This study examines how the overall experience provided by mobile shopping apps influences impulse buying behavior in the context of fast fashion retailers. Specifically, it explores the impact of experiential marketing on consumer behavior, focusing on impulse buying and its post-purchase outcomes, such as cognitive dissonance, customer loyalty and repurchase intention. Grounded in the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory, this research investigates the mediating roles of cognitive and emotional engagement as well as flow experience in shaping the relationship between app design and consumer behavior.
Grounded in experiential marketing, flow theory and the S-O-R model, the study analyzes data from 1,340 users of fast fashion mobile shopping apps. Partial least squares modeling was employed to examine the proposed relationships between experiential marketing, flow experience, impulse buying and post-purchase consequences.
The findings reveal that experiential marketing strategies (sense, feel, think, act and relate) significantly enhance affective and cognitive involvement, which indirectly influence impulse buying behavior through the mediating role of flow experience. Additionally, impulse purchases elevate post-purchase cognitive dissonance, adversely affecting customer loyalty and repurchase intention.
This research contributes to the literature by integrating the S-O-R model and flow theory to explore the mechanisms underlying impulse buying in mobile commerce. It provides actionable insights for retailers to optimize app experiences, balancing immediate sales gains with long-term customer loyalty. The originality of this study lies in its comprehensive model linking experiential marketing, flow experience, and impulse buying behavior.
