PENGARUH LIFESTYLE DAN CITRA MEREK TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN MELALUI KOMUNIKASI WORD OF MOUTH SEBAGAI VARIABEL INTERVENING (Studi kasus konsumen handphone merek iPhone pada mahasiswa S1 UPGRIS)

The popularity of iPhone smartphones among students drives this research,
setting it apart from other smartphone brands. Its objective is to examine and
analyse the impact of lifestyle and brand image on purchasing decisions,
specifically through word-of-mouth communication. The study will focus on
iPhone consumer case studies among students at SI UPGRIS Semarang. The
participants in this study were students from PGRI University Semarang who
have either used or are now using iPhone devices. There were a total of 96
participants from different academic programmes. The employed data analysis
technique is PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model). The
research data processing utilises the SmartPLS 3.2.9 software application. This
study demonstrates that the brand image does not have a significant impact on
purchasing decisions, as evidenced by a P-value of 0.364 and a path coefficient of
0.908. The brand image has a significant impact on word-of-mouth
communication, as indicated by a P-value of 0.000 and a path coefficient value of
4.157. Word-of-mouth communication significantly influences purchasing
decisions, as indicated by a P-value of 0.000 and a path coefficient of 4.128. The
lifestyle of individuals has a significant impact on their purchase decisions, as
indicated by a P-value of 0.000 and a path coefficient of 2.613. The P-value for
the influence of lifestyle on word-of-mouth communication is 0.000, indicating a
very significant relationship. Additionally, the Path Coefficient value is 6.663,
suggesting a strong positive effect of lifestyle on word-of-mouth communication.
The purchasing decisions are influenced by brand image through word-of-mouth
communication, with a statistically significant P-value of 0.003 and a path
coefficient value of 2.994. Lifestyle factors have a significant impact on purchase
decisions, which is facilitated by word-of-mouth communication. This relationship
is supported by statistical evidence, with a P-value of 0.001 and a path coefficient
of 3.321.
Keywords : Lifestyle, Brand Image, Word of Mouth Communication,
Purchasing Decisions