Key drivers of impulse purchase online: an exploration in an emerging market

Description

The aim of this paper is to explore the drivers of impulsive online purchasing in an emerging market context, where internet penetration is rapidly increasing. We employ a mixed-methods approach, combining in-depth interviews with a survey to identify key factors influencing consumers’ impulse buying behavior online. Findings from the qualitative interviews suggest that consumers with moderate internet experience (3–5 years) and those who enjoy shopping as a leisure activity are more likely to engage in impulsive online purchases. Lower-priced products (typically below INR 2,000) and trusted e-commerce platforms offering a wide variety of products are also more likely to trigger impulse buying. Results from factor analysis and subsequent regression analysis of survey data indicate that two primary drivers influence online impulse purchasing: a customer–product interaction factor and a price-related factor. Interestingly, perceived risk does not emerge as a statistically significant determinant, contrary to common expectations. Emerging markets play a crucial role in the global growth of online retail. For instance, India—with a population exceeding 1.2 billion and a sustained growth rate of over 5 percent for nearly two decades—represents a significant opportunity. According to industry projections, India’s online retail market is expected to grow from approximately $15 billion in 2016 to $200 billion by 2026. This rapid expansion is driven by increased internet penetration, declining data costs, widespread adoption of smartphones, and the growth of digital payment systems. In line with the growth of online retail, impulse purchasing is also expected to rise in emerging markets such as India. Consequently, there has been increasing academic interest in online consumer behavior, particularly within the fields of information systems, marketing, and management. Existing literature conceptualizes online impulse buying as a change in purchase intention triggered by exposure to hedonic stimuli (Madhavaram and Laverie, 2004). A systematic review by Chan, Cheung, and Lee (2017) identifies the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the dominant theoretical lenses used in empirical studies of online impulse buying. By focusing on an emerging market and combining qualitative and quantitative analyses, this study contributes to the literature by identifying context-specific drivers of online impulse purchasing and offering insights relevant to both researchers and practitioners.

Publication Date

1-1-2019

Keywords

Marketing management, Emerging market

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