Online Impulse Buying: The Role of Self-Construction and Online Shop Aesthetics

Rahayu Crystal Himawari, Tommy Prayoga, Sheila Putri Fajrianti, Juneman Abraham

Abstract


Online impulse buying could harm someone financially and psychologically. Previous studies have identified variables that predict impulse buying, but not many of them have examined the human’s self. This study aimed at investigating the roles of insecure self, engulfed self, and perceived aesthetic of online shop in predicting the online impulse buying. The participants were 285 private sector employees (156 males and 129 females; Mean of age of 27.1 years old; Standard deviation of age of 5.9 years) in the Greater Jakarta, Indonesia. Data analysis using multiple linear regression analysis showed that the positive prediction hypotheses were supported by empirical data. An additional descriptive analysis applying the Terror Management Theory showed that participants with higher mortality salience tend to have more online buying experience, and they are inclined to purchase more luxurious items such as jewelry and expensive watch than participants with lower mortality salience. This study contributes in developing the interdisciplinary field of psychological science and information technology by integrating the self and the virtual medium of shopping variables as well as by recommending a behavioral engineering to control online impulse buying.

Keywords


Impulsive buying; self, aesthetic; online; mortality salience; business psychology

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18517/ijaseit.8.5.1587

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