Flow and social capital theory in online impulse buying

• Published in: Journal of business research Vol. 69; no. 6; pp. 2277 - 2283
• Main Author: Huang, Li-Ting
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Inc 01.06.2016; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Browsing activity; Comparative analysis; Content attractiveness; Electronic commerce; Impulse buying; Online impulse buying; Peer communication; Social capital; Social commerce; Social interaction; Social networks; Studies; Social commerce; Peer communication; Online impulse buying; Content attractiveness; Social capital; Browsing activity
• ISSN: 0148-2963; 1873-7978
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.12.042

This study examines the influence of affective and reactive factors, as well as two mediators of consumers' online impulse buying behavior in social commerce, by following the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) paradigm, social capital theory, and flow theory. Social interactions and content are important stimuli on social networking websites. This study conducts structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyze data from an online questionnaire. Four main findings emerge. First, the urge to buy differs from impulse buying, and significantly predicts impulse buying behavior. Second, internal processing exists between the stimuli and responses, per the SOR paradigm. Third, peers' opinions on social networking websites exert considerable influence on consumers' impulsive desire to purchase. Fourth, the fsQCA results show ways to increase consumers' desire to purchase impulsively, including reactive and affective factors. The method for impulse buying only includes social capital, peer communication, urge to buy, and vividness.