Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 M.Sc. in Sports Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
2 Associate Professor of Sport Management, Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
3 . Assistant Professor of Sports Management, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
Abstract
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the effect of sports salespersons’ networking behavior on customers’ purchase intention, with a focus on the mediating role of customer engagement. This research is applied in purpose and descriptive-correlational in method. The statistical population consisted of sports salespersons and their customers in Urmia city. The sample included 131 salespersons (census) and 393 customers (non-random convenience sampling). Data were collected using standardized questionnaires: the Networking Behavior Scale by Macintosh and Krush (2017), the Customer Engagement Scale by Hollebeek et al. (2014), and the Purchase Intention Scale by Chiu et al. (2018). Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with PLS software. The findings revealed that salespersons’ networking behavior had a positive and significant effect on both customer purchase intention and engagement (P ≤ 0.01). Furthermore, customer engagement positively and significantly influenced purchase intention (P ≤ 0.01), and its mediating role in the relationship between networking behavior and purchase intention was confirmed (P ≤ 0.01). These results suggest that networking behaviors of salespersons can enhance customers’ emotional, cognitive, and behavioral engagement, thereby increasing their willingness to purchase. The study provides a practical framework for improving marketing strategies in the sports industry and highlights the importance of purposeful salesperson–customer interactions.
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