How Does Perceived Social Presence Drive Impulse Buying Online? The Mediating Role of Flow Experience and Consumer Trust

Abstract

The emergence of socially interactive shopping platforms in the era of online shopping has given a boost to online impulse purchases. However, little research has been conducted on the psychological processes underlying this phenomenon. This study investigates how perceived social presence (SP) (stimulus) influences impulse buying behaviour (IB) (response) through two mediators: flow experience (FE) and consumer trust (CT) (organism), guided by the stimulus–organism-response (S-O-R) model. In addition, the study examines how two important situational factors—time and availability of money—modify the relationship between FE and IB. A structured online survey collected information from 565 Indian online shoppers. The results show that perceived SP significantly increases customer trust and the FE, positively impacting IB. Statistical evidence for the mediating roles of FE and CT was significant. This study’s proposed dual-path mediation model can contribute to the growing literature on e-commerce impulse purchasing. Practical recommendations are made for online companies to optimize consumers’ engagement, build trust, and strategically induce impulse purchasing.