Personalization - Privacy Paradoxes: The Personalized Advertising Privacy Calculus and Behavioral Intentions of Generation Z Consumers in Online Stores

Purpose: This study investigates the personalization–privacy paradox and its influence on the behavioral intentions of Generation Z consumers. Specifically, it examines how personalized marketing affects consumers’ perceptions of the benefits and threats of sharing personal information, as well as the role of privacy concerns in shaping their behavioral responses.Method: The study population consisted of students at Urmia University aged between ۱۸ and ۲۷ years. Based on Cochran’s formula, a sample of ۳۸۴ participants was selected. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. The research model and hypotheses were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach with SPSS and SmartPLS software.Findings: The results revealed that personalization has a significant positive effect on consumers’ behavioral intentions, including purchase intention and viral behavioral intention. Personalization was also found to significantly influence consumers’ perceptions of both the benefits and threats associated with sharing personal information. Perceived benefits positively affected the perceived value of information disclosure, whereas perceived threats had a negative effect on this value. Furthermore, the perceived value of information disclosure significantly enhanced consumers’ behavioral intentions. The findings also indicated that privacy concerns negatively moderate the relationship between the perceived value of information disclosure and behavioral intentions.Conclusion: The findings suggest that while personalized marketing can effectively enhance Generation Z consumers’ behavioral intentions, its success depends on managing the privacy concerns associated with personal data disclosure. Therefore, marketers should develop personalization strategies that maximize perceived benefits while minimizing privacy-related concerns to foster positive consumer responses.

کلیدواژه ها:

Online Privacy ، Data Disclosure ، Targeted Advertising ، Digital Consumer Trust ، Young Consumers