This study aims at investigating the emerging nature of social e-commerce characterized by diversified content and high degree of interactivity. As regards the empirical context, this research focuses on social e-commerce platform as the case. Specifically, this study explores how platform situational cues affect consumers’ purchase intention and at the same time their impact on operation mode of online stores. Using SOR approach, flow experience and perceived trust are recognized as organism variables while consumer purchase intention is identified as response variable. Consequently, hypotheses are formulated and structural equation model is developed for assessing interdependencies among them. Furthermore, social e-commerce platform characteristics have been explored for measuring its impact on online store operation mode by employing multiple linear regression model. Data analysis is performed through the use of AMOS and SPSS. It is found out that opinion leaders and recommendation from promotion contribute directly and positively to consumers’ purchase intention while there is no significant correlation between social interaction and purchase intention. The relationship between situational cues and purchase intention is mediated by flow experience and perceived trust. According to the regression equation: online store operation mode change = 0.993 + 0.314 × interaction mode + 0.256 × social relationship network + 0.238 × marketing means, social e-commerce platform characteristics positively affect online store operation mode change. Among them, the most driving effect lies in interaction mode.
