Exploring the Role of Pay Later as a Moderator in Online Impulsive Buying Behavior

The rapid growth of e-commerce platforms has significantly altered consumer purchasing behavior, with impulsive buying becoming a prevalent phenomenon. This study aims to explore the factors driving online impulsive buying behavior, focusing on the moderating role of the "Pay Later" payment method in the context of e-commerce transactions. Specifically, it investigates the effects of social influence, the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), and e-commerce platforms on consumers’ decision-making processes. A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data collected from 300 active e-commerce users in Jakarta. The findings reveal that both social influence and FoMO significantly enhance impulsive buying behavior, while e-commerce platforms contribute less directly to this behavior. Furthermore, the "Pay Later" payment method was found to moderate the relationship between social influence and impulsive buying, with a negative impact on the interaction between personal branding and impulsive buying. These results suggest that while social and psychological factors play a critical role in impulsive buying, the payment flexibility offered by "Pay Later" services does not always strengthen purchasing behavior. This study highlights the need for e-commerce platforms to reconsider how payment options and social influences are leveraged in marketing strategies, offering valuable insights for business practitioners and academics in digital consumer behavior and e-commerce marketing strategies.