How livestreaming increases product sales: role of trust transfer and elaboration likelihood model

Abstract

With the ever-increasing popularity of livestreaming commerce, understanding how livestreaming contributes to online consumption becomes crucial to social commerce. However, studies pertain to livestreaming commerce are still at a nascent stage. Based on the elaboration likelihood model and trust transfer theory, we aim to examine the underlying mechanism of how livestreaming influences consumers’ trust building and purchasing intention. The determinants, process and consequences of trust are discussed. More than 545 experienced livestreaming commerce users participated in this study in China. Our findings show two different routes through which consumers’ trust can be built and affect their purchase intention and willingness to pay more. We also verify the trust transfer effect exists from trust in the streamer to trust in product in livestreaming commerce. We hope this study will bring more insight into trust and the underlying mechanism of how livestreaming increases product sales.