Introduction

The world is experiencing a paradigm shift from offline to online shopping as a consequence of e-commerce success (Zhao et al., 2022). Consequently, consumers’ interest in buying online is growing (Charm et al., 2020), which is also leading people to make impulsive online purchases (Zhao et al., 2022). Impulsive buying can be defined as a behavior that involves an unexpected purchase, followed by intense joy and excitement (Stern, 1962). With the advent of technology during the last two decades, companies have shifted towards modern forms of marketing to motivate people to purchase without any prior planning (Bellini et al., 2017). Building on Bellini et al.’s perspective, Redine et al. (2022) point out that innovation has made shopping effortless, and consequently, unplanned buying has become even more enjoyable. Impulsive purchases have attracted the attention of researchers (Bucklin and Lattin, 1991; Donovan et al., 1994) since the 90s to encourage people to engage in offline impulsive shopping. Thus, online impulse buying has become an epidemic owing to the progress of information technology and e-commerce (Munawaroh et al., 2022).

Consequently, online impulsive buying is becoming increasingly ubiquitous in the e-commerce industry (Zhao et al., 2022). Furthermore, online impulsive buying occurs when a buyer feels the desire to buy a service or product without carefully considering whether it is needed (Chen et al., 2017). Moreover, spontaneous purchasing has resulted in a larger share of sales in the contemporary retail sector (Sundström et al., 2019). In this ever-increasing e-commerce world in which the total sale of online shopping was estimated at 5.4 trillion US dollars in 2021, customers often make unplanned and spontaneous buying decisions (Gulfraz et al., 2022). This behavior is known as impulsive online buying (Wu et al., 2020) and it accounts for ~40% of all online transactions (Chen et al., 2017). By contrast, people who make impulsive purchases could feel instant pleasure and satisfaction, but doing so can have serious negative effects, including debt, a low sense of self-worth, and discontent (Luo et al., 2021). In addition, developing countries are experiencing an increase in household income; this is true for China as well, and this, along with intensive marketing, gives rise to impulsive buying in China (Sheng and Basha, 2022). The number of online shoppers in China reached 840 million by December 2022. As the world’s largest market for online retail, China’s online retail sales in 2022 reached 13,79 trillion CNY and have continued to grow steadily over the past few years (China Internet Network Information Center, 2023). In addition, according to a McKinsey report, Chinese consumers are more likely to make impulsive purchases than consumers from other nations (McKinsey and Company, 2020). E-commerce’s convenience has led to the transformation of the online shopping mode, which is causing China’s current situation of impulse buying to become increasingly prevalent.

Further, with the rise in advertising on online platforms such as social media (Munawaroh et al., 2022), it has become critical to understand how advertising values affect the Chinese people’s urge to buy impulsively (UI) and eventual purchases. However, in recent years the studies on impulse buying have increased all around the world (Um et al., 2022). Despite the rise in impulsive purchasing in China, research on the influence of advertising values on impulsive buying is still fragmented and scarce than that in developed nation (Chen and Zhang, 2015; She et al., 2021). Therefore, there is a critical need for further research that specifically focuses on the influence of social integration in advertising and its implications for impulsive buying behavior in the Chinese consumer market. By studying with a comprehensive research framework, we can gain valuable insights into the dynamics of impulsive buying behavior and provide meaningful implications for marketers and advertisers targeting Chinese consumers.

Prior studies have indicated the influence of advertising value on the consumer’s buying behavior, these studies have partially emphasized the diverse forms of inherent advertising value. Ducoffe (1995) conducted an assessment of the efficacy of advertisements, utilizing three distinct dimensions: informativeness, irritation, and entertainment. Zha et al. (2015) selected informativeness and entertainment as the dimensions of advertising value in their study on the impact of ad value on user attitudes in the online shopping context in China. Researchers in the field have incorporated advertising value attributes such as credibility and creativity into their investigations of the impact of advertising value on impulsive buying behavior (Malafe et al., 2023). As the medium of information undergoes further evolution, the intrinsic value of advertising as an abstract concept is becoming increasingly enriched. Therefore, in certain specific situations, certain critical factors of advertising value may be disregarded. Thus, there is a lack of comprehensive studies regarding the behavior of a wider Chinese audience that includes all people over 18 years of age, as most studies focus on a specific group of people, such as students (Luo et al., 2021; She et al., 2021; Liu et al., 2023a).

Considerable efforts have been made to identify the factors that motivate people to make an impulsive purchase; these factors include self-steam, risk preference, social isolation (Luo et al., 2021), scarcity, shopping value, hedonic dimensions (Akram et al., 2018), dimensions of social presence (Ming et al., 2021), perceived trust, use, perceived value, and promotion incentive (Zhang et al., 2022). However, there is a lack of empirical proof linking advertising values and online impulsive buying. Additionally, customer anxiety has been studied in previous studies (Nagar and Gandotra, 2016; Hackbarth et al., 2003; Joiner et al., 2013) as mediating variables, with the exception of a few studies (Bousbahi and Alrazgan, 2015; Khoa and Huynh, 2022) which studied customer anxiety as a moderator in online shopping adoption. In addition, customer anxiety has been used as a moderator in brand loyalty to form customer loyalty (Mouakket & Al-hawari, 2012). However, less is known about the moderating effect of customer anxiety in establishing the connection between the UI and online impulsive buying, particularly in the Chinese settings. Thus, there is a need for more comprehensive research on online impulsive buying in China.

Also, the relationship between social integration and the intention to engage in impulsive purchases is an area of ongoing investigation in the field of consumer behavior. Existing studies present divergent findings regarding the impact of social integration in advertising on impulsive buying behavior. Some research suggests that social integration can enhance the intention to engage in impulsive buying, as demonstrated by Wei et al. (2021). Conversely, other studies, such as the work by Kacen and Lee (2002), reveal a complex relationship between social integration and impulsive buying, with outcomes contingent on the specific product being advertised. Consequently, further research is necessary to validate and gain a comprehensive understanding of these relationships.

Hence, this study aims to bridge the current gap in the literature and to examine the relationship between advertising value, customer anxiety, and impulsive buying behavior in China. The research conducted in this study holds significant implications for the field. By investigating the relationships between various factors such as informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, interaction, integration, and the UI, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of consumer behavior in the context of online impulse buying. The findings shed light on the specific indirect effects of these factors on online impulse buying behavior, highlighting their individual contributions. Additionally, the research identifies the role of customer anxiety as a potential moderating variable in the relationship between certain factors and online impulse buying behavior. These insights have practical implications for marketers and advertisers in designing effective strategies to influence consumer behavior and drive impulsive buying online. Overall, the research significantly enhances our knowledge of the factors influencing online impulse buying behavior and provides valuable insights for both academia and industry. This study comprises seven sections: introduction (Section 1), theoretical background and hypothesis development (Section 2), methodology (Section 3), data analysis and findings (Section 4), critical discussion (Section 5), practical and theoretical implications (6), and conclusion and limitation (Section 7).

