The impact of digital atmospheric cues on e-impulsive buying: Exploring the role of task, aesthetic, and social cues

Abstract

Digital atmospheric cues play a pivotal role in influencing consumer behavior within online shopping environments. This study investigates the impact of three primary atmospheric cues task-related, aesthetic, and social on e-impulsive buying behavior. Task-related cues enhance the platform’s usability and functional efficiency, ensuring smooth navigation and user convenience. Aesthetic cues pertain to the visual design and layout, affecting consumers’ emotions and attention. Social cues, including reviews, ratings, and social proof, contribute to trust and community perception, thereby influencing spontaneous purchasing decisions.A quantitative methodology was employed, using a structured questionnaire to collect data from 405 respondents. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS, with multiple regressions applied to evaluate the combined effects of the cues. The model explained 96.3% of the variance in impulsive buying behavior (R²=0.963), indicating a highly reliable model. Among the variables, aesthetic cues had the strongest influence on e-impulsive buying (β=0.643, P=0.000, p≤0.05), followed by social cues (β=0.236, P=0.000, p≤0.05), and task cues (β=0.169, P=0.000, p≤0.05), all showing statistically significant relationships.These findings underline the critical role of digital interface elements in shaping impulsive behavior online. Businesses can enhance impulsive buying by prioritizing aesthetically engaging interfaces, integrating credible social elements, and ensuring functional ease of use. The study offers practical implications for e-commerce platforms aiming to increase spontaneous purchases and improve consumer experience. Future research could explore mediating variables such as emotional state, urgency, or contextual factors to further elaborate the psychological mechanisms behind online impulsivity.