Small firms, big streams: How the characteristics of SMEs impact live streaming commerce performance

Jaunghyun Hwang, Donggeun Kim, Alex Jiyoung Kim and Junghwan Kim

Telecommunications Policy, 2026, vol. 50, issue 1

Abstract: This study investigates the adoption of live streaming commerce among small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea. While most previous research has focused on consumer perceptions, such as the intention to watch live streaming and buy products, this research examines SME seller issues, focusing on SMEs' adoption of live streaming commerce and the resulting changes in their sales. We analyzed actual sales data from 32 SMEs with no prior live streaming commerce experience to compare SME performance before and after the adoption of live streaming commerce and find that performance metrics such as the number of buyers, the number of payments, revenue, and the number of items sold all increased significantly after the adoption of live streaming commerce. These findings highlight the potential of live streaming commerce to enhance SME performance and suggest the effectiveness of live streaming commerce in strengthening SMEs’ digital marketing capabilities. We conclude by providing policy implications for SMEs and regulatory organizations regarding how they can effectively implement live streaming commerce.

Keywords: Live streaming commerce; Digital transformation; Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs); Naver smart store; Dynamic capability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2025.103085

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