Theoretical background & hypothesis development

The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model and online impulsive buying

The S-O-R model posits that stimuli are environmental cues that have an impact on individuals’ cognitive and emotional reactions, resulting in behavior (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974). S-O-R demonstrates that environmental stimuli have the ability to influence individuals’ internal cognitive or affective states, which motivate them to respond to a particular action (Xu et al., 2020). This study adopts the S-O-R framework as it has been extensively applied to assess online consumer behavior in various contexts (Leong et al., 2022): social commerce (Chen et al., 2017), e-commerce (Leong et al., 2022), e-tailing sites (Karim et al., 2021), and live streaming (Lee and Chen, 2021). In addition, the S-O-R framework is a well-organized model in regards to structuring variables to test how stimuli impact organisms, ultimately leading to consumers’ final responses (Chen et al., 2021). However, the use of the S-O-R framework is still limited in the Chinese context which combines advertising values (informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, integration, and interactivity), especially with customer anxiety as a moderator. For example, Ming et al. (2021) incorporated the S-O-R framework to investigate impulsive buying in live streaming in the case of China. They mainly tested social presence and telepresence variables, and their impact on impulsive buying. Akrama et al., (2017) also conducted research on China regarding impulsive buying using the S-O-R framework as a theoretical base. The constructs used were perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and motivational factors. In addition, their research was confined to four Chinese cities. Liu et al., (2023b) used the S-O-R model to determine the influence of legitimacy issues on live stream commerce and purchase intention in China. Thus, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, very little work has been done using the S-O-R framework as a theoretical foundation with advertising values, while using customer anxiety as a moderator.

As Stimuli, the S-O-R framework accommodates the multidimensional nature of advertising values. Advertising values, such as informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, interaction, and integration, can be seen as external stimuli that elicit cognitive and affective responses from individuals, which subsequently influence their impulsive buying behavior. The S-O-R theory highlights the importance of understanding how advertising values stimulate and influence the internal states of individuals, which ultimately lead to their behavioral responses. The organism, which represents individuals’ internal processes, plays a crucial role in mediating the effects of intention between advertising values and impulsive buying behavior. Individuals’ cognitive and affective responses, including attitudes, emotions, and motivations, are influenced by the advertising values they encounter. For instance, an entertaining advertisement may evoke positive intentions and capture individuals’ attention, leading to a more favorable attitude toward the product and increasing the likelihood of impulsive buying behavior. Ultimately, the S-O-R framework links the advertising values and individuals’ internal processes to their behavioral responses, specifically online impulsive buying behavior. By examining this relationship, researchers can gain insights into how advertising values shape consumers’ cognitive and affective responses, and how these responses translate into impulsive buying decisions in the online context. Therefore, the S-O-R framework provides a solid theoretical foundation for understanding the intricate dynamics between advertising values, individuals’ internal processes, and their online impulsive buying behavior, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the field of consumer behavior and marketing research. Thus, the present study extends the usage of the S-O-R framework in the setting of advertising values while studying a broader audience in China.

Online impulsive buying

The term, impulse buying, was widespread around the 1940s when some researchers defined buyers’ unintended buying and quick transactions as such (Aragoncillo and Orus, 2018). There are three characteristics of impulsive buying: it is unpredictable, and it occurs suddenly; it is short in terms of time duration; and customers develop an intention buy impulsively, but they may not actually do so due to several other factors (Geol et al., 2022a). Surprisingly, the advancement of impulsive e-commerce buying can be marked in the online shopping mode (Akram et al., 2018). Furthermore, impulsive buying is more convenient, and people are more likely to make impulsive purchases online than that in stores (Chen et al., 2017). The factors affecting online impulsive buying can be either internal or external. The internal factors may include compulsive buying tendencies, materialism (Lim et al., 2020) brand attachment (Lim et al., 2020) and enjoyed (hedonistic) buying intentions (Chen et al. 2017), whereas the external factors may include utilitarian and hedonic values (Lim et al. 2020), checkout option within Instagram (Han, 2023), and the promotions and marketing techniques used by companies (Iyer et al., 2022). However, Cakanlar and Nguyen (2019) point out that impulsive buying is more influenced by emotive than cognitive stages. Their findings further confirm the work of Verhagen and Van Dolen (2011). Rook (1987) defines impulsive buying as an unplanned and immediate purchase behavior. A recent definition by Parsad (2020) suggests that an impulsive buying pattern that occurs when customers go through an expected, strong, and consistent impulse to purchase something instantly. In impulsive buying, online consumers may instantly obtain information about offered goods and services while using the Internet, and instantly decide to make an immediate purchase (Lina et al., 2022). In this study, online impulsive buying behavior refers to the spontaneous and unplanned act of purchasing products online driven by impulsive urges or desires. It involves feeling an unprompted urge to buy products, unintentionally making purchases, acting on the spur of the moment, buying rashly without careful consideration, and being inclined to make immediate purchases upon seeing a product. Online impulse buying occurs without external influence, prior intention, or conscious planning, and often disregards long-term consequences or financial considerations.

Informativeness and UI

Informativeness refers to the capability of online sellers to produce and demonstrate resourceful and helpful information to consumers in a simple manner (Hoffman and Novak, 1996). Advertisement informativeness in the context of online impulsive buying behavior refers to the extent to which advertisements provide relevant, timely, accurate, and valuable information about products or services. It focuses on the informational content of online advertisements and their role in informing and educating consumers in the context of impulsive buying. They provide consumers with information about the features, functions, uses, and benefits of the advertised offerings, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding impulsive purchases. The timeliness includes informing consumers about new releases, limited-time offers, discounts, or any other time-sensitive information that may impact their impulsive buying decisions. The result of greater exposure time and the value of easily available information that consumers receive on websites grab attention and engage customers to take further action (Lin et al., 2018). Thus, how information about products and services is being framed is very important for effective marketing to ensure that customers have the urge to click and buy on impulse (Waymer et al., 2022). Hidayat (2022) proved that customers are more likely to research further and make purchases right away when they receive helpful information about goods and services in an easy manner through advertising. A similar statement was proposed by Özturk et al., (2021), which is remarkably informative in advertising about the offering of products and influences consumers to urge to buy the products immediately. Thus, well-informative content translates into click-through rates, and eventually, the UI. For example, ads on social media platforms must provide new information to consumers so that they can easily understand it (Rahayu et al., 2020). Malafe et al., (2023) contend that poorly provided information may break consumers’ flow of online purchases, which may not result in an spontaneous intention to buy. Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1: Informativeness is positively related to the urge to buy impulsively among online buyers in China.

