ANALYSIS THE INFLUENCE FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO) AND ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-MOUTH (E-WOM) ON CAFE VISITATION DECISIONS IN PALANGKA RAYA CITY

Abstract

The phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) has become a significant characteristic in the consumption behavior of Generation Z, particularly concerning social trends on media. This research aims to analyze and test the influence of FoMO and Electronic Word-of-Mouth (e-WOM) on social media towards consumer Visitation Decisions, with Self-Presentation as a mediating variable, at trending cafes in Palangka Raya City. This quantitative study uses the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach and involves 80 Gen Z and Millennial respondents in Palangka Raya who are active on social media and have visited trendy cafes. Data was collected through questionnaires distributed online. The results show that both FoMO and e-WOM have a positive and significant influence on Visitation Decisions. Furthermore, Self-Presentation (the need to display an up-to-date and appealing self-image on social media) is proven to significantly mediate the relationship between FoMO and Visitation Decisions. This means that the drive of FoMO does not only encourage direct visits but is also strengthened by the individual's desire to validate and showcase their social existence at the cafe.The managerial implications of this research emphasize the importance for cafes in Palangka Raya to not only focus on physical aesthetics but also to strategically manage e-WOM content and leverage the psychological elements of FoMO and the need for Self-Presentation through social media campaigns that encourage attractive user-generated content (UGC).