The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) Model In Tiktok Shop Live Commerce: The Effects Of Scarcity And Flash Sale Characteristics On Attitude And Impulse Buying
Keywords:
Flash sale, Scarcity, Live streaming commerce, Impulse buying, Attitude, TikTok Shop, Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR)
Abstract
Flash sales have become a prominent marketing strategy on live streaming commerce platforms such as TikTok Shop to stimulate spontaneous consumer purchases. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, this study examines the effects of scarcity cues (limited quantity and limited time) and flash sale characteristics (information, visuality, and entertainment) on consumer attitude and impulse buying behavior. A quantitative approach was employed using data collected from 300 active TikTok Shop users in Indonesia through an online survey. The data were analyzed using Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) with LISREL software. The results reveal that limited quantity and information significantly influence both consumer attitude and impulse buying, exerting effects both directly and indirectly. Visuality and entertainment significantly enhance attitude but affect impulse buying only indirectly through attitude. In contrast, limited time shows no significant effect on either attitude or impulse buying. Attitude plays a central mediating role in translating flash sale stimuli into impulsive purchase behavior. These findings highlight the differentiated effectiveness of various promotional stimuli in live streaming commerce and affirm the applicability of the SOR model in explaining impulse buying within video-based social commerce environments. The study provides practical implications for TikTok Shop sellers and platform managers in designing more effective flash sale strategies, particularly by emphasizing limited quantity and high-quality product information while reconsidering the use of time-limited promotions.
References
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Huang, Q., Dastane, O., Cham, T.-H., & Cheah, J.-H. (2024). Is ‘she’ more impulsive (to pleasure) than ‘him’ during livestream e-commerce shopping? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 78, 103707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103707
Lamis, S. F., Handayani, P. W., & Fitriani, W. R. (2022). Impulse buying during flash sales in the online marketplace. Cogent Business & Management, 9(1), 2068402. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2022.2068402
Li, X., Guo, M., & Huang, D. (2023). The role of scarcity promotion and cause-related events in impulse purchase in the agricultural product live stream. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 3800. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30696-8
Li, X., Huang, D., Dong, G., & Wang, B. (2024). Why consumers have impulsive purchase behavior in live streaming: The role of the streamer. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 129. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01632-w
Lin, X., & Wang, X. (2023). Towards a model of social commerce: Improving the effectiveness of e-commerce through leveraging social media tools based on consumers’ dual roles. European Journal of Information Systems, 32(5), 782–799. https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2022.2057363
Liu, F., Zhang, Y., & Li, Z. (2025). How does consumers’ scarcity mentality in live-streaming influence impulse buying behavior? An empirical study from a competitive perspective. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-04-2025-0580
Liu, X., Zhou, Y.-W., Shen, Y., Ge, C., & Jiang, J. (2021). Zooming in the impacts of merchants’ participation in transformation from online flash sale to mixed sale e-commerce platform. Information & Management, 58(2), 103409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2020.103409
Luo, H., Cheng, S., Zhou, W., Song, W., Yu, S., & Lin, X. (2021). Research on the Impact of Online Promotions on Consumers’ Impulsive Online Shopping Intentions. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 16(6), 2386–2404. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16060131
Manthiou, A., Ayadi, K., Lee, S. (Ally), Chiang, L., & Tang, L. (Rebecca). (2017). Exploring the roles of self-concept and future memory at consumer events: The application of an extended Mehrabian–Russell model. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 34(4), 531–543. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2016.1208786
Ngo, T. T. A., Nguyen, H. L. T., Mai, H. T. A., & Nguyen, H. P. (2025). Key determinants of online impulse buying behavior: A study from TikTok Shop users in Vietnam. Acta Psychologica, 260, 105593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105593
Nguyen-Van, H., Le-Duy-Duc, T., Nguyen-Duy, A., Pham-Thi-Tra, M., Ho-Ngoc, D., & Le- Hai, A. (2024). Impact of Flash Sale on Impulse Buying on E-Commerce Platforms of Gen Z Consumers in Vietnam. International Journal of Social Science Humanity & Management Research, 3(06). https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2024.v3i6n02
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Russell, J. A., & Mehrabian, A. (1974). Distinguishing anger and anxiety in terms of emotional response factors. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42(1), 79–83. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0035915
Ryu, S., & Ryu, S. (2021). Feeling excited and fluent: How consumers respond to the visual appeals of products in an online shopping environment. Behaviour & Information Technology, 40(11), 1219–1233. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2021.1942989
Singh, P., Sharma, B. K., Arora, L., & Bhatt, V. (2023). Measuring social media impact on Impulse Buying Behavior. Cogent Business & Management, 10(3), 2262371. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2262371
Sun, B., Zhang, Y., & Zheng, L. (2023). Relationship between time pressure and consumers’ impulsive buying—Role of perceived value and emotions. Heliyon, 9(12), e23185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23185
Vannisa, D., Fansuri, A., & Ambon, I. M. (2020). The Effect Of Flash Sale Program On Shopping Enjoyment And Impulse Buying On Flash Sale On C2C E-Commerce. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 9(04).