Credibility and UI

Credibility in advertising is the audiences’ perception of reliability, honesty, trust, and confidence (MacKenzie and Lutz, 1989). In the context of online impulsive buying, advertisement credibility refers to the overall trustworthiness and impact of online advertisements on consumer behavior. It includes factors such as how persuasive the ads are, the extent to which they are considered believable, their effectiveness in influencing decisions, their usefulness as a reference for purchasing products, and how convincing they are in driving impulsive purchases. All these elements combined shape the perception of advertisement credibility and play a role in influencing consumers’ impulsive buying behavior in the online realm. According to Lafferty and Goldsmith (1999), advertising credibility is a key factor that influences consumer behavior. The credibility of advertising can come from several resources; for instance, Wang et al. (2017) found that celebrity endorsement has a significant effect on consumers because of its trustworthiness, because the advertising information comes from a widely trusted person. Previous studies (Li and Suh, 2015; Zhu et al., 2020) have established that credibility can determine the next action of customers that involve finding further information and eventually intending to purchase (Mursid, 2021). Qiu et al. (2021) further confirmed that for consumers, the credibility of the message is the most important factor influencing their purchase behavior. Thus, there is a significant and positive link between credibility and the urgency to purchase impulsively (Shamim and Islam, 2022). Yan et al. (2022) confirmed that credibility of trustworthy sources in advertising influences consumers’ UI. Consistent with the above findings, Mursid (2021) established that credibility is significantly and positively associated with UI. Mert et al. (2021) claimed that advertisements affect the UI based on their credibility; a higher level of credibility leads to a higher UI. This argument postulates the following hypothesis:

H2: Credibility is positively related to the urge to buy impulsively among online buyers in China.

Creativity and UI

The art of effective advertising involves creativity, which has the potential to extract the most impressive message to influence consumers regarding impulse purchases. Advertising creativity in online impulsive buying refers to the originality and innovation in advertising content that makes it visually appealing, engaging, unusual, and unexpected. It involves attractive visuals and designs that captivate the attention of online consumers. Creative advertisements employ unique ideas and storytelling techniques to stand out and influence impulsive buying decisions. Unusual and unexpected advertising breaks away from norms, challenging assumptions and generating curiosity. Effective creative advertisements also address consumers’ needs, providing targeted solutions and relevant information that influence impulsive buying behavior. Several other studies (Moes et al., 2022b; Schwarz, 2022; Munawaroh et al., 2022) have pointed out that creativity in advertisements can attract the attention of consumers and retain it, consequently leading them to make instant purchases. Thus, creativity in ads can have a considerable impact on UI. A similar argument was made by Mead et al., (2020) that creative visual presentation has a positive connection with the urge to buy immediately. Chen et al., (2021) confirmed Mead et al.’s outcomes that shoppers who visited online retail stores made impulsive purchases as a result of strong and creative visualization of products and servicing. Malafe et al., (2023) find that creative presentation of products has a higher impact on impulse purchases. Thus, alluring promotional offers through creative advertising encourages online consumers to buy products and feel the pleasure immediately (Kaur et al., 2022). Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H3: Creativity is positively related to the urge to buy impulsively among online buyers in China.

Entertainment and UI

Shopping is a latent entertainment that is reflected by the hedonic tendency that can be observed by heightened stimulation and association, as online shopping has become an entertainment (Vidya and Selvamani, 2019). The purpose of entertainment through advertising is to keep the audience interested and make consumers feel happy about certain products and services (Lu et al., 2022). Zhang et al., (2023) also mention that online buyers with a hedonic orientation look for unique experiences that enhance their joy of shopping online. Advertising entertainment in the context of online impulsive buying behavior refers to advertisements that create a pleasant and enjoyable experience for consumers. These advertisements evoke positive emotions, provide relaxation, and stimulate the mind. Consumers actively seek out advertisements for entertainment purposes, valuing the enjoyment they derive from them. Engaging and thought-provoking advertisements that capture attention and pique curiosity have the potential to influence impulsive buying decisions. When consumers find advertisements interesting, they are more likely to pay attention, remember the brand, and consider making impulsive purchases. Previous studies have pointed out that entertainment has positive cognitive and affective advertising values (Xu et al., 2020). Thus, entertainment is a critical factor that influences UI (Abdelsalam et al., 2020). A considerable number of studies have also confirmed that the entertainment value of advertising creates UI commodities (Wiranata and Hananto, 2020). Furthermore, advertising can be enjoyable, entertaining, and fun, which can directly create the intention to buy a commodity (Czarnecka and Schivinski, 2019). In addition, people use online platforms for shopping not only for information but also for perceived enjoyment (Lee and Chen, 2021). For example, Rajan (2020) argues that e-retailers use entertainment factors to spark consumers’ attention towards a particular product or service and create an urge to buy. Lavuri (2023) also confirmed that consumer entertainment is directly connected to UI. In addition to that, Yi and Jai (2020) suggested that entertainment values are correlated with individuals’ feelings and psychosocial motivations of online consumers’ positive emotions, and this create a UI. Therefore, we formulate the following hypothesis:

H4: Entertainment is positively linked to the urge to buy impulsively among online buyers in China.

Interactivity and UI

Interactivity is the user’s perception of participation in timely communication with mediated individuals (Labrecque, 2014). Advertising interaction in case of online impulsive buying behavior context refers to the personalized connection and engagement between consumers and advertisements. It includes the perception of advertisements directly addressing individual needs and desires, enhancing consumer engagement and potentially influencing impulsive buying behavior. Consumers view advertising as a means to improve their quality of life, with interactive advertisements offering innovative solutions that can elevate their standard of living. Interactive elements in advertisements, such as clickable buttons and engaging visuals, increase consumer eagerness to interact and explore, leading to a higher likelihood of impulsive buying. Advertisements that resonate with consumers’ values and experiences create a sense of identification and emotional connection, impacting impulsive buying behavior. Additionally, advertising assists consumers in making informed decisions by providing brand comparisons, product information, and pricing details, guiding impulsive buying choices. The interactive atmosphere in online communities influences community consciousness and encourages consumers to make immediate purchases without planning (Zafar et al., 2020). Thus, a higher level of interaction with online retailers can create a sense of enjoyment. Gligor and Bozkurt (2021) identified that people are more likely to purchase impulsively if the online seller brand is highly interactive. For example, Huang (2016) stated that when consumers surf social networking sites or brand websites, they encounter the shared experience and interaction of the brands in the form of reviews, which eventually catches the eyes and fosters an immediate urge to buy the same. Recently, an increasing number of researchers (Li et al., 2014; Chen and Yao, 2018; Zhang et al., 2019) have investigated and established a connection between interactivity and consumers’ buying decisions. According to Zhang and Wei (2019), interactions among online communities considerably impact consumers’ OIB. For example, online retailers’ website interactivity can influence and persuade online consumers to make impulse purchase decisions (Chen et al., 2022). Their findings are supported by previous work (Huang, 2016; Xiang et al., 2016), which also found that increasing exposure to information and interactions on online platforms have a substantial influence on UI. Moreover, when online users browse an unfamiliar e-commerce website, they take further action based on their ability to communicate, collaborate, and personalize the interactivity of the platforms, which can lead to an urge to make an impulse purchase. Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H5: Interactivity positively influences the urge to buy impulsively among online buyers in China.

