Abstract
In an analysis based on the theory of Fear, this study examines impulse purchase patterns during the COVID-19 Pandemic across major US urban centers. Data from 889 US consumers were collected from leading US cities to evaluate impulse buying behavior fluctuations using SEM-based multivariate approaches to examine the survey statistics. We used COVID-19 as a moderating variable of this impulse purchase behavior. The results confirmed that Fear of a complete lockdown, peers buying, scarcity of essential products on shelves, US stimulus checks, the limited supply of essential goods, and panic buying have had a compelling and affirmative influence on the sharp swings of impulse buying patterns. The findings further confirm that Fear Appeal and social media fake news have had a strong positive impact on impulse buying as mediating factors. Finally, it was concluded that COVID-19 is a significant moderating factor influencing the impulse buying behavior of US citizens. The practical implications suggest that marketers and brand managers should devise novel strategies to enhance their brand’s market share to attain a competitive advantage in COVID-19 or similar panic situations in the future. These research findings are essential to comprehend the sharp fluctuations of impulse buying patterns in the current cutthroat competition environment across the US and other parts of the world.
Highlights
In the first months of 2020, the COVID-19 virus was announced all over the world, with millions of people quarantined to maintain social and physical distancing by mid-March
Using the theory of Fear Appeal, we evaluate how US citizens behave in supermarkets, and what are the rationales behind impulse buying behavior
The undertaken study examines the antecedents of impulse buying behavior and its influence on US citizens’ buying patterns
Summary
In the first months of 2020, the COVID-19 virus was announced all over the world, with millions of people quarantined to maintain social and physical distancing by mid-March. As previous literature has shown, the influence of utilitarian and hedonic buying serve predominantly as moderators (Koparal & Çalik, 2015), and mediators (Haq & Abbasi, 2016). Other studies such as Bergel & Brock (2019) have demonstrated that these factors are direct and independent variables that significantly influence buying patterns. The undertaken study examines the antecedents and dynamics of impulse buying patterns in the rise of COVID-19 and assessed the impact of US citizen impulse purchasing behavior during this situation based on Fear (Iyer et al, 2020; Limaye et al, 2020).
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