Will I regret not buying? Unpacking the dual pathways of anticipated regret that influence online impulsive buying

Impulsive buying accounts for a significant portion of online transactions. However, it is challenging for retailers to stimulate consumers’ impulsive buying in the quick decision-making environment of online shopping, which is often driven by promotional events. As consumers often regret when shopping online, a key factor influencing their impulsive buying is the anticipation of that regret. Yet few studies have examined the role of anticipated regret in impulsive buying. Drawing on regret theory, we explore how online review valence shapes two forms of anticipated regret: anticipated action regret (for buying) and anticipated inaction regret (for not buying). Furthermore, we examine how quantity- and time-based scarcity messages moderate the relationship between review valence and anticipated regret. Findings from two laboratory experiments show that positive review valence reduces anticipated action regret while increasing anticipated inaction regret, with scarcity messages amplifying these effects. We further find that anticipated inaction regret, rather than anticipated action regret, plays a pivotal role in driving impulsive buying. Our qualitative survey provides rich evidence to validate our theoretical arguments and findings. This study enriches the literature by highlighting the affective mechanism of anticipated regret in impulsive buying and offering a nuanced understanding of its dual nature. It provides actionable suggestions to online retailers for optimizing the use of review valence and scarcity messages to enhance sales in fast-paced online shopping contexts.