Unveiling the relationship between virtual streamer characteristics and consumer purchase intention in live streaming commerce: Insights from source credibility perspective

Ri Na, Anan Hu (), Qingfeng Zeng, Ruyi Ge and Ruohong Hao
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Ri Na: Faculty of Business Information, Shanghai Business School
Anan Hu: Fudan University
Qingfeng Zeng: Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
Ruyi Ge: Faculty of Business Information, Shanghai Business School
Ruohong Hao: Tongji University

Electronic Markets, 2025, vol. 35, issue 1, No 68, 21 pages

Abstract: Abstract As a novel business phenomenon, virtual streamers are increasingly employed to promote consumer purchases in live streaming commerce. However, few scholars have focused on how virtual streamers influence consumer purchase intentions. By drawing upon source credibility theory and the stimulus‒organism‒response framework, this study investigates the mechanism through which perceived characteristics of virtual streamers shape purchase intentions, based on survey data from 318 live streaming consumers. The empirical results demonstrate that consumers’ perceived attractiveness, intelligence, interactivity, and congruence of virtual streamers significantly show associations with consumer purchase intentions through their mediation effects on trust and affection. Notably, perceived attractiveness exhibits a stronger association with affection than with trust, whereas perceived intelligence shows the reverse pattern. Furthermore, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis is used to investigate two different configuration options that can lead to high purchase intentions. The results of this study can help guide effective marketing strategies in live streaming commerce.

Keywords: Virtual streamer; Live streaming commerce; Characteristics; Consumer purchase intention; Source credibility theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s12525-025-00813-8

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