Impact of online influencer marketing on consumers’ willingness to pay more

Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful tool in digital commerce, yet its impact on consumers’ willingness to pay more (WTPM) for endorsed products remains underexplored. This study investigates the psychological and relational mechanisms driving WTPM in influencer marketing, focusing on parasocial relationships, perceived interactivity, customer engagement, and perceived product quality. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, we analyze survey data from 178 social media users in Italy to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings indicate that parasocial relationships, customer engagement, and perceived product quality significantly enhance WTPM, whereas perceived interactivity does not exhibit a direct effect. Furthermore, advertising recognition moderates the relationships between parasocial relationships, customer engagement, and WTPM, revealing a complex interaction between influencer credibility and consumer skepticism. These results contribute to the growing body of influencer marketing research and offer practical insights for brands seeking to optimize pricing strategies in social media-driven commerce.