Streamers and viewers in live-streaming e-commerce: a social learning perspective

Abstract

Purpose The prevalence of live-streaming e-commerce leads to massive impulse purchases. Based on social learning theory, this study proposes a research model to explore the effect of streamers and viewers on impulsive buying by influencing consumers’ certainty perception. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a questionnaire (N = 285) to collect data and conducts a partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis to examine our research hypotheses. Findings Our results indicate that streamers and viewers improve product demand certainty and product quality certainty, but their effects on streamer quality certainty vary. In addition, product quality certainty is positively associated with impulsive buying, whereas streamer quality certainty and product demand certainty show a negative effect. Streamers can only drive impulse purchases by increasing product quality certainty, but the influence of viewers on consumers’ impulsive buying is fully mediated by product quality certainty and streamer quality certainty. Originality/value Our findings contribute to the literature on live-streaming e-commerce (LSE) by identifying the differential effects of streamers and viewers on impulsive buying. In addition, we broaden the area of certainty research in the LSE field to include product quality certainty, streamer quality certainty and product demand certainty and evaluate these certainty aspects as three psychological mechanisms that drive consumers’ impulse purchases.

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