From Pleasure to Purchase: Impulse Buying and Financial Capability in Mobile Wallet Usage

This study examines how perceived enjoyment influences impulsive buying in the context of mobile wallet usage, extending the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework by introducing financial capability as a moderating construct. Survey data from 215 Generation Y consumers in a European digital market were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that perceived enjoyment significantly mediates the effects of interactivity, visual appeal, transaction convenience, and subjective norms on impulsive buying behavior. Among these antecedents, transaction convenience and visual appeal emerged as the strongest predictors of enjoyment. Moreover, financial capability strengthens the enjoyment–impulse link, suggesting that consumers with higher financial literacy and confidence are more likely to translate digital pleasure into spontaneous purchases. By integrating hedonic and financial factors, this research contributes to digital consumer behavior theory by clarifying the emotional mechanisms that drive impulse buying in fintech environments. The study also provides actionable insights for fintech providers and marketers seeking to balance engaging design with responsible financial behavior.