THE INFLUENCE OF PRODUCT QUALITY AND VIRALITY ON OVERCONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR IN SONNY ANGEL PRODUCTS, WITH FoMO AS A MEDIATING VARIABLE

Abstract

This research investigatesthe influence of product quality and virality on overconsumption behavior of Sonny Angel products, with Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) as a mediating variable. The study is theoretically based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), supported by the Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) approach. Using a quantitative method with a sample of 220 respondents from Generation Z who have purchased Sonny Angel products, the data were collected through structured online questionnaires and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that product quality and virality do not significantly influence FoMO, while FoMO significantly affects overconsumption behavior. Furthermore, neither product quality nor virality directly affects overconsumption behavior, and FoMO was not proven to mediate these relationships. This highlights that emotional and social factors, rather than product attributes or exposure alone, play a more dominant role in driving excessive consumption among Gen Z. Future research is recommended to explore other mediating variables such as social comparison or peer pressure, use more diverse samples, and apply mixed methods to provide a deeper understanding of consumption behavior in the digital era. These findings also provide practical insights for marketers to design ethical strategies that balance psychological appeal with sustainable consumer practices.