Modeling the significance of advertising values on online impulse buying behavior

The rapid shift from offline to online shopping has increased unplanned purchases in e-commerce, with online impulsive buying accounting for a substantial share of transactions. China, the world’s largest online retail market, exhibits particularly high levels of impulsive online purchases. Despite this, research linking advertising values to online impulsive buying across broader Chinese demographics remains limited and fragmented. This study addresses these gaps by examining how advertising value dimensions—informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, interactivity, and integration—relate to the urge to buy impulsively (UI) and online impulse buying behavior (OIB), using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework. The study also investigates whether customer anxiety moderates the UI→OIB relationship and whether UI mediates the effects of advertising values on OIB. The objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding applicable to adult Chinese online consumers, offering theoretical and practical guidance for marketers and advertisers.

Grounded in the S-O-R model, the study conceptualizes advertising values as stimuli that influence internal cognitive/affective states (organism) leading to behavioral responses (OIB). Prior work on advertising value has emphasized dimensions like informativeness, irritation, and entertainment (Ducoffe, 1995), with subsequent research incorporating credibility and creativity. Studies have identified many internal and external determinants of impulsive buying (e.g., materialism, hedonic values, promotions), yet empirical links between advertising values and OIB in China are scarce. Evidence on social integration in advertising is mixed, with effects varying by product type. Customer anxiety has been examined primarily as a mediator or in adoption contexts, with limited investigation as a moderator between UI and OIB. Based on this literature, the study posits: H1–H6 that informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, interactivity, and integration positively influence UI; H7 that UI positively influences OIB; H8 that customer anxiety moderates the UI→OIB link; and H9–H14 that UI mediates the relationships between each advertising value and OIB.

Research design: Deductive, quantitative, cross-sectional survey analyzed with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) due to multivariate non-normality (Mardia p<0.05). Population and sample: Adult Chinese online users (≥18 years) across China engaged in online shopping. G*Power indicated a minimum sample of 160 (power=0.95, effect size=0.15; eight constructs). Final valid responses: N=1422. Data collection: January–February 2023 via an online questionnaire (Google Form; distributed mainly through WJX.cn). Convenience sampling with a screening question; informed consent and ethical approval obtained. Measures: Nine constructs measured on 7-point Likert scales adapted from prior studies—Informativeness, Credibility, Creativity, Entertainment, Interactivity, Integration, Urge to Buy Impulsively (UI), Customer Anxiety (CA), and Online Impulse Buying (OIB). Translation and back-translation between English and Mandarin. Common Method Bias controls: procedural remedies (clear instructions, anonymity, randomized items) and statistical tests—Harman’s single factor (22.05% <50%), full collinearity VIFs <3.3. Data analysis: PLS-SEM using a two-step approach (measurement and structural models). Reliability/validity: Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability >0.70; AVE >0.50; discriminant validity via Fornell-Larcker and HTMT (<0.85); VIFs ~1.08–1.46 indicating no multicollinearity.

• Model fit and explanatory power: R²(UI)=0.289 (substantial), R²(OIB)=0.186 (moderate).
• Direct effects on UI (path coefficients, t, p):
  • Informativeness → UI: β=0.144, t=4.838, p<0.001 (H1 accepted)
  • Credibility → UI: β=0.155, t=5.198, p<0.001 (H2 accepted)
  • Creativity → UI: β=0.170, t=5.245, p<0.001 (H3 accepted)
  • Entertainment → UI: β=0.104, t=3.312, p<0.001 (H4 accepted)
  • Interactivity → UI: β=0.046, t=1.424, p=0.077 (ns) (H5 rejected)
  • Integration → UI: β=0.172, t=4.959, p<0.001 (H6 accepted)
• UI → OIB: β=0.401, t=14.315, p<0.001 (H7 accepted); f²(UI→OIB)=0.182 (substantial).
• Customer anxiety:
  • Main effect on OIB: β=0.096, t=3.485, p<0.001 (reported in model table)
  • Moderation (CA×UI → OIB): β=0.025, t=0.775, p>0.05 (no moderation; H8 rejected)
• Mediation (specific indirect effects via UI):
  • IF → UI → OIB: β=0.058, t=4.437, p<0.001 (H9 supported)
  • CD → UI → OIB: β=0.062, t=4.841, p<0.001 (H10 supported)
  • CT → UI → OIB: β=0.068, t=4.864, p<0.001 (H11 supported)
  • ET → UI → OIB: β=0.042, t=3.121, p=0.001 (H12 supported)
  • IN → UI → OIB: β=0.019, t=1.387, p=0.083 (ns) (H13 not supported)
  • NT (Integration) → UI → OIB: β=0.069, t=4.534, p<0.001 (H14 supported)
• Effect sizes on UI: IF (0.023), CD (0.026), CT (0.031), ET (0.011), IN (0.002), NT (0.029); most small-to-moderate except interactivity (trivial).

Findings support the S-O-R framework: multiple advertising value dimensions (informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, and integration) act as stimuli that elevate the organism’s internal state (urge to buy impulsively), translating into higher OIB. Interactivity did not significantly drive UI in this Chinese context, diverging from some prior studies, suggesting that interactive features alone may not create impulsive urges without complementary value cues. The strong UI→OIB link confirms UI as a proximal driver of impulsive behavior. Customer anxiety did not moderate the UI→OIB relationship, indicating that once an urge forms, its translation into behavior is similar across anxiety levels; nevertheless, CA showed a positive main effect on OIB in the model. Mediation analyses show that UI is a key psychological mechanism through which informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, and integration affect OIB, while interactivity exerts no significant indirect effect. The results underscore the importance of crafting informative, credible, creative, entertaining, and identity-congruent (integrated) advertising to stimulate impulsive urges and purchases among Chinese online consumers.

This study extends S-O-R theory to a broad Chinese online consumer sample and demonstrates that informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, and integration in advertising significantly increase the urge to buy impulsively, which in turn boosts online impulse buying. Interactivity did not significantly affect UI, and customer anxiety did not moderate the urge–behavior link. UI mediates the effects of most advertising values (except interactivity) on OIB. The research contributes a comprehensive framework integrating multiple advertising value dimensions with impulsive buying mechanisms and offers actionable insights for marketers to prioritize informative, credible, creative, entertaining, and integrative advertising to stimulate UI and OIB. Future research should examine additional drivers (e.g., social influence, product categories, situational and individual differences) and employ longitudinal/experimental designs across diverse contexts to test causality and generalize findings.

• Omitted variables: Other influences (e.g., social influence, personal values, situational factors) were not included and could affect OIB.
• Moderator scope: Customer anxiety did not moderate UI→OIB; future work should test alternative moderators (e.g., promotions, consumer involvement, product category, individual differences).
• Design: Cross-sectional data limits causal inference; longitudinal or experimental approaches are recommended.
• Generalizability: Sample restricted to China; findings may not generalize to other regions or offline contexts.
• Context: Focus on online impulsive buying; results may differ in offline retail or other product categories.
• Measurement: Reliance on self-reported data may introduce biases; objective or observational measures could improve validity.