A Study on the Consumer Behavior Characteristics of Users on Ultra-Low-Cost E-Commerce Platforms

This study examines user consumption experiences and emotional responses on China-based ultra-low-cost e-commerce platforms, Temu and AliExpress. A total of 48,913 Korean reviews collected from the Google Play Store were analyzed to explore user perceptions and behavioral patterns. Using topic modeling based on text mining, the study identified key consumer perception factors and examined their effects on user satisfaction through ordinary least squares regression analysis. The results indicate that low-cost experiential consumption, value-for-money and impulse buying, cross-border price perception, and delivery speed and accuracy had positive effects on satisfaction, whereas quality trust and misleading advertising, privacy and data security concerns, and perceptions and reactions to promotions exerted negative influences. Among these, perceptions and reactions to promotions had the most significant negative impact, suggesting that repetitive promotional structures may undermine consumer trust. Additionally, several users exhibited temporary and repetitive purchasing and disposal behaviors, reflecting a tendency toward emotional immersion and instant gratification beyond rational consumption. Overall, this study conceptualizes ultra-low-cost platforms not merely as price-competitive marketplaces but as emotional consumption ecosystems, emphasizing the need for sustainable operational strategies grounded in trust, transparency, and responsibility.