The E-Commerce Experience Trap: Psychological Effects of Online Shopping on Generation Z

The emergence of e-commerce platforms has largely changed the level of consumer buying behavior especially the generation Z consumers who are heavily concentrated in the digital world. Interactive capabilities, which have been actively used on online shopping platforms in recent years, are personalized recommendations, influencer marketing, flash sales, and targeted advertisements, to increase user engagement and output buying. Although these solutions enhance convenience and accessibility, they can also form what can be termed as the E-Commerce Experience Trap where consumers fall into a psychological trap of being driven by design and persuasion mechanism of online shopping settings. In this review paper, the psychological impacts of online shopping on Generation Z are analyzed considering the critical factors driving this phenomenon, which include emotional triggers, fear of missing out (FOMO), social proof, personalization algorithm, and instant gratification. Other aspects examined in the study include the impact of social media and influencer marketing on consumer decision-making. Through synthesis of the available literature, the review points out the opportunities and threats linked to immersive e-commerce experiences and stresses on the necessity of responsible digital marketing and enhanced consumer awareness.