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VOL. 12, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Flash sales, discounts and consumer psychology: An empirical study of impulsive buying behavior in social commerce
Authors
Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Sudha Pandey
Abstract
Flash sales and discount tactics are now
important promotional tools employed by digital marketers, and the quick growth
of social commerce platforms has drastically changed customer purchase
behavior. These tactics aim to establish a sense of urgency and perceived
scarcity, which could encourage consumers to make rash purchases. With an
emphasis on the mediating function of psychological elements including
perceived urgency, perceived scarcity, and FOMO, the current study attempts to
investigate how flash sales and discounts affect consumers' impulsive
purchasing behavior on social commerce platforms. A structured questionnaire
was used to gather primary data from 250 active users of social commerce
platforms as part of a quantitative research methodology. Multiple regression
analysis, correlation analysis, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze
the data using SPSS. The results show that discount tactics and flash sales
both significantly and favorably influence impulsive purchasing behavior.
Discounts were determined to have the biggest impact on impulsive buying
decisions among the promotional elements. Additionally, the findings validate
that the relationship between advertising methods and impulsive buying behavior
is considerably mediated by perceived urgency, scarcity, and FOMO. Based on the
Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework, the study adds to the body of
literature by applying theories of impulse buying to social commerce. By
demonstrating how emotional and psychological reactions brought on by
promotional stimuli affect consumer behavior, the findings have significant
theoretical and managerial ramifications. The study offers marketers useful
information for creating successful advertising campaigns while upholding moral
business conduct and long-term client pleasure.
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Pages:359-363
How to cite this article:
Dr. Ruchi Gupta, Sudha Pandey "Flash sales, discounts and consumer psychology: An empirical study of impulsive buying behavior in social commerce". International Journal of Commerce and Management Research, Vol 12, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 359-363
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