Verhagen, T., & Van Dolen, W. (2011). The influence of online store beliefs on consumer online impulse buying: A model and empirical application. Information & Management, 48(8), 320–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2011.08.001
Wijanto, S. H. (2020). Structural Equation Modeling dengan Lisrel 8.8 (1st ed). Graha Ilmu.
Wu, Y., Xin, L., Li, D., Yu, J., & Guo, J. (2021). How does scarcity promotion lead to impulse purchase in the online market? A field experiment. Information & Management, 58(1), 103283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2020.103283
Zhang, J., Jiang, N., Turner, J. J., & Pahlevan-Sharif, S. (2022). The Impact of Scarcity on Consumers’ Impulse Buying Based on the S-O-R Theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 792419. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.792419
Zhang, M., Cheng, T. C. E., & Du, J. (2018). Advance selling of new products to strategic consumers on flash sale platforms. International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications, 21(3), 318–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/13675567.2018.1454416
Zhu, W., Yan, R., & Ding, Z. (2020). Analysing impulse purchasing in cross-border electronic commerce. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 120(10), 1959–1974. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-01-2020-0046
Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior. NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Akram, U., Hui, P., Khan, M., Yan, C., & Akram, Z. (2018). Factors Affecting Online Impulse Buying: Evidence from Chinese Social Commerce Environment. Sustainability, 10(2), 352. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020352
Andrade, E. B., Montañez, J. T., Salabao, A. A., & Gamotin, G. D. L. (2025). Impact of E-Commerce Flash Sale Promotions on Generation Z’s Impulse Buying Behavior: The Mediating Role of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Southeast Asian Journal of Agriculture and Allied Sciences, 5(2), 89–101. https://doi.org/10.63943/sajaas.vol5iss2art97pp89-101
Bloomberg. (2025a). GMV TikTok Shop US$64,3 Miliar di 2025: SEA Motor Pertumbuhan, AS Pasar Terbesar. Daily Social. https://news.dailysocial.id/post/gmv-tiktok-shop-us643-miliar-di-2025-sea-motor-pertumbuhan-as-pasar-terbesar/?q=microsoft
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Chan, T. K. H., Cheung, C. M. K., & Lee, Z. W. Y. (2017). The state of online impulse-buying research: A literature analysis. Information & Management, 54(2), 204–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2016.06.001
Chen, C.-Y., Lin, Y.-H., Lee, C.-Y., Lin, Y.-K., Chuang, M.-C., & Lee, K.-N. (2019). Reflective or impulsive buying or both? Evidence from the sport merchandise consumption context. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 47(11), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.8395
Cialdini, R. B., & Goldstein, N. J. (2004). Social Influence: Compliance and Conformity. Annual Review of Psychology, 55(1), 591–621. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.142015
Djafarova, E., & Bowes, T. (2021). ‘Instagram made Me buy it’: Generation Z impulse purchases in fashion industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 59, 102345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102345
Dsilva, H. & Elangovan. (2021). Impulsive buying during Flash Sales on ECommerce sites and the Ramification of Flash Sales on Shopping. Ushus Journal of Business Management, 20(4), 27–43. https://doi.org/10.12725/ujbm.57.3
Eisenbeiss, M., Wilken, R., Skiera, B., & Cornelissen, M. (2015). What makes deal-of-the-day promotions really effective? The interplay of discount and time constraint with product type. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 32(4), 387–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2015.05.007
Feng, Z., Al Mamun, A., Masukujjaman, M., Wu, M., & Yang, Q. (2024). Impulse buying behavior during livestreaming: Moderating effects of scarcity persuasion and price perception. Heliyon, 10(7), e28347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28347
Gong, M., & Liu, H. (2025). Understanding impulse buying in interest-based e-commerce: The role of content creativity. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 53(2), 182–198. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-07-2023-0484
Gong, X., & Jiang, X. (2023). Understanding consumer impulse buying in livestreaming commerce: The product involvement perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1104349. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1104349
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N. P., & Ray, S. (2021). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) Using R: A Workbook. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80519-7
Hongsuchon, T., Chen, S.-C., & Khan, A. (2025). Applying the S-O-R model to explore impulsive buying behavior driven by influencers on social commerce websites. PeerJ Computer Science, 11, e3113. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.3113
Huang, Q., Dastane, O., Cham, T.-H., & Cheah, J.-H. (2024). Is ‘she’ more impulsive (to pleasure) than ‘him’ during livestream e-commerce shopping? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 78, 103707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103707
Lamis, S. F., Handayani, P. W., & Fitriani, W. R. (2022). Impulse buying during flash sales in the online marketplace. Cogent Business & Management, 9(1), 2068402. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2022.2068402
Li, X., Guo, M., & Huang, D. (2023). The role of scarcity promotion and cause-related events in impulse purchase in the agricultural product live stream. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 3800. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30696-8
