Now or Never: Exploring Factors Influencing Online Impulsive Buying Behavior on Fashion Brand Websites among Generation Z Consumers

Recently, online shopping has become increasingly popular, and one of the most favored product categories is fashion. This study investigates the factors influencing impulsive purchasing on fashion brand websites among Generation Z in Hanoi, Vietnam. Using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, this study analyzed how atmospheric variables on fashion brand websites such as content variety, visual design and navigation, promotions, and customer feedback affect browsing activity and, subsequently, the urge to buy. The research also assessed the influence of individual traits, such as shopping enjoyment and impulsive buying tendencies, on purchasing behavior. Data collection was conducted through a quantitative survey, gathering 225 responses from participants aged 18–30. The findings reveal that among individual traits, Shopping Enjoyment (SE) has a significant impact on the Urge to Buy, while among atmospheric variables, Promotions on Websites (PW) strongly influence Browsing Activity. These results highlight the critical role of experience-oriented and promotion-driven strategies for fashion brands targeting impulsive behaviors in Gen Z consumers. Accordingly, the study suggests that fashion brands and marketers design tailored marketing strategies to effectively engage this customer group and capitalize on their unique shopping behaviors.