Exploring how creative advertising and financial well-being shape online impulse buying: new insights from consumer psychology in emerging markets

Purpose Drawing on the stimulus–organism–response framework, this study aims to examine how creative advertising influences online impulse buying among female consumers in Egypt. It further explores the moderating role of consumers’ financial well-being (FWB) in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 384 female online cosmetic consumers in Egypt using an online survey. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to assess the measurement model and test the hypothesized relationships of the study. Findings The results indicate that creative advertising positively and significantly affects online impulse buying. Furthermore, FWB moderates this relationship. The influence of creative advertising on impulsive purchasing is significantly stronger among consumers who perceive themselves as more financially secure than among those with lower perceived financial security. Practical implications The findings suggest that marketers in emerging markets should consider segmenting consumers based on perceived FWB to enhance the effectiveness of creative advertising campaigns. This approach can also support more responsible marketing by tailoring promotional strategies to consumers’ financial contexts. Originality/value This study extends existing research by examining the impact of creative advertising on online impulse buying and incorporating FWB as a moderating variable, thereby providing empirical extension and contextual validation for female cosmetic consumers in an emerging market.