Indonesia's rapid digital transformation has significantly changed consumer behavior over the past decade. The widespread availability of smartphones and affordable internet access has encouraged millions of Indonesians to shift from traditional shopping to online marketplaces. Among the country's leading e-commerce platforms, Shopee has become particularly popular with Generation Z, a demographic born between 1997 and 2012 that has grown up alongside digital technology.
In Surabaya, one of Indonesia's largest metropolitan cities, Shopee has become the preferred online shopping platform for many young consumers. Attractive promotional campaigns, free shipping, cashback offers, flash sales, and integrated digital payment systems have made online shopping increasingly convenient. However, these same features have also raised questions about what truly motivates Generation Z to make purchasing decisions in the digital marketplace.
To answer this question, Lina Amelina and Nina Triolita explored the shopping experiences of Generation Z users through the lens of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), a widely recognized behavioral framework developed by psychologist Icek Ajzen. Rather than focusing solely on prices or promotions, the theory explains consumer behavior through three major psychological dimensions: attitudes toward behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control.
The researchers employed a qualitative descriptive approach involving Generation Z consumers aged 18 to 25 years who actively use Shopee and had made at least three online purchases during the previous six months. Participants were selected using purposive sampling from several polytechnic campuses in Surabaya. Data were collected through interviews, observations, documentation, and supporting questionnaires before being analyzed using the Miles and Huberman qualitative analysis model.
The findings reveal that three interconnected factors consistently shape Generation Z's purchasing decisions on Shopee.
The first is attitude toward behavior. Most respondents viewed Shopee positively because the platform offers convenience, competitive prices, a wide variety of products, and attractive promotional programs. These benefits encourage users to perceive online shopping as practical, efficient, and worthwhile. Positive experiences increase their intention to continue shopping through the application.
The second factor is subjective norms, or social influence. Family members, friends, influencers, online reviews, and social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook strongly affect purchasing decisions. Before buying products, many respondents first seek recommendations or observe other consumers' experiences, showing that social approval remains an important driver of online shopping behavior.
The third and most influential factor is perceived behavioral control. Respondents emphasized that Shopee's easy navigation, multiple payment methods, simple checkout process, and convenient order tracking gave them greater confidence in completing online transactions. When consumers believe they have full control over the shopping process, they are much more likely to proceed with purchases.
Beyond these three TPB components, the study identified several practical factors that reinforce purchasing behavior among Generation Z.
Key observations include:
- Free shipping, cashback, discount vouchers, flash sales, and Shopee Live encourage users to browse the application frequently, even when they do not initially intend to buy anything.
- Social media platforms significantly influence product discovery before purchases are made.
- Customer reviews and product ratings are trusted more than seller advertisements.
- Flexible payment options, including ShopeePay, QRIS, bank transfers, and Cash on Delivery (COD), increase user confidence.
- Easy access through smartphones makes online shopping faster and more practical than visiting physical stores.
Interestingly, the research also highlights the growing tendency toward impulse buying among Generation Z. Many respondents admitted purchasing products because they were attracted by promotional campaigns such as 9.9, 10.10, 11.11, and 12.12 shopping festivals rather than genuine needs. Digital promotions and continuous exposure to social media content often trigger spontaneous purchases that consumers had not originally planned.
According to Lina Amelina and Nina Triolita from NSC Polytechnic Surabaya, these findings demonstrate that the Theory of Planned Behavior remains highly relevant for explaining consumer behavior in today's digital economy. Positive attitudes toward online shopping, encouragement from the social environment, and confidence in using technology collectively shape consumers' purchase intentions and ultimately determine whether they complete transactions through Shopee.
The study also provides practical recommendations for several stakeholders. Shopee and other e-commerce platforms are encouraged to continue improving application usability, transaction security, and customer experience while designing promotional strategies that support more responsible purchasing behavior. Generation Z consumers are advised to make purchasing decisions more carefully by considering actual needs, product usefulness, and personal financial conditions before responding to promotional campaigns. Meanwhile, future researchers are encouraged to expand the study using larger samples and additional variables such as trust, electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM), digital promotion, live shopping, and impulse buying behavior to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of digital consumer behavior.
As Indonesia's digital economy continues to expand, understanding the motivations behind online purchasing decisions becomes increasingly important. This study offers valuable evidence that successful e-commerce platforms are built not only on attractive prices but also on positive user experiences, social trust, and intuitive technology. These insights can help businesses develop more sustainable digital marketing strategies while encouraging consumers to make smarter purchasing decisions in an increasingly connected world.
Author Profile
Lina Amelina and Nina Triolita are researchers from NSC Polytechnic Surabaya whose academic interests include digital marketing, consumer behavior, e-commerce, and business management. Their research focuses on understanding how psychological, technological, and social factors influence purchasing decisions among Generation Z in Indonesia's rapidly growing digital marketplace.
Research Source
Article Title: Planned Behavior (TPB) Theory: Analysis of Gen Z Purchase Decisions Through the Shopee Application in Surabaya
Authors: Lina Amelina, Nina Triolita
Affiliation: NSC Polytechnic Surabaya
Journal: International Journal of Applied and Scientific Research (IJASR)
Volume & Issue: Vol. 4, No. 4 (2026), pp. 219–232
0 Komentar