Integration and UI

Social integration in terms of advertising refers to the integration of advertising messages into platforms using social media and the usage of social media influencers, user-generated content, and other social media marketing tactics to increase the reach and impact of advertising messages. The value of this integration lies in its ability to reach a large and engaged audience in a more personalized and trustworthy manner, leading to greater brand awareness, brand loyalty, and ultimately, sales. Kacen and Lee (2002) remarked that the connection between social integration and impulsive buying is complex and depends on the type of product being advertised. The study found that social integration of advertising is more likely to increase the intention to engage in impulsive buying for low-involvement products such as snacks and candy, but is less likely to impact high-involvement products such as cars or electronics.

Advertising integration in the context of online impulsive buying behavior involves the alignment and connection between the advertised brand and the consumer’s self-perception, aspirations, and desired identity. Advertising that reflects the consumer’s self-image, caters to their needs, supports their personal growth, creates personal connections, and enhances their reputation and status can influence impulsive buying behavior by resonating with their values, aspirations, and desired identity. The social integration of advertising can increase the likelihood of impulsive buying by generating a strong emotional link between the brand and consumer through personalized and engaging content. This emotional connection can trigger impulsive buying behavior, as the consumer feels a strong urge to purchase a product. However, it is vital to note that social integration can also have the opposite effect and discourage impulsive buying behavior. For example, if advertising messages are perceived as inauthentic or overly pushed, they may lead to negative brand associations and decrease the likelihood of impulsive buying. The satisfaction of “social interaction” is considered to come from strong interpersonal communication (Ha et al., 2015). Research on online advertising shows that social interaction is positively correlated with human-to-human interactions (Swanson, 1979). Previous research shows that social integration mainly displays a positive influence in advertising settings (Taylor et al., 2011). Social integration has a positive effect on advertising (Wei et al., 2021), which affects consumers’ impulse buying behavior. Therefore, considering that advertising messages are perceived as authentic, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H6: Integration positively influences the urge to buy impulsively among online buyers in China.

UI and Online Impulse Buying Behavior (OIB)

UI is a state of desire observed when individuals encounter an object in a particular situation (Beatty and Ferrell, 1998, p. 172). The UI in online impulsive buying behavior refers to the spontaneous desire to make unplanned purchases while browsing ads or encountering products online. It includes feeling compelled to buy items unrelated to initial shopping goals, being tempted by unplanned items, exceeding intended shopping goals, and making immediate purchases based on personal preference. Browsing experiences trigger impulsive desires, leading individuals to consider and buy products not originally planned. Although unplanned buying and impulsive buying indicates instant buying, they are not same in consumer behavior. The key difference lies in the underlying motivations and decision-making processes. Unplanned purchases are made without prior intention but may still involve a rational evaluation of the product’s value or relevance. In contrast, impulsive purchases are characterized by a lack of rational deliberation and are driven by immediate emotional impulses or desires. It is crucial to understand and manage this urge to ensure informed and deliberate purchasing decisions online. Kazempour and Lotfizadeh (2017) mentioned that UI is a sudden, complicated, compulsive, and attractive buying behavior that usually occurs in the process of decision making which leads to an impulsive purchase. Thus, Chen et al., (2017) contended that consumers first experience an urge to make an impulsive purchase, and then they actually implement the behavior of impulse purchase. Thus, a high propensity for UI occurs because of excessive interest in a particular commodity (Zhang et al., 2022), which is usually based on non-reflective thinking connected with the features of products and services, which drives an immediate desire to have pleasure and eventually make a purchase (Xu et al., 2020). Thus, people with greater UI are more likely to make impulsive purchases than those with a low UI (Foroughi et al., 2013). Previous studies (Shen and Khalifa, 2012; Zheng et al., 2020) have demonstrated that UI has a significant influence on OIB. These findings were further validated by Song (2022), who found that UI and OIB are significantly connected. Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H7: The urge to buy impulsively positively influences the online impulse buying behavior among Chinese consumers.

Moderating effect of customer anxiety

Customer anxiety can be defined as individuals’ personal consumption that sometimes provoke anxiety because of the perception that others will judge their consumption decisions negatively (Compeau et al., 1999). Customer anxiety in the context of online impulsive buying behavior refers to the heightened emotions of nervousness, unease, intrusion, fear, sadness, and panic experienced during the purchase process. It encompasses feeling more anxious than usual, perceiving advertising as intrusive, experiencing unfounded fear, becoming easily sad or panicky, and feeling emotionally scattered. These emotions are triggered by the impulsive nature of buying decisions, the perceived intrusion of advertising, irrational fears, and the pressure to make quick choices. Addressing customer anxiety is crucial for fostering a positive and supportive online shopping experience. As reported by Nagar and Gandotra (2016), online customers are more likely to be reluctant to buy commodities because they perceive privacy risks regarding their credit card information, and that e-commerce sites are not safe. Khoa and Huynh (2022) confirmed Gehl’s (2021) findings, stating that customer anxiety is more likely to occur when people purchase online. Ding and Lu (2017) also argued that the effect of information can overload customers, and customers may experience physical and mental fatigue, and lose interest or become less motivated to purchase instantly. Previous studies (Osswald et al., 2012; Bousbahi and Alrazgan, 2015) have also confirmed these findings, and based on this argument, it can be said that regardless of an urge to buy online instantly, the anxiety of customers can significantly change the scenario, and impact whether the customers will finish their impulsive buying or become reluctant. Furthermore, considerable research has acknowledged that UI has a significant and positive influence on online impulsive purchases (Xiao and Nicholson, 2013; Yu, 2022). However, some scholars have argued that customer anxiety plays a key role in online buying, as during shopping, online customers experience fear, aggression, and apprehension (Vijayasarathy, 2004; Celik, 2011; Miranda and Balqiah, 2020). Previous studies (Ding et al., 2017; Miranda and Balqiah, 2020; Khoa and Huynh, 2022) have also demonstrated that during online shopping, negative thoughts can generate unhealthy emotional and behavioral responses, which eventually affect online purchase. Thus, we propose the following hypothesis:

H8: Customer anxiety moderates the association between the urge to buy impulsively and online impulse buying behavior among Chinese consumers.

The mediating role of UI

Advertising values play an essential role in shaping consumer behavior, as they provide information about products and services, and create the perception of need and desire for them. Several studies have investigated advertising value (Ducoffe and Curlo, 2000; Van-Tien Dao et al., 2014; Zha et al., 2015) and its impact on impulse buying (Malafe et al., 2023). Advertising values such as, informativeness, credibility, entertainment, interaction, and integration influence consumer behavior by triggering impulsive buying behavior through the creation of a UI. The increased level of information provided in informative advertisements can lead to greater excitement and arousal among consumers, which in turn leads to an increased likelihood of impulsive buying behavior (Cakanlar and Nguyen, 2018). Malafe et al., (2023) argue that poorly provided information may break consumers’ flow of online purchases, which may not turn into an immediate urge to buy. Similarly, individuals are more likely to participate in impulsive buying when they perceive the advertisements to be credible (Mursid, 2021). Additionally, UI is positively associated with the perceived credibility of advertisements (Shamim and Islam, 2022). These findings suggest that the perceived credibility of an advertisement influences the level of impulsiveness when making a purchase. When an advertisement is perceived as credible, it increases an individual’s UI, leading to impulsive buying behavior (Mert et al., 2021).

