DECISION POSTPONEMENT IN ONLINE FASHION PURCHASES: THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION OVERLOAD

Abstract

In the digital era, the high penetration of internet and e-commerce platforms has reshaped consumer behavior, particularly in the fashion industry. Despite the increasing accessibility of information, consumers often experience decision postponement — a behavior of delaying purchase decisions — as a result of excessive information exposure. This study aims to examine the influence of information overload on consumer confusion, decision difficulty, and decision postponement, as well as the impact of consumer confusion and decision difficulty on decision postponement in the context of online fashion shopping. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 138 respondents who had experience purchasing fashion products online and had postponed a purchase within the last three months. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with the SmartPLS 4.1.1.2 software. The results show that information overload has a significant effect on both consumer confusion and decision difficulty, which in turn influence decision postponement. The findings provide valuable insights for fashion SMEs in understanding consumer behavior and formulating more effective digital marketing strategies