The influence of personalised product recommendations on purchase intention: a theoretical synthesis based on self-determination theory

Although AI-driven personalised recommendations are popular for their perceived usefulness, their impact on consumers' psychology and behaviour has yet to be understood. Also, it remains unclear how these recommendations affect consumer motivation and influence purchase intentions on online shopping platforms, leaving a gap in the research knowledge. Hence, to explain consumer motivation and its impact on consumer purchase intention, this study adopts the self-determination theory (SDT), cognitive evaluation theory (CET), and basic psychological needs theory (BPNT) and has built a theoretical model to bridge this academic gap. This research contributed to the empirical literature by broadening the SDT research paradigm to identify exceptionally personalised recommendations that influence motivation and behaviour intentions. Researchers found that intrinsic motivation positively affects a sense of enjoyment and facilitates people's psychological needs, which affects the willingness of consumers to purchase online. The study's findings will help academics better understand how psychological needs are addressed in online purchasing and how personalised product recommendation motivates the individual toward purchase intention.