Similarly, individuals are more likely to engage in impulsive buying when they perceive the advertisements to be creative (Schwarz, 2022; Munawaroh et al., 2022). Advertisement’s creativity influences the level of impulsiveness in making a purchase. When an advertisement is perceived as creative, it increases an individual’s UI, leading to impulsive buying behavior. Therefore, UI acts as a mediator between advertising value and online impulse buying behavior. Simultaneously, advertisements perceived as entertaining are more effective in generating impulsive buying behavior. UI is positively associated with the perceived entertainment value of advertisements (Abdelsalam et al., 2020; Wiranata and Hananto, 2020). Yi and Jai (2020) suggested that entertainment values are connected to online consumers’ positive emotions and impulse buying behavior, driven by their feelings and psychosocial motivations. Thus, we can predict that individuals are more likely to participate in impulsive buying when they perceive the advertisements to be entertaining and that they will be induced to purchase impulsively.

Huang (2016) commented that when consumers surf social networking sites or brand websites, they encounter the shared experience and interaction of the brands in the form of reviews, which eventually catches their eyes and fosters an immediate urge to buy the same. Previous research by Xiang et al., (2016) also supports their findings that exposure to information and interactions on online platforms significantly impacts impulse buying intention. Therefore, an advertisement’s perceived interactivity influences the level of impulsiveness in making a purchase (Moes et al., 2022a). When an advertisement is perceived as interactive, it increases an individual’s UI, leading to impulsive buying behavior. Likewise, social integration of advertising can increase the likelihood of impulsive buying by forming a strong emotional connection between the brand and consumer through personalized and engaging content. This emotional connection can foster impulsive buying behavior, as the customer feels a strong intention to purchase the product (Wei et al., 2021). Therefore, we propose that UI mediates the relationship between advertising informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, interaction, integration, and impulsive buying behavior. Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H9–14: The urge to buy impulsively mediates the relationship between informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, interactivity and integration on the online impulse buying behavior among Chinese consumers.

All associations hypothesized above are presented in Fig. 1 below:

Fig. 1: Research framework.
figure 1

Highlighting all associations hypothesized in the “Theoretical background & hypothesis development” section.

Full size image

Methodology

Research design

This study employed a deductive and quantitative methodology to diagnose the effects of advertising value and online impulse buying behavior among Chinese online consumers. This information was obtained through a cross-sectional study design, meaning that the information was obtained from each participant at one time. To verify these propositions, we used partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) as the analytical approach for causative-predictive data examination.

Sample and population

Adult Chinese online users (aged 18 years and above) constitute the population of the current study. The sample population included those engaged in online shopping in different parts of China. The required sample size was calculated using G* power software. The G* power software was used to assess the minimum sample size (Faul et al., 2007). This study has eight constructs (a power of 0.95 and an effect size of 0.15), and based on that, the minimum sample size proposed by the G* power software is 160.

Data collection

The authors created an electronic questionnaire to collect empirical data by applying the measurement scale items from previous studies. The questionnaire had closed-ended items, in which the nine constructs were evaluated from previous studies using a seven-point Likert scale ranging from 1 “strongly disagree” to 7 “strongly agree.” The survey was conducted in China during January-February, 2023. The empirical data were obtained using the Google form questionnaire survey method. The authors selected the Chinese respondents for collecting data because China is a leading country in the global digital economy, holding around 45% of worldwide transactions on e-commerce platforms (Seong et al., 2021). A preliminary survey of the questionnaire was used to determine the fineness of the questions. Before sending questionnaire, the respondents were informed about the purpose of the study and assured that no individualized data will be disclosed in person, so that it violets the respondents’ rights. In order to ensure that the data gathered for this study originated solely from the intended respondents, one screening question were incorporated into the questionnaire. Additionally, prior to collecting any data, informed (written) consent was obtained from the participants to ensure their voluntary participation in the study and ethical approval. It applied the convenience sampling method. The questionnaire was circulated using social media platforms, mainly WJX.cn (https://www.wjx.cn/vm/Pu9mWoX.aspx#), and a total of 1422 valid responses were received.

Survey instrument

A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the suggested hypotheses regarding advertising value, online impulsive buying behavior, and the moderating role of consumer anxiety. In the first two sections of the survey, questions about demographic information, such as gender, age, employment, location, how frequently people search for products online, and how often they view advertising, were included. The independent constructs from earlier investigations were included in the second section: informativeness (Ducoffe, 1995; Malafe et al., 2023; Cvirka et al., 2022), credibility (Brackett and Carr, 2001; Moutinho et al., 2022), creativity (Lee and Hong, 2016), entertainment (Martins et al., 2019; Sharma et al. 2022), interaction (Liu et al., 2012; Gulfraz et al., 2022), integration (Quan-Haase and Young, 2010; Wei et al., 2021), UI (Xiang et al., 2016; Herzallah et al., 2022; Goel et al., 2022a, 2022b), CA (Martins et al., 2019; Malafe et al., 2023), and OIB (Goel et al., 2022a, 2022b; Tran and Nguyen, 2022). The original English version of the questionnaire was translated into Mandarin for the Chinese respondents and then re-translated into English by experts. The details of the survey questionnaire are provided in Supporting Material S1. Survey Instrument.

Common Method Bias (CMB)

As the data for the constructs were received from an identical source, there was a possibility of a common bias. To ensure clarity and minimize errors that may introduce bias in the data, we implemented specific procedural measures in the questionnaire. These measures included providing explicit definitions of terminology and offering clear and concise instructions for respondents to follow while completing the surveys. To foster an environment of honesty and reduce potential biases, we assured participants that there were no absolute right or wrong responses, and their answers would remain anonymous during assessment. This approach aimed to minimize social desirability bias and common method bias that may arise when respondents feel compelled to provide certain answers. Furthermore, we employed a randomization technique to present the questions in a varied order. This randomization aimed to mitigate the influence of order effects or other biases that can emerge when questions are presented in a predetermined sequence. As a part of statistical measures, Harmna’s single factor test and Kock’s (Kock, 2015) full collinearity test were carried out to perform the CMB analysis. Hence, based on Harman’s test, one factor accounted for 22.05% of the total variance, which was significantly lower than the standard 50%. Additionally, according to Table 1, the values of VIFs obtained from a full collinearity test of each construct are below 3.3, which confirms that the proposed model is unrestricted to CMB (Kock, 2015).

Table 1 Full collinearity test.
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Multivariate normality

The normality of the multivariate data in this study was assessed using the Web Power web tool (Web Power, 2018). The tool calculated the coefficient of skewness and kurtosis for Mardia and produced a p-value of 0.000, which is less than 0.05, indicating the presence of multivariate non-normality (Cain et al., 2017).

