IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v12y2025i1d10.1057_s41599-025-04810-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Linking social capital to green purchasing intentions in livestreaming sessions: the moderating role of perceived visible heterogeneity

Author

Listed:
  • Haipeng Zhao

    (University of Malaya)

  • Fumitaka Furuoka

    (University of Malaya)

Abstract

Despite the acknowledged importance of green purchasing for environmental sustainability, the mechanisms and conditions through which social capital impacts green purchasing behaviors in the context of live-streaming marketing are not well understood. A mixed-method approach employing Structural Equation Modeling and Necessary Condition Analysis investigates the pathways through which social influence and interaction shape social capital and subsequently influence green purchasing intentions. This analysis focuses on the mediating effect of customer inspiration (CI) and the moderating role of perceived visible heterogeneity (PVH), drawing on survey data from consumers participating in live-streaming sessions that promote green products. The results indicate that both social influence and social interaction substantially bolster social capital. Furthermore, elevated social capital, mediated by CI, significantly boosts green purchasing intention, with its impact on CI moderated by PVH. Moreover, shared green value, and green trust emerge as indispensable necessary conditions supporting green purchasing intention. The insights derived from these findings offer critical guidance for marketers, live-streaming hosts, and platform operators on cultivating sustainable consumer behaviors within the dynamic environment of live-streaming commerce.

