Exploring Sensory Marketing in E-Commerce: The Role of Visual and Auditory Cues on Customer Engagement and Purchase Intention

Ika Susilawati, Ika Susilawati, Sri Murni Setyawati, Nur Choirul Afif

Abstract


Objective: This study aims to examine the role of visual cues and auditory cues as part of sensory marketing strategies in influencing customer engagement and purchase intention among Indonesian e-commerce consumers.
Methodology: A quantitative explanatory research design was employed. Data were collected through an online survey of 310 active e-commerce users in East Java. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) via SmartPLS.
Finding: The results indicate that visual cues significantly affect purchase intention both directly and indirectly through customer engagement. In contrast, auditory cues do not have a significant direct effect but demonstrate a significant indirect influence through engagement. This highlights engagement as a key psychological mechanism linking sensory marketing to purchase intention.
Conclusion: The study extends the application of the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework and sensory marketing literature in the digital context of emerging markets. Practically, it provides strategic implications for e-commerce platforms to prioritize visual quality while leveraging auditory elements as emotional enhancers, thereby strengthening consumer engagement and fostering purchase intentions through enhanced customer engagement.


Keywords


Sensory Marketing; Visual Cues; Auditory Cues; Customer Engagement; Purchase Intention

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22441/jurnal_mix.2026.v16i1.004

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