Data analysis method

The decision to employ PLS-SEM in this study was driven by the presence of multivariate non-normality in the dataset, which justified its use. According to Hair et al., (2017), variance-based SEM methods are suitable for analyzing data that deviate from normal distribution assumptions. In this research, since we found a multivariate non-normality of data, the projected model was evaluated by applying the analysis method of PLS-SEM. In PLS, the analysis occurs in two stages: assessment of the measurement model in which the reliability and validity of the variables are evaluated, and evaluation of the proposed structural model in which the links of the constructs are tested (Hair et al., 2017). It is often employed in management and marketing research because of its suitability for estimating sophisticated statistical models that emphasize causal explanations or estimations when numerous variables are present (Hair et al., 2017). Previous literature (Zafar et al., 2020) that focuses on impulsive buying has incorporated the PLS-SEM technique. In addition, PLS-SEM precisely manages the normality issues in data, as social science studies usually have normality issues (Ali et al., 2018).

Findings

Demographic details

Table 2 reports the demographics of 1422 survey respondents, of which 51.1% were male and 48.9% were female. Most participants were under 35 years of age. Most were full-time employed (52%), followed by part-time (18.5%), self-employed (18.4%), students (9.4%), unemployed (0.4%), and retired (1.1%). Of the respondents, 30.5% watched advertisements frequently, while 19.9% watched very frequently. 3.5% never searched for products online, 28.6% generally searched for products online, and 26.9% searched more frequently, while 18.7% searched very frequently. Most respondents were married (62%). In regard to earnings, 47% earned less than RMB 1500, while 35.5% earned between RMB 3001 and RMB 4500. Of the respondents, 74% had a college or bachelor’s degree, and 8.1% had a postgraduate degree; 19.5% were from East China, while the least was from other parts of China; and 32.8% purchased online frequently, while 1.8% never purchased online.

Table 2 Demographic characteristics.
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Validity and reliability

The validity and reliability of the proposed model were determined through several tests, including Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability for reliability, and average variance extracted (AVE) for convergent validity. Discriminant validity was measured using the Loading (Fig. 3), cross-loading, Fornell-Larcker criterion and Heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT) assessments. The results specified that the reliability of all the constructs is at a high level, with Cronbach’s alpha values exceeding the minimum cut-off of 0.70 and composite reliability values surpassing the suggested threshold of 0.70 (Hair et al., 2017). Convergent validity was recognized as the variances extracted were greater than 0.50 (Table 3). Discriminant validity was demonstrated through the outcomes of the Fornell-Larcker Criterion (Supporting Material S2. Loading, cross-loading and Fornell-Larcker criterion) and HTMT tests, which showed that the square roots of the AVE correlation coefficients were significantly greater than the coefficients in each row and column and that the AVE square roots were greater than the inter-construct correlations (Henseler et al., 2015). Finally, the HTMT test was conducted, and Kline (2011) recommended that the value of HTMT should be less than 0.85. As shown in Fig. 2, the test results of HTMT provided evidence that discriminant validity was secured as the obtained values were below the threshold of 0.85. The assessment of the VIF further verified that there was no inter-connection between the independent variables, as the obtained values vary from 1.49 to 1.412. Therefore, multicollinearity was ruled out. It is possible that variables possess lateral collinearity issues, even after confirming discriminant validity, which can mislead the results (Kock and Lynn, 2012).

Table 3 Reliability and validity.
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Fig. 2: Heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT) matrix.
figure 2

Presented the heterotrait-monotrait ratio for all variables examined in this study.

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Structural model

The connections between exogenous and endogenous factors were evaluated using structural modeling. The study used path coefficients and R2 scores (coefficients of determination) in the modeling (presented in Fig. 3 and Table 4). Cohen (2013) proposed, based on various studies, that an R2 value of 0.26 for endogenous constructs is considered substantial, a value of 0.13 is treated as moderate, and a value of 0.02 is treated as weak. Based on that, the findings of the model’s explanatory power show that the factors of advertising values have a substantial effect on UI (R2 = 28.9%), whereas the effects of UI on OIB (R2 = 18.6) are relatively moderate. The study found that IF (β = 0.144, t = 4.838, p < 0.01), CD (β = 0.155, t = 5.198, p < 0.01), CT (β = 0.170, t = 5.245, p < 0.01), ET (β = 0.104, t = 3.312, p < 0.01), and NT (β = 0.172, t = 4.959, p < 0.01), significantly and positively affect UI, except for IN (β = 0.046, t = 1.424, p > 0.05). UI is also positively linked with OIB (β = 0.401, t = 14.315, p < 0.01), but the moderating effect (see Fig. 4) of CA (β = 0.025, t = 0.775, p > 0.05) in the OIB-UI relationship is insignificant. Based on a significance level of 5%, hypotheses H1-4, and H6-7 are accepted, and H5 and H8 are rejected.

Fig. 3: Measurement model.
figure 3

Generated using SmartPLS4 during data analysis, includes the loading values, beta coefficients and R2 values.

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Table 4 Hypothesis testing.
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Fig. 4: Moderating effect.
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Moderating effect customer anxiety between urge to buy impulsively and online impulse buying behavior.

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The effect size (f2) with a score greater than or equals to represents 0.35 is a large effect size, 0.15 represents a medium, and anything less than 0.02 represents a small (Cohen, 2013). The results (Table 4) show that the effect sizes for IF (0.023), CD (0.026), CT (0.031), and NT (0.029), on UI are moderate, and that of ET (0.011) and IN (0.002) are small. The effect size of UI (0.182) on OIB is substantial.

Mediating effects

The mediation result (Table 5) suggests that UI significantly mediates between IF-OIB (β = 0.058, t = 4.437, p < 0.01), CD-OIB (β = 0.058, t = 4.437, p < 0.01), CT-OIB (β = 0.058, t = 4.437, p < 0.01), ET-OIB (β = 0.058, t = 4.437, p < 0.01), and NT-OIB (β = 0.058, t = 4.437, p < 0.01), except for IN-OIB (β = 0.058, t = 4.437, p > 0.05). Based on the 5% level of significance, Hypothesis H9-12, and H14 are accepted, but H13 is rejected.

Table 5 Specific indirect effects.
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Discussion

This study aimed to assess the relationships between advertising values, such as informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, and integration, directly on UI and indirectly on OIB through UI constructs. Of the 14 hypotheses estimated, 12 were established using this empirical investigation. The explanatory power (R2 = 28.9%) of this model to predict UI by the advertising value factors was substantial, and OIB (R2 = 18.6) was moderate. This indicates that the model is a good fit. The detailed discussion is as follows.

This study found that IF significantly influences UI (H1). Hence, it is confirmed that receiving information about products or services in a simple manner leads to the urge to make a purchase without having any prior plans. These findings corroborate previous study (Waymer et al., 2022) and confirm that IF is statistically significant in influencing an urge to buy positively. Thus, Chinese clients are influenced to indulge in more impulse buying if the information provided through advertising is accurate, informative, good, and timely. This finding aligns with the idea that when consumers are presented with informative content about a product, such as its features, benefits, or reviews, they may develop a desire for immediate acquisition. Informative messages or product descriptions can create a sense of urgency or excitement, triggering impulsive buying tendencies. Similarly, as the results point out, credibility has a statistically significant and positive impact on UI (H2). Thus, the results signify that the credibility, price, and recognition of reliable online product resources will make the Chinese consumers desire to buy without any plans. The results of this study support the latest findings of Li and Suh (2015), and Zhu et al., (2020). They reveal that the source of credibility is an essential factor that can lead to UI. Therefore, as credibility increases, individuals experience a stronger urge to engage in impulsive buying behavior online. When consumers perceive a brand or product as credible, trustworthy, and reliable, it creates a sense of confidence and reduces the perceived risk associated with impulsive purchases.

