The Role of Anchoring Heuristics in Shaping Online Purchase Decisions among Generation Z Shoppers
Keywords:
Anchoring heuristics, Generation Z, Online purchase decisions, Reference price, E-commerceAbstract
Purpose – This study examines the role of anchoring heuristics in shaping online purchase decisions among Generation Z shoppers in Indonesia. It focuses on initial displayed prices, crossed-out original prices, discount percentages, comparison prices, sales-volume information, and limited-time promotional cues.
Methodology – A quantitative explanatory design with a cross-sectional survey was applied. Data were collected from 250 Generation Z consumers selected through purposive sampling. The instrument used a five-point Likert scale and was assessed through item validity, exploratory factor analysis, and Cronbach’s alpha. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 29.
Findings – Anchoring heuristics were positively associated with online purchase decisions. The regression result was statistically significant, with a standardized coefficient of 0.617 and a significance value below 0.001. Anchoring heuristics explained 38.1% of the observed variance in online purchase-decision scores. Crossed-out original prices and discount percentages were the most prominent anchoring cues.
Implications – Online retailers should use accurate and verifiable reference prices. E-commerce platforms should prevent inflated original prices and misleading discount claims to protect consumer trust.
Originality – This study explains Generation Z online purchase decisions through a behavioral pricing perspective by treating anchoring as a cognitive mechanism rather than solely as a promotional strategy.
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