Factors Influence TikTok Users’ Impulse Buying Behavior : The Mediating Roles of Parasocial Relationships and Loyalty

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

As one of the most popular social media in the U.S., TikTok plays a crucial role on influencing consumer purchase decisions. Under this circumstance, this study, grounded in social exchange theory, examined the impact of utilitarian gratification, social presence, humor, and homophily on the development of parasocial relationships and loyalty with TikTok influencers, and how these factors influence consumers’ impulse buying behavior. A total of 666 adults from the U.S. participated in an online survey, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that utilitarian gratification and homophily stimulated impulse buying significantly and positively. Social presence, humor, and homophily had a positive and significant effect on parasocial relationships. Utilitarian gratification, humor, and homophily positively and significantly influenced loyalty. While both parasocial relationships and loyalty significantly influenced impulse buying, only loyalty had a positive influence. Regarding the mediating role of parasocial relationships, social presence, homophily, and humor had a significant negative impact on impulse buying. With regard to the mediating role of loyalty, utilitarian gratification, homophily, and humor significantly influenced impulse buying; however, humor had a negative effect.