Li, X., Huang, D., Dong, G., & Wang, B. (2024). Why consumers have impulsive purchase behavior in live streaming: The role of the streamer. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 129. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01632-w
Lin, X., & Wang, X. (2023). Towards a model of social commerce: Improving the effectiveness of e-commerce through leveraging social media tools based on consumers’ dual roles. European Journal of Information Systems, 32(5), 782–799. https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2022.2057363
Liu, F., Zhang, Y., & Li, Z. (2025). How does consumers’ scarcity mentality in live-streaming influence impulse buying behavior? An empirical study from a competitive perspective. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-04-2025-0580
Liu, X., Zhou, Y.-W., Shen, Y., Ge, C., & Jiang, J. (2021). Zooming in the impacts of merchants’ participation in transformation from online flash sale to mixed sale e-commerce platform. Information & Management, 58(2), 103409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2020.103409
Luo, H., Cheng, S., Zhou, W., Song, W., Yu, S., & Lin, X. (2021). Research on the Impact of Online Promotions on Consumers’ Impulsive Online Shopping Intentions. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 16(6), 2386–2404. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16060131
Manthiou, A., Ayadi, K., Lee, S. (Ally), Chiang, L., & Tang, L. (Rebecca). (2017). Exploring the roles of self-concept and future memory at consumer events: The application of an extended Mehrabian–Russell model. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 34(4), 531–543. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2016.1208786
Ngo, T. T. A., Nguyen, H. L. T., Mai, H. T. A., & Nguyen, H. P. (2025). Key determinants of online impulse buying behavior: A study from TikTok Shop users in Vietnam. Acta Psychologica, 260, 105593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105593
Nguyen-Van, H., Le-Duy-Duc, T., Nguyen-Duy, A., Pham-Thi-Tra, M., Ho-Ngoc, D., & Le- Hai, A. (2024). Impact of Flash Sale on Impulse Buying on E-Commerce Platforms of Gen Z Consumers in Vietnam. International Journal of Social Science Humanity & Management Research, 3(06). https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2024.v3i6n02
Phan, D. H., Nguyen, Q. D., & Phuc, V. K. N. (2024). Dataset on Vietnamese students’ impulse buying behavior on TikTok shop. Data in Brief, 57, 111047. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2024.111047
Ridwan, A. (2025). Indonesia Termasuk Pasar Terbesar TikTok Shop di Asia Tenggara pada 2025. Databoks Katadata. https://databoks.katadata.co.id/teknologi-telekomunikasi/statistik/68a7d7482ec95/indonesia-termasuk-pasar-terbesar-tiktok-shop-di-asia-tenggara-pada-2025
Russell, J. A., & Mehrabian, A. (1974). Distinguishing anger and anxiety in terms of emotional response factors. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42(1), 79–83. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0035915
Ryu, S., & Ryu, S. (2021). Feeling excited and fluent: How consumers respond to the visual appeals of products in an online shopping environment. Behaviour & Information Technology, 40(11), 1219–1233. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2021.1942989
Singh, P., Sharma, B. K., Arora, L., & Bhatt, V. (2023). Measuring social media impact on Impulse Buying Behavior. Cogent Business & Management, 10(3), 2262371. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2262371
Sun, B., Zhang, Y., & Zheng, L. (2023). Relationship between time pressure and consumers’ impulsive buying—Role of perceived value and emotions. Heliyon, 9(12), e23185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23185
Vannisa, D., Fansuri, A., & Ambon, I. M. (2020). The Effect Of Flash Sale Program On Shopping Enjoyment And Impulse Buying On Flash Sale On C2C E-Commerce. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 9(04).
Verhagen, T., & Van Dolen, W. (2011). The influence of online store beliefs on consumer online impulse buying: A model and empirical application. Information & Management, 48(8), 320–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2011.08.001
Wijanto, S. H. (2020). Structural Equation Modeling dengan Lisrel 8.8 (1st ed). Graha Ilmu.
Wu, Y., Xin, L., Li, D., Yu, J., & Guo, J. (2021). How does scarcity promotion lead to impulse purchase in the online market? A field experiment. Information & Management, 58(1), 103283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2020.103283
Zhang, J., Jiang, N., Turner, J. J., & Pahlevan-Sharif, S. (2022). The Impact of Scarcity on Consumers’ Impulse Buying Based on the S-O-R Theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 792419. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.792419
Zhang, M., Cheng, T. C. E., & Du, J. (2018). Advance selling of new products to strategic consumers on flash sale platforms. International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications, 21(3), 318–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/13675567.2018.1454416
Zhu, W., Yan, R., & Ding, Z. (2020). Analysing impulse purchasing in cross-border electronic commerce. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 120(10), 1959–1974. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-01-2020-0046
Published
2026-06-09
How to Cite
Rahman, F., Pandjaitan, D. R. H., & Roslina. (2026). The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) Model In Tiktok Shop Live Commerce: The Effects Of Scarcity And Flash Sale Characteristics On Attitude And Impulse Buying. International Journal of Economics, Business and Innovation Research, 5(04), 605-626. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijebir.v5i04.4233
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