From Certainty to Doubt: The Impact of Streamer Expression Certainty on Consumer Purchase Behavior in Live-Stream E-Commerce

This study explores the impact of streamer expression certainty on consumer purchase behavior in live-stream e-commerce and its underlying mechanisms. Based on an empirical analysis of 3842 product live-stream data from the Douyin platform and an experimental study, the results show that streamer ex...

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Main Authors: Yinjiao Chen, Qianqian Han, Zhihua Lian, Weiming Zhu, Yushi Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/0718-1876/20/2/138
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author Yinjiao Chen
Qianqian Han
Zhihua Lian
Weiming Zhu
Yushi Jiang
author_facet Yinjiao Chen
Qianqian Han
Zhihua Lian
Weiming Zhu
Yushi Jiang
author_sort Yinjiao Chen
collection DOAJ
description This study explores the impact of streamer expression certainty on consumer purchase behavior in live-stream e-commerce and its underlying mechanisms. Based on an empirical analysis of 3842 product live-stream data from the Douyin platform and an experimental study, the results show that streamer expression certainty has a significant inverted U-shaped relationship with consumer purchase behavior. Moderate expression certainty enhances consumers’ purchase intention, while excessively high or low expression certainty weakens its effect. Furthermore, perceived competence and perceived warmth mediate this process. Moderate expression certainty enhances consumers’ perceptions of the streamer’s professionalism and sincerity, thereby promoting purchase behavior. However, overly high expression certainty may reduce perceived warmth, leading to decreased consumer trust. This study further reveals the key role of language style in live-stream e-commerce and provides practical insights for optimizing streamers’ language strategies and improving live-stream effectiveness. The study’s limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.
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series Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
spelling doaj-art-7105e024505b4afcbc72a96f4bfb283f2025-08-20T02:21:13ZengMDPI AGJournal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research0718-18762025-06-0120213810.3390/jtaer20020138From Certainty to Doubt: The Impact of Streamer Expression Certainty on Consumer Purchase Behavior in Live-Stream E-CommerceYinjiao Chen0Qianqian Han1Zhihua Lian2Weiming Zhu3Yushi Jiang4School of Management, Guangdong University of Science and Technology, Dongguan 523083, ChinaSchool of Business, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing 211815, ChinaSchool of International Business, Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College, Zhangzhou 363105, ChinaSchool of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, ChinaThis study explores the impact of streamer expression certainty on consumer purchase behavior in live-stream e-commerce and its underlying mechanisms. Based on an empirical analysis of 3842 product live-stream data from the Douyin platform and an experimental study, the results show that streamer expression certainty has a significant inverted U-shaped relationship with consumer purchase behavior. Moderate expression certainty enhances consumers’ purchase intention, while excessively high or low expression certainty weakens its effect. Furthermore, perceived competence and perceived warmth mediate this process. Moderate expression certainty enhances consumers’ perceptions of the streamer’s professionalism and sincerity, thereby promoting purchase behavior. However, overly high expression certainty may reduce perceived warmth, leading to decreased consumer trust. This study further reveals the key role of language style in live-stream e-commerce and provides practical insights for optimizing streamers’ language strategies and improving live-stream effectiveness. The study’s limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/0718-1876/20/2/138live-stream e-commerceexpression certaintyperceived competenceperceived warmthpurchase behavior
spellingShingle Yinjiao Chen
Qianqian Han
Zhihua Lian
Weiming Zhu
Yushi Jiang
From Certainty to Doubt: The Impact of Streamer Expression Certainty on Consumer Purchase Behavior in Live-Stream E-Commerce
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
live-stream e-commerce
expression certainty
perceived competence
perceived warmth
purchase behavior
title From Certainty to Doubt: The Impact of Streamer Expression Certainty on Consumer Purchase Behavior in Live-Stream E-Commerce
title_full From Certainty to Doubt: The Impact of Streamer Expression Certainty on Consumer Purchase Behavior in Live-Stream E-Commerce
title_fullStr From Certainty to Doubt: The Impact of Streamer Expression Certainty on Consumer Purchase Behavior in Live-Stream E-Commerce
title_full_unstemmed From Certainty to Doubt: The Impact of Streamer Expression Certainty on Consumer Purchase Behavior in Live-Stream E-Commerce
title_short From Certainty to Doubt: The Impact of Streamer Expression Certainty on Consumer Purchase Behavior in Live-Stream E-Commerce
title_sort from certainty to doubt the impact of streamer expression certainty on consumer purchase behavior in live stream e commerce
topic live-stream e-commerce
expression certainty
perceived competence
perceived warmth
purchase behavior
url https://www.mdpi.com/0718-1876/20/2/138
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