As expected, the findings confirm that creativity in advertising plays a significant role in influencing the Chinese online consumers to make impulse purchases (H3). Hence, this study established a connection between creativity and the urge to make impulse purchases. The results conform to the past recent research (Moes et al., 2022a, 2022b; Schwarz, 2022; Munawaroh et al., 2022), which found similar results. Thus, the Chinese consumers are more likely to form UI if the advertising is attractive, usual, and unexpected. This suggests that as creativity increases, individuals experience a stronger urge to engage in impulsive buying behavior online. Creative advertisements or product presentations capture consumers’ attention, spark their interest, and evoke emotional responses, which ultimately can stimulate the desire to make impulsive purchases. Likewise, in the context of entertainment, this study established a connection between entertainment and UI based on the outcomes (H4). Thus, advertising must be entertaining to allure the consumers to the purchase button. These findings support those of the studies carried out by Lu et al., (2022), and Zhang et al., (2023), who also established positive and significant connections between entertainment and UI. Thus, it is tested that the Chinese consumers are influenced by entertainment advertising if it is pleasant, enjoyable, entertaining, and interesting, and this encourages them to UI. Entertainment-driven advertisements or product content that provides enjoyment, excitement, or amusement can capture consumers’ attention and stimulate their desire to make impulsive purchases.

Hypothesis H5 postulated that the IN and UI are connected. The test results and analysis of interactivity showed that the abovementioned connection is statistically insignificant to form an urge to make impulsive purchases. The outcomes of this study are not consistent with those of previous studies (Li et al., 2014; Chen and Yao, 2018) which demonstrated contrasting findings. Thus, this study confirms that, in the context of China, showing interactivity to an individual does not play a key role in creating UI. Conversely, Hypothesis (H6) predicted that NT has a significant influence on UI. This outcome was proven in the empirical test. The study’s outcome satisfied that of the prior study by Wei et al. (2021). This indicates that higher levels of integration are associated with a stronger tendency to experience impulsive urges to make unplanned purchases online. This finding implies that individuals who possess better integration skills, which involve the ability to process and synthesize information from various sources, are more likely to be influenced by online stimuli and have a higher propensity for impulsive buying.

As hypothesized, in terms of UI and OIB (H7), the results establish a significant and positive relationship. Thus, this study confirmed that UI is significantly important to OIB. These results conform to the previous studies (Osswald et al., 2012; Bousbahi and Alrazgan, 2015), which reported similar findings and pointed out that the UI occurs prior to the actual impulse purchase, which indicates that there is a strong and positive correlation. Thus, the study confirmed that, while browsing the Internet, the Chinese consumers form an urge to buy, and they eventually make a purchase without any prior planning. Simultaneously, the analysis of the current findings revealed that customer anxiety has no moderating role in the link between UI and OIB (H8). The current study offers findings that are different from Gehl (2007), who found that online shoppers suffer from anxiety when shopping online, and a higher level of anxiety may prevent online shoppers from shopping and making online transactions (Yuan et al., 2022), or low anxiety may encourage customers to shop online (Annoni et al., 2021). Nonetheless, the outcomes of this study conclude that there is no moderating effect between UI and OIB and that customer anxiety plays no role as a moderator. This means that when the Chinese consumers feel the impulse to purchase a good or service, they act on that instinct without a second thought about their choices or worrying about others’ reactions.

The results suggest that customer anxiety does not significantly moderate the relationship between the urge to buy impulsively and online impulse buying behavior (H8). In other words, the influence of the urge to buy impulsively on online impulse buying behavior is not significantly different for individuals with varying levels of customer anxiety.

Hypothesis (H9-14) predicted that UI would positively mediate the relationship between IF, CD, CT, ET, IN, NT, and OIB. The results confirm the mediation of UI with CD, CT, ET, NT, and OIB, but not with NT.

The significant positive indirect effects observed in H9, H10, H11, and H14 suggest that factors such as informativeness, credibility, creativity, and integration play crucial roles in influencing consumers’ urge to buy impulsively, which ultimately leads to increased online impulse buying behavior. These findings highlight the importance of delivering informative and credible content, incorporating creative elements, and facilitating the integration of information to stimulate impulsive buying tendencies in online consumers. Furthermore, the significant positive indirect effect observed in H12 indicates that entertainment also has a notable impact on the urge to buy impulsively and subsequently influences online impulse buying behavior. This underscores the significance of incorporating entertaining elements in marketing strategies to capture consumers’ attention and motivate them to make impulsive purchases online. However, H13 reveals that interaction does not have a significant indirect effect on the urge to buy impulsively and online impulse buying behavior. This suggests that the level of interaction may not be a significant driver of impulsive buying tendencies in the online context examined in this study. However, this study signifies that when an advertisement is perceived as informative, credible, creative, entertaining, and socially engaging, it leads to impulsive buying behavior by increasing the individual’s UI. The presence of an advertising interaction capability may not help consumers buy impulsively through the UI.

Implications

Theoretical implications

The present study makes numerous significant theoretical contributions to academia in terms of adding value to the existing literature. Firstly, although there has been some recent work pertaining to impulsive buying in the Chinese context, surprisingly, most studies, such as Luo et al., (2021) and Chen et al., (2022), were confined to one specific segment and location. Thus, a broader understanding of the Chinese consumers’ impulsive buying from different parts was lacking. Thus, the current study addresses this gap and contributes by studying a large audience that includes respondents above the age of 18 years, regardless of their type of occupation and geographic location, and provides deeper insight into people’s mind about impulsive buying. Secondly, our research makes a significant theoretical contribution by comprehensively examining and analyzing the effects of multiple online advertising factors on impulsive buying behavior. By considering factors such as informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, interaction, and integration, we provide a holistic view of the complex dynamics that influence consumer behavior in the online advertising context.

Thirdly, previous studies have examined the moderating effects of other variables such as self-esteem (Luo et al., 2021) and celebrity endorsement (Liu et al., 2023a), but very limited studies have tested whether customer anxiety has a role as a moderator between UI and OIB. This gap has been filled by the findings of this study, which added the “lack of information” to the extant literature and suggested that customer anxiety shows no moderate correlation with UI and OIB in China. While the moderation effect was found to be non-significant, this exploration adds to the literature by considering potential moderating factors that may influence impulsive buying behavior. Finally, it also offered a mediation role for UI within advertising values and OIB. These new relationships will enrich the impulsive buying literature enormously by expediting impulsive buying online. By demonstrating the significant indirect effects of factors such as informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, and integration on the urge to buy impulsively, our research validates the role of cognitive processing and psychological factors in impulsive buying behavior. This finding contributes to the theoretical understanding of impulsive behavior in the online advertising context.

