Unpacking Sustainable E-Commerce in Indonesia: The Role of Perceived Effectiveness, Economic Benefits, and Pandemic Fear

Novita, Dian; Handriana, Tanti; Mardhiyah, Dien; Permatas Sari, Berlintina; Ayu Novita Junianto, Prima

doi:10.22059/ijms.2026.387799.677272

Unpacking Sustainable E-Commerce in Indonesia: The Role of Perceived Effectiveness, Economic Benefits, and Pandemic Fear

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Dian Novita ¹

Tanti Handriana ²

Dien Mardhiyah ³

Berlintina Permatas Sari ⁴

Prima Ayu Novita Junianto ⁵

¹ Department of Management, Economics and business Faculty, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia

² Department of Management, Economic and business Faculty, Universitas Airkangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.

³ Department of Management, Economic and business faculty, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.

⁴ Department of Management, Economics and Business Faculty, Universitas Teknokrat Indonesia. Bandar Lampung, Indonesia

⁵ Department of Management, Economics and Business Faculty, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya Indonesia

10.22059/ijms.2026.387799.677272

Abstract

Consumer increasingly shifted to online platform during pandemic Covid-19. Thus, business must adjust themselves update with the alter demand to keep their business sustained. It aims to investigate the role of perceived effectiveness of e-commerce platforms (PEEP), regarding pandemic fear as moderating variable in encouraging sustainable consumption during the pandemic, in Indonesia. A great number of previous studies have explored e-commerce but limited research has examined how PEEP influences sustainable consumption through economic benefits (EB) under external pressure, such a pandemic fear (PF) in developing country. To address this gap, it applies Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) to explain the mechanisms behind sustainable consumption through e-commerce platforms in particularly in developing country such as Indonesia. It applied qualitative method with online survey used for collecting 330 responses. Data analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings discovered that economic benefits positively mediate the relationship between PEEP and sustainable consumption. Nevertheless, pandemic fear does not moderate this relationship. It recommended that logical factors seem overbalance emotional concerns in formed sustainable online behavior. Extending UGT to the digital sustainability context, the study provide practical contributions for e-commerce platform and policymakers seeking to promote sustainable consumer engagement

Keywords

Economic benefits

e-commerce platforms

perceived effectiveness

sustainable consumption

pandemic fear

Subjects