Exploring Impulse Purchase Behavior: Heuristic-Systematic Model of Information Processing and The Moderation Effect of Social Context

Abstract

Research thus far has devoted little attention to the determinants of impulse purchase behavior The study employs the Heuristic-Sytematic Model (HSM) of Information Processing to examine the effects of need for uniqueness, spending habit, and perceived affordability on consumers’ impulse purchase behavior. Following the Social Impact Theory, the moderating effects of social contextual factors, including consumers flock and peer influence, are explored as well. Research results based on a sample collected from 319 respondents show that individual need for uniqueness produces a positive effect on impulse purchase while individuals who have high control over spending exerts a negative effect. Although the moderating effects of peer influence and consumers flock are not supported, they do show positively direct effects. Moreover, perceived affordability is shown to be insignificantly related with impulse purchase behavior. The research contributes to the consumer behavior literature by an examination of the antecedents of consumers’ impulse purchase behavior with the considerations of social contexts. Moreover, implications and future research directions are discussed further.