Work

Technological innovations in online travel agencies: How chatbots and blockchain influence tourists' impulse buying behavior

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates the mechanisms through which perceived chatbot interaction quality and blockchain affordances drive tourists' impulse buying behavior in online travel agencies (OTAs). Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, we propose and empirically test a model in which these two technological stimuli influence impulse buying both directly and indirectly through three psychological mediators: fear of missing out (FoMO), trust, and curiosity. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), we analyzed data from 388 university students and recent graduates in tourism-related disciplines in Iran who regularly use OTAs. Results reveal that both perceived chatbot interaction quality (β = 0.423, p < 0.001) and blockchain affordances (β = 0.569, p < 0.001) exert strong direct effects on impulse buying while also significantly stimulating FoMO, trust, and curiosity. FoMO (β = 0.549) and trust (β = 0.432) emerge as the strongest mediators, whereas curiosity affects impulse buying directly but does not significantly mediate through trust. The model explains 52.7 % of the variance in impulse buying behavior. Theoretically, the study extends the S-O-R framework by integrating two emerging technologies and multiple psychological pathways in a tourism context. Practically, it offers actionable guidelines for OTAs to design chatbot interactions and blockchain-enabled features that amplify urgency, credibility, and engagement to stimulate spontaneous bookings.

Source: Acta Psychologica

DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.106081

Authors: Sajad Ferdowsi, Erfan Moradi

Institutions: University of Tehran, Tarbiat Modares University

Language: English

Topic: AI in Service Interactions

Subfield: Artificial Intelligence

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,670

Funder: Iran National Science Foundation