Abstract: Based on social comparison theory, this study explored the influence mechanism of passive use of social network sites on consumers’ behavior towards status commodity. Results demonstrate that passive use of social network sites can increase individuals' willingness to purchase status commodity compared with unused, high-intensity passive use and low-intensity by designing three user experiments. Upward social comparison and self-esteem play a chain mediating effect between passive use of social network sites and consumers’ behavior towards status commodity. Further, the chain mediating effect is moderated by self-other similarity through effecting the upward social comparison tendency and self-esteem level. This study has a deep understanding of the relationship between the use of social networking sites and consumer behavior, and provides valuable information for companies marketing activities on social networking sites.

Key words: Social network sites, Passive use；Consumer behavior, Status commodity；Upward social comparison；Self-esteem；Self-other similarity