Understanding the psychological mechanisms and moderating effects of fear of mising out in Vietnamese shopping malls
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Received March 2, 2025;Accepted October 24, 2025;Published November 27, 2025
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Author(s)Nguyen Duy PhuongLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0815-9956
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Bui Thanh KhoaLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9878-2164
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DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.21(4).2025.13
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Article InfoVolume 21 2025, Issue #4, pp. 175-186
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Type of the article: Research Article
Abstract
Consumer Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has emerged as a pervasive psychological driver of purchasing decisions. In today’s experience-driven retail environment exemplified by Vietnam’s rapidly expanding modern shopping malls, FOMO may prompt consumers to buy impulsively and unplanned. However, most FOMO research focuses on online or social media contexts, leaving its role in offline retail underexplored. This study fills that gap by examining how FOMO influences shoppers’ psychological states and subsequent buying behaviors in Vietnamese malls. We conducted a structured questionnaire survey of 428 mall patrons in Ho Chi Minh City in 2024, and analyzed the data using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results confirm that FOMO significantly heightens consumers’ financial risk-taking, emotional arousal, and reduced self-control. In turn, these states strongly predict purchase behaviors: risk-taking drives impulsive and repeat shopping, emotional arousal fuels impulse, and repeat buying, and diminished self-control leads to unplanned spending. Notably, the strength of these effects varies by consumer segment and context: younger, more tech-savvy shoppers and those in high-end malls showed stronger FOMO effects, and frequent shoppers were especially susceptible. These findings extend FOMO theory into physical retail and offer practical insight: marketers can leverage FOMO cues but must do so ethically, as this tactic powerfully drives consumption. The study concludes that FOMO is a key stimulus in malls, calling for future research to examine its long-term impact and boundary conditions.
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JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)M37, D12, L81, C38
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References21
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Tables5
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Figures1
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- Figure 1. Proposed research model of FOMO’s effects on consumer shopping behavior
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- Table 1. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Reliability assessment (N = 428)
- Table 2. SEM results and hypothesis testing
- Table 3. Moderating effects via multi-group SEM
- Table A1. Model fit summary
- Table C1. Demographic characteristics
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Conceptualization
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Data curation
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Formal Analysis
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Funding acquisition
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Investigation
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Methodology
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Project administration
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Resources
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Software
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Supervision
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Writing – original draft
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Writing – review & editing
Nguyen Duy Phuong, Bui Thanh Khoa
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Validation
Bui Thanh Khoa
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Visualization
Bui Thanh Khoa
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Conceptualization
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Short video marketing factors influencing the purchase intention of Generation Z in Vietnam
Thi Thuy An Ngo
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Phu Quach
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Thanh Vinh Nguyen
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Anh Duy Nguyen
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Thi Minh Nguyet Nguyen
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.19(3).2023.04
Innovative Marketing Volume 19, 2023 Issue #3 pp. 34-50 Views: 6141 Downloads: 2076 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯIn the digital age and technological advancements, short video platforms have become essential tools for online sales and marketing. In addition, shopping through short video marketing has gained significant attention, especially among Generation Z, as it brings unique and novel shopping experiences. The primary goal of this study is to explore the factors of short video marketing that influence the purchase intentions of Generation Z consumers in Vietnam. To conduct this study, a quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire administered online through a non-probability sampling method. The sample comprised 350 respondents aged between 16 and 26 from Vietnam, representing Generation Z, who made purchases through short video marketing. The relationships among various variables were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study’s results demonstrated a positive, significant, and direct relationship between all factors of short video marketing, including interesting content, perceived usefulness, scenario-based experience, user interaction, perceived enjoyment, and involvement of celebrities and consumer brand attitude. Among these factors, perceived usefulness is the most influential factor on customer brand attitude. In addition, the study revealed that consumer brand attitude, acting as a mediating variable, had a positive and significant impact on consumers’ purchase intentions. Based on the findings, the study suggested strategies for businesses to enhance the quality and content on short video platforms, thereby improving the effectiveness of their marketing strategies.
Acknowledgment
The authors express a sincere gratitude to all the participants who generously took part in this research study. -
The processing of advertising: does a consumer’s level of materialism make a difference?
Steven Lysonski , Srinivas Durvasula , Ruth Rayner doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.13(1).2017.02Innovative Marketing Volume 13, 2017 Issue #1 pp. 11-23 Views: 5761 Downloads: 1294 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯMaterialism has been given great attention in the consumer behavior literature. How materialistic tendencies are shaped by advertising has also been documented. Yet, the impact of consumers’ materialism on their perceptions of ads is not clearly understood. The goal of this research is to examine the relationship between an individual’s materialism and his/her perceptions of various kinds of advertising. Using four specific advertising appeals (i.e., interpersonal, prestige/status, achievement, and appearance-related), attitudes toward the ad, and thoughts elicited by the advertisement were measured and compared across high and low materialism groups. Significant differences were found between respondents from the two groups with respect to the evaluation of each type of appeal. When prestige/status, achievement, and appearance-related appeals were used in advertising, they were evaluated more favorably by consumers with high levels of materialism than by consumers with low levels of materialism. In contrast, advertising that used an interpersonal appeal was viewed more favorably by consumers with low levels of materialism. The results of this research provide implications for marketers on three perspectives: the furthering of our conceptualization of the materialism construct, the design of promotional communication for specific target markets, and the public policy dimension of targeting consumers more vulnerable to certain appeals.
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Flash sale and online impulse buying: Mediation effect of emotions
Martaleni Martaleni
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Ferdian Hendrasto
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Noor Hidayat
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Amin Alfandy Dzikri
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Ni Nyoman Kerti Yasa
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.18(2).2022.05
Innovative Marketing Volume 18, 2022 Issue #2 pp. 49-59 Views: 4326 Downloads: 2139 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯFlash sale (FS) is a marketing strategy that is widely used and developed in sales through e-commerce. The implementation of the FS strategy is to provide discounts or special propositions on products offered within a certain time limit. Time restrictions aim to encourage consumers’ emotions to make impulse buying (IB). This study examines the effect of consumer emotions as a mediating variable on IB among Shoppee consumers in Indonesia caused by FS activities that are not carried out on certain important days. The required data were collected through the distribution of online questionnaires to respondents who, in the last three months, had made transactions through Shoppee e-commerce platform. A total of 150 questionnaires are analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results of the analysis show that the flash sale strategy carried out by the Shoppee e-commerce platform in Indonesia has a direct effect on increasing consumer emotions. This means that the higher the intensity of the FS promotion, the stronger the influence on consumer emotions. Emotions increase IB. FS has no significant effect on increasing IB. Subsequent findings show that FS indirectly has a positive and significant effect on IB through emotions. In other words, this study proves that the emotions are a mediating variable in online IB. This study is helpful for companies in developing appropriate strategies for their promotions in utilizing consumers’ impulse buying behavior by using strategies that trigger consumers’ emotions.

