The Influence of Financial Literacy and Impulsive Buying Behavior on The Spending Behavior of Shopee PayLater User Among Generation Z

This study examines the influence of financial literacy and impulsive buying behavior on the shopping behavior of Shopee PayLater users among Generation Z. PayLater's convenient, instant transactions are attractive to the younger generation, but on the other hand, they have the potential to encourage unhealthy consumer behavior if not balanced with adequate financial understanding. Generation Z, as an age group highly familiar with technology and digital financial services, is a key focus of this study. This study used a quantitative approach with a purposive sampling method to recruit relevant respondents: active Shopee PayLater users aged 18 to 25. Data were collected from 150 respondents through an online questionnaire and then analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).The results show that both financial literacy and impulsive buying behavior have a positive and significant influence on the shopping behavior of Shopee PayLater users, both partially and simultaneously. However, the influence of impulsive behavior proved to be more dominant than financial literacy. These findings confirm that while improving financial literacy plays a crucial role in guiding individuals to manage their personal finances more wisely, emotional and psychological factors, such as impulsivity, remain key determinants of digital spending decisions. Therefore, this research offers important implications for developing digital-based financial education strategies that focus not only on cognitive aspects but also on affective and behavioral dimensions. The findings are expected to serve as a basis for policymakers, educational institutions, and digital financial platforms in designing more effective and adaptive financial empowerment programs for Generation Z.