The Research and Postgraduate Centre congratulates Asst. Prof. Dr. Chong Sin Er from the School of Economics and Management on the successful publication of her research article in Marketing Intelligence & Planning, an SSCI Q1 journal, as the first author.

The article, entitled "Unlocking the Enigma of Social Commerce Discontinuation: Exploring the Approach and Avoidance Driver", investigates why users discontinue their use of social commerce (s-commerce) platforms, providing insights into user behaviour in the rapidly growing digital commerce landscape. Drawing upon the approach-avoidance motivations model (AAMM), the study examines how approach drivers such as informational support and avoidance drivers such as perceived deception influence users' intention to discontinue using s-commerce platforms.

This research provides practical implications for platform developers, online sellers, and policymakers seeking to enhance user engagement and reduce user attrition in social commerce environments. By understanding the psychological mechanisms that drive discontinuance behaviour, stakeholders can better enhance user experiences and reduce user attrition in digital commerce platforms.

The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Sun Yat-Sen University, China and Universiti Putra Malaysia, reflecting strong international and interdisciplinary research collaboration in the fields of social commerce, consumer behaviour, and digital marketing.

This research was financially supported by the Research Management Centre of Universiti Putra Malaysia (GPB/2021/9696700), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (72372166, 71972108), and The Key Research Project of Philosophy and Social Sciences in Shenzhen (SZ2023A011).

DOI 10.1108/MIP-10-2023-0536

Dr. Chong Sin Er completed her Ph.D. in Marketing at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Her research interests include marketing, social commerce, e-commerce, and digital consumer behaviour. Her research has been published in SSCI Q1 journals, including Current Issues in Tourism, Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, and Marketing Intelligence & Planning. She is also an XMUM alumna, holding a Bachelor's degree in International Business (Hons).

For more information about Dr. Chong Sin Er and her research profile, please visit: https://www.xmu.edu.my/staff/chong-sin-er.