Drivers of Online Impulse Buying Behaviour: The Effects of Social Media Promotion and Peer Interaction Among UiTM Rembau Undergraduates

Abstract

This study explores the influence of Social Media Promotion (SMP) and Social Media Peer Network (SMPN) on Impulse Buying Behaviour (IBB) among undergraduate students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Rembau Campus, Malaysia. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, the research investigates how digital marketing stimuli and peer interactions on social platforms trigger spontaneous buying tendencies among young consumers. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected from 202 undergraduate respondents using a structured online questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, involving descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The findings reveal that both social media promotion and peer network interaction significantly influence impulse buying behaviour (p < 0.001). Social media promotion was identified as the stronger predictor (β = 0.512, t = 9.038), while peer network influence also had a positive yet lesser effect (β = 0.276, t = 5.423). The model accounted for 76.2% of the variance (R² = 0.762) in impulse buying behaviour, indicating a strong relationship between social media engagement and consumers’ impulsive purchasing patterns. The results suggest that social media promotions, including influencer marketing, discounts, and limited-time offers, play a pivotal role in stimulating unplanned purchases, while peer engagement reinforces these behaviours through social validation. The study highlights how platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have evolved into powerful commercial spaces, shaping youth consumption habits. The findings emphasise the importance of digital awareness and ethical marketing, recommending strategies that encourage financial discipline and responsible online spending among youths.