Abstract
There is growing concern that worldwide cultures of consumption have had detrimental consequences for individual wellbeing and sustainability of the environment. The term “overconsumption” exemplifies the tension between mutually beneficial producer–consumer exchange and the damaging effects of excess. In search of a pathway toward reducing overconsumption practise, sustainability literature is often interested in better understanding not only why overconsumption occurs, but what facilitates it in particular consumer markets. Young adults are one group of consumers where transitioning identities and lifestyles see impulsive consumption of goods that are often termed “non-essential”, such as fashion and apparel products. This study explores the impact of a set of impulse enabling financial tools (buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) credit schemes) on impulse buying tendency in an online fashion shopping context, for young adult female consumers. The paper contributes a consumer perspective on the impact of BNPL on unsustainable consumption behaviour in the online retail setting, which the literature currently lacks, by considering consumers’ impulse buying tendencies in such a setting. Findings demonstrate that BNPL users have a higher online impulse buying tendency than those who do not use BNPL, and a clear link is identified between online impulse buying tendency and sales conversion tool sensitivity, thus promoting overconsumption in this setting.
Highlights
It is estimated that one quarter of all global emissions stem from the manufacture and consumption of retail goods such as fashion products, electronics and other consumables [1]
The 20 items which measured online impulse buying tendency were subjected to a principal component analysis
In an effort to better understand the antecedents of overconsumption among one group of consumers, young adult females, this study explored online purchasing behaviour through the lens of impulsivity
Summary
It is estimated that one quarter of all global emissions stem from the manufacture and consumption of retail goods such as fashion products, electronics and other consumables [1]. Consumers are increasingly well educated regarding the damaging impact of a number of consumption behaviours, overconsumption is still common within certain product markets [2]. The current culture of retail consumption seen in affluent, Western economies continues to threaten both the environment and the societies within which goods are produced [3]. Overconsumption has detrimental consequences for individual wellbeing and sustainability of the environment [5], and exemplifies the tension between mutually beneficial, voluntary exchange, and the damaging effects of excess waste [6]. This study addresses the problem within one group of overconsumers, young adult females, by examining their online impulse buying behaviour, and the systems that promote excess consumption in the online retail setting
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
