An Empirical Study on the Influencing Factors of Consumers' Impulsive Consumption Behavior in Live-streaming Commerce

Abstract

This study examines the factors influencing consumers’ impulsive consumption behavior in live-streaming e-commerce and their underlying mechanisms. By integrating intra-sale and post-sale dimensions into an analytical framework, it investigates the direct impacts of platform performance, return policy, and switch barrier on impulsive consumption, alongside the mediating roles of perceived risks and flow experience, and the moderating effect of optimal stimulation level (OLS). Using PLS-SEM analysis of 522 Chinese consumer questionnaires, the findings reveal that platform performance exerts the strongest positive influence, followed by return policy  and switch barrier. Notably, OLS significantly enhances all three pathways, particularly amplifying the impact of return policy. Theoretically, this work addresses gaps in live-streaming impulsive consumption research by unifying pre- and post-purchase factors, while practically offering actionable insights for merchants to optimize interactive designs, tailor return policies, and reduce switching costs. Limitations include regional sample biases and exclusion of pre-sale dynamics, suggesting avenues for cross-cultural or experimental expansions.