Covid-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Product Diversity, Price, Word of Mouth, and Purchase Intention on Impulse Buying Tendency

This study examines the influence of product diversity, price, and word of mouth on impulse buying tendencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also explores the role of purchase intention as a mediator in this relationship. The research method employed is both descriptive and causal, with a quantitative approach and primary data collection through interviews, observations, and questionnaires. The sample population consists of consumers of Bluder Cokro Madiun, selected using purposive non-probability sampling. The study employs SEM using PLS to analyze the data and determine the mediating effect. The findings reveal that product diversity has no significant impact on purchase intention, while price and word of mouth have a positive and significant influence. Furthermore, purchase intention positively and significantly affects impulse buying tendencies. This study makes a significant contribution to the knowledge of consumer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research findings provide insights into how product diversity, price, and word of mouth affect consumers' impulse buying tendencies, and the role of purchase intention as a mediator. This study's findings are valuable for producers and marketers in formulating effective marketing strategies and pricing policies that align with consumer behavior during pandemics. Consumers can also benefit from this study by gaining a better understanding of how their purchase decisions are influenced by product diversity, price, and word of mouth, and their implications for impulse buying. Overall, this study has important practical implications for the marketing industry, particularly during times of crisis


Introduction
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia when everyone is forced for permanently active and work from house [1]. Activity that covers work, school, activities sell-buy, and activities other including shop [2]. The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the transition to a digital world, a change to be implicated period long along with the recovering global economy. The whole activity starts in March 2020 to the moment has restricted consequence plague The Covid-19 pandemic requires social distancing through Work from Home (WFH) [3]. Data that was launched by Organization Health World (WHO) (2021), states that Covid-19 has innovated to produce new virus variants that impact worse from year first. Besides that, the changing situation pandemic has brought other changes in the need and habits of online shopping [4].
Exists an enhancement need in the indicated community with Bank Indonesia increasing total consumers by 51% on August 2020. Besides it, the notes released by Exabytes show that total online shopping will increase by 38.3% in 2020 compared to 2019 and total the will increase by 120% in comparison with the month of February. 2019. This thing verifies that many people started to notice the use of online shopping [5]. Increase this pushed with progress application shop online like Shopee, Tokopedia, Lazada, and application other online shopping [6].
A shop is wrong one needs an in life, impulsive buying is something condition named an unplanned purchase purchasing which occurs outside of a consumer's purchase planning [7]. Impulse buying so to speak a sudden, defensive, and unplanned impulse to buy something indirectly, without much regard for the consequences [8]. Impulsive buying is defined as an act that was previously not consciously recognized as such results of a consideration or purchase intention formed before entering the shop. Meanwhile, purchasing Impulse is a purchase that occurs when consumers see a product or certain brand, then consumers are interested in getting it, usually because of stimulation in someone's urge to make a purchase [9].
Buying interest is part of a component of consumer behavior in consumer attitudes, and the tendency of respondents to act before buying decisions is implemented [10]. Because consumers are now smarter and more careful, and more demanding, can no longer be satisfied by simply presenting a tradeoff between price and product quality [11]. But they demand six things at once: high-quality products, reasonable prices with lenient payment terms and easy alternative payment methods, fast product delivery, specialized services, products that have a high degree of flexibility, and familiarity with the user [12].
Jurnal Informatika Ekonomi Bisnis − Vol. 5, Iss. 2 (2023) 514-521 515 An understanding of how consumers respond to company offers and choose and decide which products to buy is the key to success in achieving company goals [13]. Understanding consumers begins with understanding the needs and desires that become motivation [14]. Because understanding consumer motivation can predict the behavior that will be expressed by consumers so that marketers can design more appropriate stimuli so that in serving consumers, they will be better than their competitors [15]. Therefore, understanding consumer behavior, especially the variable needs, and desires of consumers as motivation is an absolute requirement for the success of the company [16].
Consumers tend to choose places that offer varied and complete products regarding the depth, breadth, and quality of the variety of goods offered by sellers [17]. All those things are done by the company so that there is an increase in the level of consumer purchases. Because there are various kinds of similar products offered by the company [18]. But we need to know that when consumers buy a product there are always factors that influence them in making a purchase decision [19]. One of them is the price factor because high and low prices are always the main concern of consumers when they are looking for a product. So that the price offered becomes a special consideration before they decide to buy goods or use a service. So pricing is very influential on the sales and marketing of products offered [20].
In the marketing process product, is not free from promotion. Promotion is a strategy used by companies to notify or offer goods or services to attract potential customers to buy or consume them. With the promotion of producers expect an increase in sales. Good promotions naturally will help expand information to reach the consumer in a manner evenly, and vice versa if the promotion is not enough interesting so information will be difficult to spread among consumers. States word of mouth can affect purchase intention. One dimension of promotion is the word of mouth which is used to promote widely by word of mouth.
Word of mouth is information about a product that is passed on from one individual to another. The process of communication that most often occurs between humans is through word of mouth. Everyone talks and exchanges information about a product with other people all the time. Word of mouth sometimes someone speaks positively of a product and sometimes can also speak negatively. Most of the potential customers get information based on the people around them, such as consumers who have used the product or from those closest to them, this has the effect of word of mouth which is more reliable because it comes from sources that are not bound by a particular company compared to more formal marketing channels.
Impact of the Covid-19 outbreak throughout the world including the City of Madiun, in the City of Madiun there are small gifts in particular form brem, seasoning pecel, honey mongso, and plate and there is once again a new culinary that is popular and has become an icon lately as a souvenir characteristic of the City of Madiun that is Bluder Cokro Bread. Bluder Bread is bread that has a distinctive Dutch colonial taste the past. The Cockroach Bluder Bread Factory is located on Jalan Cokroaminoto 36 Madiun. It is in front of the Pawnshop Office Madiun. Bluder Cokro already existed since August 19, 1889. The taste is legit and delicious, and the practical packaging is very suitable for souvenirs. Slowly but surely, the delicacy of this cake which is claimed to be without preservatives is becoming widely known. The company opened several outlets outside the city. Among them in Ngawi, Ponorogo, Caruban, Madiun, Magetan and Surabaya. Now connoisseur Bluder penetrates outside Java, including Makassar and Martapura. To make it easier to carry, the packaging is designed in a paper bag with Bluder order address Cokro selling sweets on the market with affected by Covid-19 souvenirs typical Madiun can be purchased through online marketplaces.
Research on product diversity, price, WOM, intention buy, and trend purchase impulsively until now is still a concern of researchers. Title "influence price and quality product to interest buy the community (MSMEs Know in the Village Sambong)" states that price has a partial effect on purchase intention, but it is different price does not affect purchase intention. Besides that, diverse products also have been scrutinized states diversity products are influential and significant to interest buy consumers, diversity products do not influence to interest buy.
Product Diversity is the availability of all types of products offered for purchase by consumers. This product diversity makes it easier for consumers to choose and buy various kinds of products according to their wishes. Diversity Product has a significant effect on consumer buying interest, but it is different states that product diversity does not affect purchase intention. Based on the theoretical study and the results of previous research, the hypothesis proposed is H1 is Product Diversity has a positive effect on Purchase Intention.
Price proved to be one of the factors that influence intention states that price is the sum of all values measured by consumers for the benefits of having or using the product or service. Determining the right price according to market prices or even daring to play a price slightly lower than market prices will influence consumers in buying a product. It states that price has a partial effect on purchase intention, however, it is different states that price does not affect purchase intention. Based on the theoretical study and the results of previous research, the hypothesis proposed is H2 Price has a positive effect on Purchase Intention.

