The Psychology of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Marketing and Its Impact on Generation Z Purchase Decisions

  • Unique Paper ID: 206656
  • Volume: 13
  • Issue: 2
  • PageNo: 2344-2347
  • Abstract:
  • Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has emerged as one of the most influential psychological drivers in digital marketing, particularly among Generation Z consumers who spend considerable time on social media and online shopping platforms. This study investigates the impact of FOMO-based marketing strategies—including scarcity messages, limited-time offers, flash sales, influencer promotions, and social proof—on the purchasing decisions of Generation Z. A descriptive research design was adopted, and primary data were collected from 110 respondents through a structured questionnaire. Percentage analysis and Chi-square tests were employed to examine consumer responses toward scarcity marketing techniques. The findings reveal that although FOMO marketing increases consumer attention and encourages faster purchase decisions, most scarcity cues alone do not significantly alter purchasing behaviour. Consumers increasingly evaluate product quality, reviews, pricing, and authenticity before making purchase decisions. However, missing limited-time offers generates significantly different emotional reactions, suggesting that regret and opportunity loss remain powerful psychological motivators. The study concludes that FOMO marketing should be integrated with value-oriented and transparent marketing strategies rather than relying solely on urgency-based promotions. The findings contribute to consumer behaviour literature by providing insights into the psychological mechanisms influencing Generation Z purchasing behaviour in digital marketplaces.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{206656,
        author = {Dr.J.Vijimol},
        title = {The Psychology of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Marketing and Its Impact on Generation Z Purchase Decisions},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {2},
        pages = {2344-2347},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=206656},
        abstract = {Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has emerged as one of the most influential psychological drivers in digital marketing, particularly among Generation Z consumers who spend considerable time on social media and online shopping platforms. This study investigates the impact of FOMO-based marketing strategies—including scarcity messages, limited-time offers, flash sales, influencer promotions, and social proof—on the purchasing decisions of Generation Z. A descriptive research design was adopted, and primary data were collected from 110 respondents through a structured questionnaire. Percentage analysis and Chi-square tests were employed to examine consumer responses toward scarcity marketing techniques. The findings reveal that although FOMO marketing increases consumer attention and encourages faster purchase decisions, most scarcity cues alone do not significantly alter purchasing behaviour. Consumers increasingly evaluate product quality, reviews, pricing, and authenticity before making purchase decisions. However, missing limited-time offers generates significantly different emotional reactions, suggesting that regret and opportunity loss remain powerful psychological motivators. The study concludes that FOMO marketing should be integrated with value-oriented and transparent marketing strategies rather than relying solely on urgency-based promotions. The findings contribute to consumer behaviour literature by providing insights into the psychological mechanisms influencing Generation Z purchasing behaviour in digital marketplaces.},
        keywords = {Fear of Missing Out, FOMO Marketing, Generation Z, Consumer Behaviour, Digital Marketing, Purchase Decision, Social Media},
        month = {July},
        }

Cite This Article

Dr.J.Vijimol, (2026). The Psychology of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Marketing and Its Impact on Generation Z Purchase Decisions. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 13(2), 2344–2347.

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