What Triggers Impulse Purchase Behavior: The Moderating Effects of User Expertise and Product Type

Exposing consumers to persuasive cues can cause them to make impulse purchases. Persuasive cues can be heuristic cue or systematic cue. Heuristic cue uses simple rules to process the information such as identity of the source or other non-content cues. Systematic cue emphasizes detailed processing of message content and uses messagerelevant content or arguments to assist in decision making. The features of heuristic cue and systematic cue are investigated to see how they can impact one’s impulse purchase behavior. The amount of expertise a consumer has in a specific product type (search or experience) will shape the relationships between persuasive cues and impulse purchase. The findings contribute to the impulse purchase literature and help merchants and website designers decide on what persuasive cues to provide consumers without overloading them with unnecessary information. To consumers, they will have better grip on their own impulse purchase behavior when exposed to persuasive cues.