Word of Mouth
Marketing is communication about a product between people who are considered independent from the company. which provides the product. These communications are conducted in a medium that will be deemed independent of the company. This communication can be a conversation or just a one-way testimonial. For example, speaking directly, by telephone, email, group lists, or other means of communication. Word of Mouth (WOM) has a significant effect on Purchase Intention. Based on the theoretical study and the results of previous research, the hypothesis proposed is H3 Word of Mouth has a positive impact on Purchase Intention. Impulse buying is defined as buying actions that were previously unconscious consciously because of consideration, or purchase intentions that are formed before entering the shop. Impulse buying occurs when a consumer makes a sudden purchase decision, before an impulsive purchase occurs, there must be an intention to buy it. Purchase intention acts as a mediation between the independent and dependent variables. Based on the theoretical study and the results of previous research, the hypothesis proposed is H4 Purchase Intention has a positive impact on Impulsive Buying Tendency. Next is research framework shown in Figure 1. Based on the framework Figure 1, it can be explained that product diversity (X 1 ) is thought to influence purchase intention (Y), this conjecture is called hypothesis 1 (H 1 ). Price (X 2 ) is thought to influence purchase intention (Z), this assumption is called hypothesis 2 (H 2 ). Word of mouth (X 3 ) is expected to affect purchase intention (Z), this conjecture is called hypothesis 3 (H 3 ). Purchase intention (Z) is thought to influence impulsive buying tendency (Y), this assumption is called hypothesis 4 (H 4 ).

Research Method
This research uses descriptive and causal research with a quantitative approach. Descriptive research is research that is directed at solving problems by explaining or describing what the results of the research are. Causal research is a type of research in which there is a causal relationship between the independent variables (variables that are influenced) and the dependent (variables that are influenced). The type of data used in this research is primary data. Primary data is data collected by researchers directly from the main data source. Primary data in this study were obtained from interviews, observations, and questionnaires to obtain information about the effect of product diversity, prices, and word-of-mouth on impulse-buying tendencies on Bluder Cokro in Madiun City.
This study has a population that is too large and cannot be known with certainty, so the number of samples is unknown, so the researchers chose the sampling method to be used in this study, namely the nonprobability sampling method. The sampling technique which does not provide the same opportunity for every member of the population to be selected as a member of the sample. The non-probability sampling method used in this study is purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is a sampling technique with certain considerations. The number of samples used is 100 respondents. The purposive sampling criteria in this study were respondents who had bought Bluder Cokro Madiun. This study uses SEM (Structural Equation Model) based on the PLS (Partial Least Squares) technique using SmartPLS software, to provide a mediating effect. The validity test, trust test, and test multicollinearity are used to evaluate the measurement Model (Outer Model). The inner model specifies the causal relationship between latent variables. The coefficient of determination (R2) and Goodness of Fit is used to evaluate this model.

