The Influence of Streamer Attributes on Purchase Intentions in Livestream Commerce: The Mediating Role of Flow Experience
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Abstract
Livestream commerce is experiencing rapid growth in China, with much of its success dependent on the performance of streamers. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, this study aims to (1) investigate the impact of three key streamer attributes—professionalism, interactivity, and attractiveness—on consumers' purchase intentions, and (2) explore the mediating role of flow experience in the relationship between these attributes and purchase intentions within the Chinese livestream commerce context. A structured online survey was conducted, collecting 440 valid responses from active livestream e-commerce users. Data analysis was carried out using SMART-PLS software to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings indicate that (1) professionalism, interactivity, and attractiveness of streamers each have a positive effect on purchase intentions, and (2) flow experience mediates the relationships between these streamer attributes and purchase intentions. This study highlights the critical role of streamer characteristics in shaping consumer behavior in China's livestream commerce and elucidates their influence through the SOR framework. The results offer valuable theoretical and practical insights for both scholars and marketing professionals.
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