Unveiling impulsive buying behavior in Vietnam's booming blind box market: From excitement to post-purchase regret

Abstract

Research Purpose: Despite the global popularity of blind boxes, most studies focus on purchasing behavior and sales strategies, neglecting post-purchase emotions like regret. This is especially relevant in Vietnam, where blind boxes are costly relative to average incomes but highly popular among young consumers. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of perceived quality, aesthetics, novelty, entertainment, surprise, and store atmosphere on purchase intention, curiosity, impulsive buying, and subsequent regret. It aims to provide insights into consumer behavior unique to Vietnam. Scientific Research Method: Data were collected from 367 respondents aged 18–35 who had purchased blind boxes at least four times via an online structured questionnaire. SPSS was used for Cronbach’s alpha and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), while AMOS was applied for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the research framework and hypotheses. Research Result: Perceived entertainment, surprise, and aesthetics are the key drivers of purchase intention and curiosity, significantly influencing impulsive buying behavior. Among these, the unboxing experience (perceived entertainment) ranked highest in importance. Other factors, such as perceived quality, store atmosphere, and novelty, showed weaker effects. Furthermore, impulsive buying behavior was found to directly lead to post-purchase regret, emphasizing the emotional consequences associated with impulsive purchases in this market. Conclusion: The study contributes to impulsive buying literature by emphasizing the emotional factors in the blind box market and identifying regret as a characteristic of this segment. Practical recommendations include enhancing the unboxing experience and visual appeal to boost sales. Future research should explore moderators like price awareness and trend duration to deepen understanding of consumer decisions in this dynamic market.