CAPITALIZING ON URGENCY: THE ROLE OF PERSONAL SHOPPING SERVICES (JASTIP) AND INFLUENCERS IN CONSTRUCTING FOMO IN BANGKOK FASHION PRODUCTS

Abstract

The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) phenomenon has become a significant driver of the modern retail industry, especially for trending imported products like Bangkok fashion, known for its rapid trend cycles and unique designs. This research aims to deeply analyze the digital marketing strategy orchestrated by Personal Shopping Services (Jastip) and Influencers to deliberately create and capitalize on FOMO among Indonesian consumers. Employing digital ethnography and qualitative content analysis on Instagram Stories and TikTok Live shopping sessions, this study examines how the mechanism of artificial scarcity is systematically exploited. Tactics such as "limited PO slots," "fast transaction only," and "exclusive live shopping" create psychological pressure for quick decision-making. The main findings show that Jastip services do not only act as passive purchasing intermediaries; they actively function as trend curators who shape market tastes while simultaneously becoming the main trigger of urgency. Strategic collaboration with micro- influencers who present the products as an integral part of the "latest," "aesthetic," and "up- to-date" lifestyle is proven highly effective, reinforcing the perception of the product as a must-have item essential for social validation. Haul and try-on reviews on social media then create a wave of secondary social pressure, forcing individuals to acquire the product immediately before the trend shifts or stock runs out. This collectively constructed FOMO successfully shifts consumer purchasing behavior from one based on rational needs to one driven by emotional impulse. Consumers ultimately no longer buy the product’s function or quality alone, but essentially buy a "ticket" to enter an exclusive and socially validated trend community. This abstract concludes that in the Bangkok fashion product ecosystem, FOMO is not an unintended side effect but has become a core strategy deliberately designed and executed by Jastip players to accelerate sales cycles in a highly competitive market landscape.