Online antecedents for young consumers’ impulse buying behavior

Abstract

Acting on a sudden urge to purchase something without a prior intention or plan to do so and without considering its long-term effects is regarded as impulse buying behavior. The convenience and automatization of online and mobile shopping have made impulsive purchases increasingly easier. In addition, targeted online advertisements, and presence of brands on social media networks may tempt consumers to make hasty purchase decisions. Thus, there is a call for more research on how consumer-related factors and digital environment facilitate impulsive purchases. Based on a survey of 2318 respondents from 18- to 29-year-olds in Finland, we examined young adults’ impulse buying behavior from the perspective of self-control and persuasion in online environments. The findings suggest that low self-control not only directly enables impulsive purchasing, but also does so by fostering positive attitude toward targeted advertisements and the impulsiveness within social networks. Furthermore, a positive disposition towards targeted advertisements renders consumers more susceptible to the impulsiveness of social networks, encompassing the impact of recommendations and product displays on social media. Finally, we offer guidance on how the teaching of self-control and online media literacy can strengthen the resistance to persuasion in online environments and decrease the tendency to engage in impulse buying behavior.