The Effect of Sales Promotion on Impulse Buying: The Role of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) as a Moderating Variable in Tokopedia Consumers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35870/ijmsit.v6i2.7312Keywords:
Sales promotion, Impulse buying, Fear of missing out (FoMO)Abstract
The fast increase in online shopping in Indonesia has made it harder for e-commerce platforms to stand out from each other. Despite Tokopedia actively holding mega sale campaigns to boost sales, its conversion rate remains low at only 1–1.5%, and its Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) continues to decline while Shopee's visitor numbers and GMV show an upward trend. This condition suggests that impulse buying behavior among Tokopedia users has not been optimally stimulated despite large scale promotions being held. This study looks into haw sales promotion influence impulse buying and checks how fear of missing out (FoMO) affects this relationship among Tokopedia users during big sale events. Through the use of questionnaires given to 104 individuals, data was collected and then analysed using Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA) as a quantitative method. The findings indicate that sales promotions lead to more impulse buying, and feeling anxious about missing out makes this effect even stronger. This means people who experiemce higher levels of FoMO are more likely to make impulse buying when they see promotional offers. These findings imply that promotional strategies designed to generate urgency will be more effective when consumers have high levels of FoMO.
Downloads
References
Abdelkhair, F. Y., Babekir, M. Y., Mudawi, S. S., & Abiad, A. B. A. A. (2023). Sales promotion and impulse buying behavior towards consumer goods: The mediating role of purchase intention. Indian Journal of Marketing, 26-42. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2023/v53/i2/172631
Akbar, M. I. U. D., Ahmad, B., Asif, M. H., & Siddiqui, S. A. (2020). Linking emotional brand attachment and sales promotion to post-purchase cognitive dissonance: The mediating role of impulse buying behavior. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(11), 367-379. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no11.367
Boesen-Mariani, S., Gomez, P., & Gavard-Perret, M.-L. (2010). Regulatory Focus: A Promising Concept for Marketing Research. Recherche et Applications En Marketing (English Edition), 25(1), 87-106. https://doi.org/10.1177/205157071002500104
Changreani, E., Manalu, A. B., Purb, R. F., & Putri, D. (2023). The Influence of E-Wom and Digital Marketing on Purchasing Decisions at Shopee Marketplace in Palembang City. Journal of Business Economics and Agribusiness, 1(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.47134/jbea.v1i2.79
Databoks. (2025). Visitors to Shopee, Tokopedia, BliBli, and Lazada Indonesia Websites in July 2025. https://databoks.katadata.co.id/en/technology-telecommunications/statistics/68997e339ce76/visitors-to-shopee-tokopedia-blibli-and-lazada-indonesia-websites-in-july-2025
Djamhari, S. I., Mustika, M. D., Sjabadhyni, B., & Ndaru, A. R. P. (2024). Impulsive buying in the digital age: investigating the dynamics of sales promotion, FOMO, and digital payment methods. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2419484
ECBD. (2025). Tokopedia Transaction KPIs: Conversion Rate, Average Order Value. https://ecdb.com/resources/sample-data/retailer/tokopedia#transaction-kpis-conversion-rate-average-order-value
Efendioğlu, İ. H. (2024). Digital consumer behavior: a systematic literature review. Prizren social science journal, 8(1), 67-80.
Firmansyah, M. A. (2023). Pemasaran produk dan merek: Planning & strategy. Penerbit Qiara Media.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2019). Multivariate data analysis, multivariate data analysis.
Higgins, E. T. (1997). Beyond pleasure and pain. American Psychologist, 52(12), 1280–1300. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.52.12.1280
Kakkar A, Kalia P, Panesar A, Sood R (2025;), Investigating the impact of quality, technology and trust on customers’ purchase intention and word-of-mouth in S-commerce. Aslib Journal of Information Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-09-2024-0764
Kotler, & Keller. (2016). Manajemen Pemasaran (A. Maulana & Y. S. Hayati (eds.); 13th ed.).
Mandolfo, M., Bettiga, D., Lamberti, L., & Noci, G. (2022). Influence of Sales Promotion on Impulse Buying: A Dual Process Approach. Journal of Promotion Management, 28(8), 1212–1234. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2022.2060415
Momentum Works. (2024). Ecommerce in Southeast Asia 2024. https://momentum.asia/insights/detail/ecommerce-in-southeast-asia-2024
Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in human behavior, 29(4), 1841-1848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.02.014
Redine, A., Deshpande, S., Jebarajakirthy, C., & Surachartkumtonkun, J. (2023). Impulse buying: A systematic literature review and future research directions. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(1), 3–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12862
Rinonce, E. M., & Jannah, M. (2025). Fear of Missing Out Fuels Impulsive Buying Behavior in Gen Z: Rasa Takut Ketinggalan Mendorong Perilaku Pembelian Impulsif pada Gen Z. Psikologia: Jurnal Psikologi, 10(1), 97-110. https://doi.org/10.21070/psikologia.v10i1.1847
Sari, F., & Sanistasya, P. (2025). Pengaruh Flash Sale, FOMO dan Digital Financial Literacy Terhadap Impulsive Buying. Ekonomi, Keuangan, Investasi Dan Syariah (EKUITAS), 6(4), 652-662. https://doi.org/10.47065/ekuitas.v6i4.7363
Triananda, S. F.., Dewi, D. A.., & Furnamasari, Y. F.. (2021). Peranan Media Sosial Terhadap Gaya Hidup Remaja. Jurnal Pendidikan Tambusai, 5(3), 9106–9110. https://doi.org/10.31004/jptam.v5i3.2428
Widodo, M. S. (2024). Pengaruh FOMO Dan Sales Promotion Terhadap Impulse Buying, Dengan Gender Sebagai Variabel Moderasi. Jurnal Bisnis Terapan, 8(1), 36-44. https://doi.org/10.24123/jbt.v8i1.6395
Widyariini, L. A., Lilihata, C. F.., & Agrippina, Y. R. (2025). FOMO Pada E-Commerce: Pengaruh Limited Quantity, Limited Time, Discount, Free Shipping Terhadap Arousal Dan Impulse Buying. Business, Economics and Entrepreneurship, 7(1), 31–47. https://doi.org/10.46229/bee.v7i1.1018
Yudaningsih, N. (2021). Manajemen Pemasaran Saat Ini dan Masa Depan. Penerbit Insania, Cirebon.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Lusi Susilawati, Wala Erpurini
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1. Copyright Retention and Open Access License
Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal non-exclusive right of first publication under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
This license allows unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
2. Rights Granted Under CC BY 4.0
Under this license, readers are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use
- No additional restrictions — the licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as license terms are followed
3. Attribution Requirements
All uses must include:
- Proper citation of the original work
- Link to the Creative Commons license
- Indication if changes were made to the original work
- No suggestion that the licensor endorses the user or their use
4. Additional Distribution Rights
Authors may:
- Deposit the published version in institutional repositories
- Share through academic social networks
- Include in books, monographs, or other publications
- Post on personal or institutional websites
Requirement: All additional distributions must maintain the CC BY 4.0 license and proper attribution.
5. Self-Archiving and Pre-Print Sharing
Authors are encouraged to:
- Share pre-prints and post-prints online
- Deposit in subject-specific repositories (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv)
- Engage in scholarly communication throughout the publication process
6. Open Access Commitment
This journal provides immediate open access to all content, supporting the global exchange of knowledge without financial, legal, or technical barriers.
