The Impact of Online Behavioral Advertising on Consumer Attitude and Impulse Buying: The Moderating Role of Privacy Concerns

Online Behavioral Advertising (OBA), a recently emerging format of internet advertising, targets users based on their past online behaviors. This study examines the impact of OBA on consumer attitudes and impulse buying behavior, while exploring the moderating influence of privacy concerns, a crucial factor given that OBA relies on personal data collection. To test our conceptual model, we conducted surveys in Korea and France, to further analyze the potential cultural distinctions. Our findings, derived from a series of linear regression models, reveal that OBA significantly affects consumers’ impulse buying, with this effect mediated by consumers’ attitudes toward OBA. Moreover, consumers’ privacy concerns weaken the positive effect of OBA on attitudes. Notably, we observe significant cultural differences, with these effects primarily manifesting in the Korean sample. Our study provides valuable insights for creating effective online advertising strategies that contribute to consumers’ purchase funnel, ultimately leading to purchases, while addressing privacy concerns and cultural variations.