) and Handayani et al. (2019) also confirmed that internal factors such as product quality and trust are more

dominant in repurchases. However, according to UTAUT's theory (Venkatesh et al., 2012), social influence remains relevant in the early stages of technology use, so it can be used to attract new users through positive reviews and testimonials. The Influence of Online Customer Reviews on Repurchase Interest

The results of the hypothesis test show that online customer reviews have a

positive and significant effect on consumer repurchase interest on Tokopedia, with a coefficient value of 0.316 and a significance of 0.008 (< 0.05). This signifies that customer reviews, especially quality and positive ones, play an important role in building trust as well as encouraging consumers to make repeat purchases. In the context of online shopping with minimal physical interaction, reviews are the main source of information. Most respondents rely on the author's reputation, clarity of comment content, and the number and consistency of reviews as the main considerations. These findings are in line with various theories such as e-WOM, Information Adoption Model (IAM), and Heuristic-

Systematic Model (HSM) which explain how the quality and quantity of reviews

affect consumer perception and decision-making.

Furthermore, the tone of the language in the review, the fit between the rating, the comment, and the image, and the compelling reason underlying the rating are also important factors in improving the effectiveness of online reviews. Most respondents stated that they read reviews to understand how the product works in real life, but there are still concerns about the biases and authenticity of the content. This shows that consumers are selective in processing information and value informative, objective, and visually evidence-supported reviews. Therefore, platforms like Tokopedia need to ensure a transparent and credible review system to maintain consumer trust and increase repurchase interest.

The results of the hypothesis test showed that social influence did not have a significant effect on consumer confidence in making online purchases through Tokopedia, with a coefficient value of -0.060 and a significance of 0.147 (> 0.05). These findings indicate that consumer trust, particularly among Gen Z and millennials, is more shaped by personal considerations and objective information than by influences from friends, family, or the social environment. In the context of online shopping, consumers rely more on product reviews, ratings, and first- hand experiences, rather than solely the opinions of others. This is in line with Kelman's (1958) theory of Social Influence, which explains that the internalized form of experience and information that is believed to be more dominant than simply following or imitating others.

Support for these findings can also be seen from the responses of respondents, where most admitted that they do not always consult others before buying and prefer to do their own research through online reviews or digital

media. Although some respondents pay attention to the products used by others, others consider information from digital platforms to be more objective and credible. This is in accordance with the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) which states that personal beliefs are more dominant in shaping behavior. Overall, the younger generation is now showing a more independent and selective attitude in forming trust in products or services in e-commerce such as Tokopedia.

The results of the study show that online customer reviews have a positive and significant influence on consumer trust in Tokopedia, with a path coefficient value of 0.881 and a significance of 0.000. This shows that quality and credible reviews play a big role in forming trust, especially among Gen Z and millennial students who are used to looking for information before buying. Factors such as the reputation of the review author, clarity of the content of the comment, and the logical reason for submitting the review are important elements in building trust. Theories such as the Source Credibility Theory, Information Adoption Model

(IAM), and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) support these findings by

explaining that the credibility of the source, the relevance of the content, and the strength of the argument strongly determine the level of consumer trust in information.

That said, not all online reviews are always trustworthy. Some respondents expressed doubts about reviews that were subjective, unaccompanied by visual evidence, or came from suspicious accounts. This shows that despite the significant influence of reviews, the quality of the content remains a crucial factor. Students as critical digital consumers continue to judge selectively, even on popular reviews. Although social proof , like many reviews, also influences the perception of quality, they still evaluate the content and tone of the language in the review. These findings reinforce the view that consumer trust in the digital age is more determined by information literacy and self- verification capabilities than simply following majority opinion.

The results of the study showed that consumer confidence had a positive and significant effect on repurchase interest on Tokopedia, with a path coefficient of 0.596 and a significance of 0.000. This trust provides a sense of security and reduces uncertainty in transactions, thus encouraging consumers, especially students, to return to shopping. These findings are in line with the Theory of Planned Behavior, which states that belief in an action encourages the formation of an intention to repeat it. Factors such as service quality (reliability and

responsiveness), platform responsibility in handling problems, and structure and ease of navigation also shape this trust. Most respondents assessed Tokopedia's service as good, but there were also those who complained about slow customer service and unclear information, which can reduce trust even though it has been generally formed.

Consumer trust can also be seen from the extent to which they rely on information and communication from the platform, as well as the perception of Tokopedia's response in solving problems. Although the majority of respondents

considered Tokopedia to be quite responsive and informative, others felt that the response and information provided were inadequate. This is in line with Customer Satisfaction Theory and Information Integration Theory, which emphasize the importance of speed, clarity, and relevance of information in maintaining consumer loyalty. Thus, even though trust has been proven to increase repurchase interest, e-commerce platforms still need to maintain consistency in providing services and information so that consumer trust can be maintained and improved.

The results showed that social influence had a negative and insignificant effect on repurchase interest through consumer trust, with a path coefficient of -

0.036 and a significance of 0.152 (> 0.05). This means that consumer confidence is unable to mediate the relationship between social influence and repurchase intent, so the hypothesis is rejected. Students as consumers tend not to be influenced by social opinions from friends, family, or influencers in forming trust in Tokopedia or in deciding to shop again. They rely more on personal judgment and first-hand experience.

These findings are in line with UTAUT's theory (Venkatesh et al., 2012) which states that social influences tend to be stronger in the early stages of technology use. However, when users already have experience and trust in the platform, such as students who are used to online shopping, social influence becomes less relevant. They trust product reviews and personal experience more in forming trust and repurchase decisions, rather than from the pressures or social influences around them.

The results showed that online customer reviews had a positive and significant effect on repurchase interest through consumer trust, with a path coefficient of 0.525 and a significance value of 0.000 (< 0.05). This means that consumer trust is able to mediate the relationship between customer reviews and repurchase interest on Tokopedia. Positive, informative, and honest reviews have been proven to be able to build consumer trust, especially among students who rely heavily on digital information before making transactions. This trust then encourages consumers to return to making purchases.

These findings are in line with previous research, such as by Wijaya and Paramita (2023) and Susanti and Nugroho (2022), which stated that online reviews are able to form trust and influence repurchase intentions. However, the quality and credibility of the reviews are key factors. Ramadhani and Siregar (2021) remind that the effectiveness of reviews can decrease if they are considered not credible or fake. Therefore, although online customer reviews have proven to be effective, their influence still depends heavily on the authenticity and consistency of the information conveyed.