Impulse by Design: How UI/UX and Psychological Cues Drive Consumer Impulse Buying on Food Delivery Platforms

Abstract

This research endeavours to understand how purchase behaviours of consumers using food delivery applications are influenced by psychological cues and design characteristics. These applications are often preferred by consumers for their convenience, but also utilise various features that can manipulate how customers will make decisions to order through subtle means. The goal of this research study is to identify the features in these applications that have an effect on the consumer's behaviour while ordering. The study will identify the specific UI/UX elements (e.g., discounts, pictures, recommendations, and time-limited offers) that primarily affect impulse purchases for the consumer. It will also examine the ways in which the user utilises those specific elements and how decisions are made while navigating through the application. Furthermore, the project will examine the influence of the consumer's context (mood, hunger, and lack of predefined intention) as well as other factors on their purchasing impulse. An additional key goal of the study will be assessing variations across platforms in these design principles as well as users' perception of those differences on effectiveness. Through multiple research designs, the study will examine behavioural patterns as well as participants’ thought patterns that underlie their behaviour. Essentially the research is conducted to gain further insight into how the digital landscape affects consumer behaviour, and how design may impact consumers' decision making often without the user’s conscious knowledge.