ENGAGE, TRUST AND BUY: UNPACKING THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CONSUMER PURCHASE INTENTION IN LIVESTREAM COMMERCE

Abstract

Livestreaming commerce has emerged as an influential digital retail format that combines product demonstrations, entertainment, real-time interaction, and online purchasing. This study examines the effects of Engaging Sales Content (ESC) and Influence of Streamers (IOS) on consumers’ Purchase Intention (PI) through the mediating roles of Attitude (ATT) and Trust (TRU). Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework, the study conceptualizes ESC and IOS as stimuli, ATT and TRU as organismic psychological states, and PI as the behavioral response. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed, and data were collected from Pakistani social-media users with previous livestream-shopping experience. A total of 400 valid responses were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that ESC significantly influences Attitude and Trust, while IOS demonstrates significant positive effects on both psychological variables. Furthermore, Attitude and Trust significantly influence Purchase Intention, with Trust demonstrating the stronger effect. Mediation results confirm that both Attitude and Trust significantly mediate the relationships between livestream stimuli and Purchase Intention. The findings demonstrate that consumers’ livestream purchase intentions are shaped not only by engaging sales content and streamer characteristics but also by the psychological processes of favorable evaluation and trust formation. The study provides theoretical and practical implications for livestream-commerce marketers and streamers.