The Impact of Scarcity of Medical Protective Products on Chinese Consumers’ Impulsive Purchasing during the COVID-19 Epidemic in China

Jingjing Zhang, Nan Jiang, Jason James Turner and Saeed Pahlevan Sharif
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Jingjing Zhang: Business and Law School, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
Nan Jiang: Business and Law School, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
Jason James Turner: Business School, Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
Saeed Pahlevan Sharif: Business and Law School, Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-14

Abstract: In 2020, during the peak period of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, the scarcity of medical protective products significantly influenced consumers’ impulsive purchasing and affected the public order. It is important to identify the effect of scarcity on consumers’ impulsive purchasing during this difficult time. However, scant research has been conducted on the impact of scarcity of medical protective products on Chinese consumers’ impulsive purchasing. This paper investigates the impact of the scarcity of medical protective products on consumers’ impulsive purchasing during the pandemic in China based on the theories of scarcity, S-O-R and bandwagon effect. Simultaneously, this study identifies the different mediating mechanisms (fear of missing out and perception) and the moderation (bandwagon) in the relationship between scarcity and impulsive purchasing. Finally, 509 validity data were collected by using an online questionnaire, and SmartPLS was used for data analysis. The findings present that the fear of missing out, perception and bandwagon dominate the scarcity effect on impulsive purchasing. The findings provide more information on consumers’ impulsive purchasing in the context of scarcity of medical protective products. Marketers and the Chinese government can adopt measures to reduce their effect, which may help maintain the public order during the epidemic.

Keywords: scarcity; impulsive purchasing; bandwagon; fear of missing out; perceived quality; perceived cost; perceived value (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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