Practical implications

Given the current rapid growth of online shopping in China, this study is of great significance to the Chinese professionals employed in the online retail, marketing, and advertising industries. The authors developed a more comprehensive understanding of a larger group of Chinese customers, which essentially covers everyone over the age of 18 years, residing throughout China. This comprehensive technique and its broad range of segments have not been sufficiently investigated in earlier studies. The findings provide a deeper understanding of a wide range of segments concerning impulsive buying among stakeholders. The results show that informativeness and UI are positively related to the Chinese customers, which requires marketers, online retailers, and advertisers to make their online portals more informative regarding detailed product descriptions, customer reviews, product demonstrations, or informative advertising campaigns that highlight the unique features and benefits of the offerings so that the customers can grasp them and feel motivated to buy online with full confidence.

The results support the hypothesis that credibility has a positive influence on the urge to buy impulsively in the online context. Understanding the role of credibility in shaping impulsive buying tendencies can guide marketers in building trust and credibility in their brand, ultimately influencing consumers’ impulsive purchasing behavior. These findings have important implications for marketers and online retailers. By focusing on building credibility and trustworthiness, businesses can enhance consumers’ impulsive buying tendencies. Strategies such as showcasing positive testimonials, providing transparent information about the brand or product, and leveraging endorsements from reputable influencers or organizations can help establish credibility and positively influence consumers’ urge to make impulsive purchases.

In addition, creativity and entertainment established a statistically significant link with UI. Creative offers and displays of goods and services encourage the Chinese customers to buy impulsively. These findings have implications for marketers aiming to leverage creativity to influence impulsive buying behavior online. By incorporating innovative and captivating elements into their advertisements and product presentations, businesses can enhance consumers’ urge to make impulsive purchases. However, it is important to strike a balance between creativity and informativeness to ensure that the message is effectively conveyed while maintaining consumers’ interest and engagement. Additionally, marketers should consider the alignment between creativity and their target audience’s preferences and values. Tailoring creative strategies to resonate with consumers’ tastes and aspirations can further enhance the impact on impulsive buying tendencies. As such, entertainment is one of the keys to and it is very significant to the Chinese customers; therefore, marketers and advertisers must build their tactics based on that information. Even if customers have no desire to buy anything, they will make a purchase if they are engaged in looking for things. Ensuring advertising entertainment effectively influences the urge to buy impulsively requires a deep understanding of the target audience, creativity in content creation, and continuous optimization based on consumer feedback and data analysis. By employing these strategies, marketers can harness the power of entertainment to drive impulsive buying behavior and achieve their marketing objectives.

Equivalently, integration and UI are statistically significant for the Chinese consumers. Thus, these factors strengthen communication. For example, advertisers and marketers can gain insight that the Chinese customers are more likely to impulse buy if the advertising aligns with their opinions, and thus, use the content in advertising that aligns with the customers’ opinions, feelings, and desires. Marketers and advertisers should focus on enhancing integration skills among consumers to influence impulsive buying behavior. Strategies to achieve this include providing clear and comprehensive information about products or services, such as detailed descriptions and user reviews, to facilitate cognitive processing and integration. Personalized marketing techniques, such as tailored advertisements and recommendations, can align with individual preferences and enhance information integration. Creating a seamless and cohesive customer experience across different touchpoints ensures consistency and facilitates the integration process. Marketers can also leverage innovative technologies like augmented reality and gamification to provide interactive experiences that enhance information integration and decision-making. By implementing these strategies, marketers can drive impulsive buying behavior and improve overall customer engagement.

Finally, this study confirmed that the influence of purchasing on impulse may not be direct if consumers do not have a UI. Thus, efforts through advertising should first aim to create a UI that would more likely lead the Chinese consumers to make an impulsive purchase. Marketers should continue to engage with customers after the purchase, providing relevant recommendations, cross-selling opportunities, and incentives for repeat purchases. By nurturing the relationship and fostering ongoing engagement, marketers can sustain the urge to buy impulsively and encourage continued online impulse buying behavior.

Although the customer anxiety does not have significant moderating relation ship between UI and OIB. These findings have implications for marketers and advertisers in understanding the role of customer anxiety in the context of online impulse buying behavior. While customer anxiety may independently influence online impulse buying behavior, it does not appear to interact with the urge to buy impulsively in a significant way. Marketers should consider other factors and strategies to address and mitigate customer anxiety to encourage online impulse buying behavior. This could include providing secure payment options, transparent return policies, customer support, and building trust and credibility through reviews and testimonials. By alleviating customer anxiety, marketers can create an environment that fosters impulsive buying behavior and enhances the overall online shopping experience.

Conclusion and limitations

This study examines the connections between advertising values (informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, interaction, and integration) and online OIB, both directly and indirectly, through the UI construct. This study also determined the moderating role of consumer anxiety on the connection between UI and OIB. The study verified that advertising should be informative, credible, creative, entertaining, and integrative, and that UI is an important factor in purchasing online without any prior planning. Surprisingly, interactivity was not a significant parameter, as was found in the current study. Finally, customer anxiety did not play a moderating role in establishing any connection between UI and OIB. This study also sheds light on the mediating effect and reveals that UI mediates the IF-OIB, CD-OIB, CT-OIB, ET-OIB, and NT-OIB relationships. Unfortunately, the IN-OIB relationship was not found to be mediated through UI.

This study was limited to some contexts. First, while the study examined several important online advertising factors, there may be other variables that were not considered. Factors such as social influence, personal values, or situational factors could influence impulsive buying behavior but were not included in the analysis. Future research could explore these additional variables to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. Second, our study did not find a moderate relationship with CA. To achieve a better conceptualization of the mechanisms underlying UI and OIB, future studies can explore new interaction factors, such as marketing promotions and consumer involvement, product category, individual differences, which future studies could undertake in the research framework.

Third, this study used a cross-sectional design, which limits the ability to establish causal relationships. The study captures data at a single point in time, making it difficult to determine the temporal sequence and directionality of the relationships between online advertising factors, urge to buy impulsively, and online impulse buying behavior. Longitudinal or experimental designs could provide stronger evidence of causality. Fourth, the sample used in this study was limited to a specific population or region (China), which may restrict the generalizability of the findings as e-commerce has not been established. The participants’ demographic characteristics and online shopping behaviors may not fully represent the broader population. Future research could aim for more diverse and representative samples to enhance the external validity of the results.

Fifth, the study focused on the context of online impulsive buying behavior, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to offline retail or other product categories. Replicating the study in different contexts would allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing impulsive buying behavior across various settings. Finally, this study is the reliance on self-reported data, which introduces the possibility of response biases and inaccuracies. Participants’ responses may be influenced by social desirability or may not accurately reflect their actual behaviors. Future research could incorporate objective measures or observational data to enhance the reliability and validity of the findings.