The Influence of Social Presence on Actual Purchase Mediated by Attitude toward the Product

People are currently experiencing a transition from a traditional (brick-and-mortar) market to an online market. However, despite the convenience of shopping online, online shopping has several drawbacks, including the inability to inspect or manage the product and low social interaction. This study examines how social presence in online reviews can help consumers make actual purchases. In addition, the Theory of Planned Behavior is used in this study to investigate consumer purchasing behavior. This study uses a quantitative approach using SmartPLS to test the hypotheses made. The study uses Shopee consumer data located in the JABODETABEK area (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi). This study focuses on Shopee customers with an age range of 18–35. The researchers employed an online survey to collect respondent data. Data collection was distributed from April to May 2022, and collected 100 respondents. The results showed that social presence positively affected attitudes toward products and actual purchases. Several theoretical and managerial implications for online sellers and e-commerce platforms are discussed based on the findings.