AFFILIATE CONTENT BEYOND THE TRANSACTION: CUSTOMER TRUST AND RETENTION IN TIKTOK SHOP SOCIAL COMMERCE

Abstrak

Among consumers who had previously purchased through TikTok Shop, this study examines whether affiliate marketing content remains associated with customer retention and whether customer trust carries part of that relationship. Survey data were collected from 100 purposively selected Generation Z fashion consumers in West Java and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Affiliate marketing content was positively associated with customer trust (β = .752, p < .001) and customer retention (β = .319, p = .003), while trust was positively associated with retention (β = .446, p < .001). The specific indirect relationship through trust was significant (β = .335, t = 2.858, p < .001), and the direct relationship remained significant after trust was included. This pattern is consistent with complementary partial mediation. The findings locate trust as one relational mechanism connecting affiliate communication with retention, while the remaining direct relationship points to processes beyond trust. For sellers and fashion brands, the results place greater emphasis on accurate and credible affiliate communication than on content volume alone. Because the data are cross-sectional and self-reported, the findings describe associations within the model rather than causal effects or observed repeat purchasing.