How will my wine purchase decision be viewed by others?

A person’s self-image can be a strong motivator for influencing marketplace decisions, particularly if the consequences of a purchase decision have financial or social risk. A model is suggested that defines how self-esteem, considered as a mediator between self-efficacy and sources of information, influences the selection of an information source during wine buying situations. Search engine marketing was used to recruit individuals. An AdWords campaign was created using text ads under specific keywords. Results indicate that self-esteem has a significant impact on the value placed on different information sources, mainly given the extent of perceived social risk and the impact on self-image. The study provides wine marketing professionals with new insights to develop better communication strategies. In addition to product characteristics, customers’ purchasing decisions may be driven by less obvious factors such as their perceptions of how others will view them and the information selected during a wine purchase situation.