Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>This study examines the psychological mechanisms shaping social shopping intention (SSI) by analysing the roles of believability, credibility and trust while assessing the mediating effect of subjective norms. Given quantitative approach, measurement scales were adapted from prior research and refined for the study context. Survey data from 376 Vietnamese Generation Z consumers were analysed using PLS-SEM with SmartPLS to test the proposed relationships. Credibility influences SSI only indirectly through subjective norms, highlighting the importance of perceived social consensus. In contrast, trust acts as a strong direct antecedent of SSI, independent of social pressure. Believability shows a weaker yet dual effect, influencing SSI both directly and indirectly via subjective norms. Marketing executives should leverage social proof and community endorsement to strengthen credibility while facilitating platform trust through security and transparency to encourage purchasing. The study clarifies the distinct roles of trust-based constructs and social influence, thereby advancing understanding of social commerce behaviour among digitally connected Generation Z consumers.</p>