Result and Discussion
Description of sex characteristic served on Table 1. From Table 1 above it can be seen that the collected sample of 100 respondents was divided into 2 sex groups. Respondents with male sex totaled 34 people (34%) and women totaled 66 people (66%). Next description of age characteristics served on Table 2. groups. Respondents aged 17-21 years were 8 people (8%), aged 22-26 years were 61 people (61%), aged 27-31 years were 9 people (9%), and ages >31 years were 22 people (22%). Next description of state characteristics served on Table 3. From Table 3 above it can be seen that the collected sample of 100 respondents was divided into 2 status groups. Respondents with single status were 71 people (71%) and respondents with married status were 29 people (29%). Next description of job characteristic served on Table 4. From Table 4 above it can be seen that the collected sample of 100 respondents was divided into 9 age groups. Respondents with BUMN jobs were 2 people (2%), Freelance jobs were 3 people (3%), IRT jobs were 4 people (4%), Honorary Employee jobs were 1 person (1%), Private jobs were 27 people (27%), Students/Students totaled 34 people (34%), PNS/Government totaled 11 people (11%), Police jobs totaled 2 people (2%), and Entrepreneurs totaled 17 people (17%). Next description characteristics salary/pocket money served on Table 5. From Table 5 above it can be seen that the collected sample of 100 respondents was divided into 4 salary/pocket money groups. Respondents with a salary/allowance of 1,000,000-2,000,000 totaled 45 people (45%), a salary/allowance of 2,000,000-3,000,000 totaled 21 (21%), a salary/allowance of 3,000,000 totaled 8 people (8%), and >4,000,000 totaling 26 people (26%). Next outer model shown in Figure 2.    Table 9. The purpose of this multicollinearity test is to determine the multicollinearity between variables by looking at the correlation values between the independent variables. The criterion that applies to the multicollinearity test is if the VIF (Variance Inflation Factor) value is <10, which means that the regression model is free from multicollinearity. Next R-Squares served on Table 10.   Based on table 11, a Q-square value that is greater than 0 indicates that the model is predictively relevant. Next inner model shown in Figure 3. This direct effect uses the t-test which aims to determine the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable partially. This hypothesis can be accepted if the P Values < 0.05. In testing the hypothesis it can be said to be significant if the tstatistic value is greater than 1.96, whereas if the tstatistic value is less than 1.96 then it is considered insignificant. Next direct effects served on Table 12. Price has a positive and significant impact on Purchase Intention, so this hypothesis is accepted. Price proved to be one of the factors that influence intention. Price is the sum of all values measured by consumers for the benefits of having or using the product or service. Determining the right price according to market prices or even online to play a price slightly lower than market prices will influence consumers in buying a product. Price has a partial effect on purchase intention, however, price does not affect purchase intention.
The Effect of Word of Mouth on Purchase Intention. Based on the results of the analysis in this study, proves that Word of Mouth affects purchase intention. Based on the results obtained, the P-values were 0.000 <0.05, this proves that Word of Mouth has a positive and significant impact on Purchase Intention, so this hypothesis is accepted. Word of Mouth Marketing is communication about a product between people who are considered independent from the company. which provides the product. These communications are conducted in a medium that will be deemed independent of the company. This communication can be a conversation or just a one-way testimonial. For example, speaking directly, by telephone, email, group lists, or other means of communication. Word-of-Mouth Communication (WOM) is a communication process in the form of providing recommendations both individually and in groups for a product or service that aims to provide personal information. Word of Mouth (WOM) has a significant effect on Purchase Intention.
The Influence of Purchase Intention on Impulse Buying Tendency. Based on the results of the analysis in this study, proves that Purchase Intention influences Impulse Buying Tendency. Based on the results obtained, P-values are 0.000 < 0.05, this proves that Purchase Intention has a positive and significant impact on Impulse Buying Tendency, so this hypothesis is accepted. Impulse buying is defined as buying actions that were previously unconscious consciously because of consideration, or purchase intentions that were formed before entering a shop. Impulse buying occurs when a consumer makes a sudden purchase decision, before an impulsive purchase occurs, there must be an intention to buy it. Purchase intention acts as a mediation between the independent and dependent variables.

Conclusion
This study aims to determine the impact of product diversity, price, and word of mouth on impulse buying tendencies with purchase intention as an intervening variable during the covid-19 pandemic, based on the results of the research that has been carried out and data analysis as explained in the previous chapter, the following are the conclusions from the results of the study as follows product Diversity has no impact on purchase intention. Price has a positive and significant on purchase intention. Word of mouth has a positive and significant on purchase intention. Purchase intention has a positive and significant on Impulse buying tendency.