Impacts of the Scarcity of Health Appliances on Impulsive Purchases during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract: At the height of the COVID-19 epidemic in Indonesia in 2020, there was a serious shortage of medical supplies, which had a detrimental impact on impulsive consumer spending and public safety. This essay aims to comprehend why people make impulsive purchases during catastrophes and disasters such as COVID-19. Using the theories of scarcity and Stimulus, Organism, Response (SOR), this research investigates the impact of the lack of health equipment products on consumers' impulsive buying during the pandemic in Indonesia. In the end, 170 valid data sets from an online poll were obtained, and SmartPLS was used to analyze the data. The results show that impulse purchasing is significantly boosted by shortages. The results also show that while false news on social media moderates the connection between scarcity and impulse purchases, fear of missing out (FOMO) mediates the correlation between scarcity and impulse buying. In order to gain an advantage over competitors in future COVID-19 or similar crisis circumstances, marketers and brand managers will need to develop cutting-edge strategies to increase their brand's market share. The study's results are essential for understanding the abrupt shifts in impulsive buying patterns in Indonesia during an emergency, given the scarcity of health appliance products during the pandemic. This research can therefore contribute to our understanding of customers' irrational purchasing behavior. Businesses and the Indonesian government can take steps to reduce the impact, helping to ensure the country's safety throughout any future epidemic.