Benefitting the Company Not the Consumer: Direct and Indirect Factors Instagram as a “Shoppable Media” is having on consumer’s impulsive purchasing habits and emotional responses during a worldwide pandemic

Impulse buying is an unplanned immediate purchase driven by an urge or motivation. This statement will be explored in the context of an individuals urges and motivations during the worldwide pandemic COVID-19 and how it is increasing consumers time spent on Instagram, therefore increasing the opportunity for influence of impulsive purchases. In the past researchers have attempted to explain and discover the originating cause or stimulus of impulse buying, we seek to do this using the application Instagram in the context of a pandemic. The aim of this is to understand whether this impulsivity is heightened due to the excessive time spent self-isolated and online as enforced by the government and what emotions this stimulates pre, during, and post purchase. Countries across the world implemented different risk reducing enforcements at varying times and Canada was announced a state of emergency and full lockdown including closing boarders on March 17, 2020.\n\n\tWithin this study the relationships between consumers impulsivity behavior and the variables of emotional stimulus, environmental factors, situational factors, and online social media use were analyzed to determine the aim of the study. To determine this a survey including both quantitative and qualitative questions was distributed online via social media as in person data collection was not an option due to the pandemics social distance restrictions. Responses were limited to female’s aged 17-29 for this specific study; with more time and resources a wider demographic study would be beneficial.\n\n\tResults of this study reveal consumers have been greatly affected by the pandemic’s isolation and distancing rules in many ways. It has altered their emotional states, increased fear and boredom amongst consumers, and increased there tendency to have impulsive traits and urges to divert from these changes. Results indicate an increased time spent on Instagram correlating with a higher impulse purchasing trend on unnecessary items in order for the consumer to ‘feel good’ in a time of confusion and uncertainty. Although consumers identify in results they consider there purchase decisions more and feel heightened post-purchase emotions they still precede with their impulsiveness and unnecessary purchasing. While increased time spent on Instagram influenced impulsivity there was no direct relation between Instagram’s feature of the ‘quick checkout’ option and the decision to purchase. A noticeable shift in consumer behavior and emotional states has become apparent since the beginning of the pandemic and we must expect this to continue in the future as the pandemic is not over and has altered our norms for the anticipated future as well.\n

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