The role of personalization in influencing digital trust and impulse buying in e-commerce

Background. In the context of the rapid growth of digital commerce and active implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing practices, personalization turns to be one of the key strategies for interacting with consumers. In the context of e-commerce personalization is considered as individualized product recommendations, price offers and advertising messages based on the user data and AI algorithms. This transforms consumers behavior, increasing their engagement, but at the same time boosting the risks of manipulative influence. In this regard, it seems relevant to analyze how personalization affects the formation of digital trust and consumer behavior. Objective. The study had its purpose to assess how personalization affects consumer trust and behavior. Study participants. The study involved 140 digital consumers (including 100 women) aged 20 to 40 years (mean age 28 years). Methods. The study implemented a survey method using a structured online questionnaire distributed using a simple random sampling method. Statistical data processing included cluster analysis, Pearson’s Chi-Square test, and graphical visualizations to identify trends. Results. The data analysis allowed to reveal three consumer segments in the sample under study which are characterized by a specific consumer behavior: 1) Security-Conscious Consumers value trusted brands and transparent personalization, 2) Price-Sensitive Consumers respond well to discount-driven personalization but exhibit lower impulse tendencies, and 3) Impulse Buyers are highly influenced by AI-driven recommendations and urgency-based marketing. Conclusion. Personalization can foster trust or drive impulsive buying, depending on consumer type. Business should implement ethical AI-driven personalization, enhance trust through transparency, and balance personalization with consumer autonomy.