Factors Affecting Impulsive Buying Behaviour – Evidence from Malaysia

Purpose: To study and identify the significance of six particular internal and external factors that influence impulsive consumerism in Malaysia. These factors are the external factors (visual merchandising, and price), internal personality factors (conscientiousness and extraversion traits), individualism, and impulse buying tendency trait. Design/methodology/approach: Data from a total of 200 respondents is collected via mallintercept method from several shopping malls in Melaka, Malaysia. Structural equation techniques (SEM) is used to validate the proposed hypothesis. Findings: Both internal and external factors showed significant influence on impulsive buying behaviour but however, the results extracted for the type of relationship formed between each of the factors linked to impulsive buying behaviour, differs. It is found that conscientiousness is negatively associated with impulsive buying behaviour while the rest are the opposite. Research limitations/implications: Although the data is collected from one state (Melaka) instead of throughout Malaysia, the outcome shall not differ much as shopping complexes in any city area will reflect a similar consumption pattern by patrons. Practical implications: The most significant predictor of impulsive buying behaviour is the impulse buying tendency trait. Since it has the most influence on an impulsive nature, reflection on ways to prompt impulse purchases should be further scrutinised. Originality/value: There are very limited past studies that examine the simultaneous relationship among these factors with impulsive buying behaviour. Thus, this imperative research takes on a journey on both internal and external factors that affect impulsive buying behaviour in Malaysia context