HOW TIME PRESSURE AND PROMOTIONS TRIGGER IMPULSE BUYING: INTEGRATING FOMO, CONSUMER MOOD, & MATERIALISM

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the relationships between time pressure, best deals, and affective impulse buying. The proposed study integrates key psychological and emotional factors, such as FOMO (fear of missing out), consumer mood, and materialism, into a comprehensive framework. While previous studies have demonstrated the importance of hedonic value and situational urgency, less is known about the combined role of emotional, cognitive, and personality characteristics in impulsive buying. Therefore, this study attempts to formulate a theoretical basis for understanding the complex interplay of various factors in e-commerce settings. Methodology: A quantitative method will be implemented through a questionnaire based on scales used in previous studies. Surveys will be distributed to a sample of e-commerce customers who frequently shop online. Hypotheses will be tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in order to assess direct, mediating, and moderating processes. The proposed study will examine the influence of best deal, social interaction, hedonic value, time pressure, FOMO, consumer mood, materialism, and affective impulse buying. Findings: The study hypothesizes that time pressure and best deal significantly predict hedonic value, which, in turn, positively influences affective impulse buying. In addition, the study expects that FOMO partially mediates the association between time pressure and affective impulse buying. This is explained by the fact that FOMO drives customers’ fear of losing out on limited-time offers. In addition, consumer mood is estimated to moderate the relationship between promotions and affective impulse buying, thus intensifying the impact of promotional activities. Finally, materialism is predicted to directly affect impulse buying processes. Originality/Value: This paper integrates a broad scope of individual differences and situational variables that play a role in the development of impulsive buying. By combining such theories as FOMO, consumer mood, materialism, and hedonic value, the study will provide a more comprehensive view of impulse buying in the context of e-commerce. The findings of the study will contribute to the body of knowledge by offering practical implications for marketers and providing directions for further research.