Suggested Citation

  • Haipeng Zhao & Fumitaka Furuoka, 2025. "Linking social capital to green purchasing intentions in livestreaming sessions: the moderating role of perceived visible heterogeneity," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-04810-2
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-04810-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-025-04810-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-025-04810-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Groot, Wim & Maassen van den Brink, Henriette & van Praag, Bernard M. S., 2006. "The Compensating Income Variation of Social Capital," IZA Discussion Papers 2529, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Jookyung Kwon & Carl A. Boger, 2021. "Influence of brand experience on customer inspiration and pro-environmental intention," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(8), pages 1154-1168, April.
    3. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Viola Berlepsch, 2014. "Social Capital and Individual Happiness in Europe," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 357-386, April.
    4. Wongkitrungrueng, Apiradee & Assarut, Nuttapol, 2020. "The role of live streaming in building consumer trust and engagement with social commerce sellers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 543-556.
    5. Atip Asvanund & Karen Clay & Ramayya Krishnan & Michael D. Smith, 2004. "An Empirical Analysis of Network Externalities in Peer-to-Peer Music-Sharing Networks," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 15(2), pages 155-174, June.
    6. Yadav, Rambalak & Pathak, Govind S., 2017. "Determinants of Consumers' Green Purchase Behavior in a Developing Nation: Applying and Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 114-122.
    7. Li, Mingwei & Lu, Man & Akram, Umair & Cheng, Shaoen, 2024. "Understanding how customer social capital accumulation in brand communities: A gamification affordance perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    8. Ladhari, Riadh & Massa, Elodie & Skandrani, Hamida, 2020. "YouTube vloggers’ popularity and influence: The roles of homophily, emotional attachment, and expertise," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    9. Chrysanthos Dellarocas, 2003. "The Digitization of Word of Mouth: Promise and Challenges of Online Feedback Mechanisms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(10), pages 1407-1424, October.
    10. Konuk, Faruk Anıl, 2018. "The role of store image, perceived quality, trust and perceived value in predicting consumers’ purchase intentions towards organic private label food," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 304-310.
    11. Cheung, Millissa F.Y. & To, W.M., 2019. "An extended model of value-attitude-behavior to explain Chinese consumers’ green purchase behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 145-153.
    12. H Lou & W Luo & D Strong, 2000. "Perceived critical mass effect on groupware acceptance," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 91-103, June.
    13. Yongbo Sun & Jiayuan Xing, 2022. "The Impact of Social Media Information Sharing on the Green Purchase Intention among Generation Z," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-22, June.
    14. Alzaidi, Maram Saeed & Agag, Gomaa, 2022. "The role of trust and privacy concerns in using social media for e-retail services: The moderating role of COVID-19," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    15. Prasad Siba Borah & Courage Simon Kofi Dogbe & Nyankomo Marwa, 2024. "Generation Z's green purchase behavior: Do green consumer knowledge, consumer social responsibility, green advertising, and green consumer trust matter for sustainable development?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4530-4546, July.
    16. Orlowski, Johannes & Wicker, Pamela, 2015. "The monetary value of social capital," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 26-36.
    17. Chen, Aihui & Lu, Yaobin & Wang, Bin & Zhao, Ling & Li, Ming, 2013. "What drives content creation behavior on SNSs? A commitment perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(12), pages 2529-2535.
    18. Peggy M. L. Ng & Cherry T. Y. Cheung & Kam Kong Lit & Calvin Wan & Ellesmere T. K. Choy, 2024. "Green consumption and sustainable development: The effects of perceived values and motivation types on green purchase intention," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 1024-1039, February.
    19. Wim Groot & Henriëtte Brink & Bernard Praag, 2007. "The Compensating Income Variation of Social Capital," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 82(2), pages 189-207, June.
    20. Jeong, So Won & Ha, Sejin & Lee, Kyu-Hye, 2021. "How to measure social capital in an online brand community? A comparison of three social capital scales," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 652-663.
    21. Hong Wang & Baolong Ma & Rubing Bai, 2019. "How Does Green Product Knowledge Effectively Promote Green Purchase Intention?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-13, February.
    22. Yu-Bing Wang & Ching-Wei Ho, 2017. "No Money? No Problem! The Value of Sustainability: Social Capital Drives the Relationship among Customer Identification and Citizenship Behavior in Sharing Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-17, August.
    23. Wu, Jyh-Jeng & Chen, Ying-Hueih & Chung, Yu-Shuo, 2010. "Trust factors influencing virtual community members: A study of transaction communities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(9-10), pages 1025-1032, September.
    24. Namkee Park & Hyun Sook Oh & Naewon Kang, 2015. "Effects of ego involvement and social norms on individuals' uploading intention on Wikipedia: A comparative study between the United States and South Korea," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 66(7), pages 1494-1506, July.
    25. Sajjad, Aqsa & Zhang, Qingyu & Asmi, Fahad & Anwar, Muhammad Azfar & Bhatia, Meena, 2024. "Identifying the motivating factors to promote socially responsible consumption under circular economy: A perspective from norm activation theory," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    26. Lo, Pei-San & Dwivedi, Yogesh K. & Wei-Han Tan, Garry & Ooi, Keng-Boon & Cheng-Xi Aw, Eugene & Metri, Bhimaraya, 2022. "Why do consumers buy impulsively during live streaming? A deep learning-based dual-stage SEM-ANN analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 325-337.
    27. Li, Jin & Zhang, Yulan & Mou, Jian, 2023. "Understanding information disclosures and privacy sensitivity on short-form video platforms: An empirical investigation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    28. Yuanhong Liao & Yunfeng Xing, 2023. "Social capital and residents’ plastic recycling behaviors in China," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 66(5), pages 955-976, April.
    29. Papadopoulos, Thanos & Stamati, Teta & Nopparuch, Pawit, 2013. "Exploring the determinants of knowledge sharing via employee weblogs," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 133-146.
    30. Wu, Ing-Long & Chiu, Mai-Lun & Chen, Kuei-Wan, 2020. "Defining the determinants of online impulse buying through a shopping process of integrating perceived risk, expectation-confirmation model, and flow theory issues," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    31. Sun, Ying & Leng, Ke & Xiong, Haitao, 2022. "Research on the influencing factors of consumers’ green purchase behavior in the post-pandemic era," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    32. Dellarocas, Chrysanthos, 2003. "The Digitization of Word-of-mouth: Promise and Challenges of Online Feedback Mechanisms," Working papers 4296-03, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    33. Sreen, Naman & Purbey, Shankar & Sadarangani, Pradip, 2018. "Impact of culture, behavior and gender on green purchase intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 177-189.
    34. Kim, Juran & Kang, Seungmook & Lee, Ki Hoon, 2020. "How social capital impacts the purchase intention of sustainable fashion products," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 596-603.
    35. Ben Haobin Ye & Lawrence Hoc Nang Fong & Jian Ming Luo, 2021. "Parasocial interaction on tourism companies’ social media sites: antecedents and consequences," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(8), pages 1093-1108, April.
    36. Kim, Eunjin & Yoon, Sungjun, 2021. "Social capital, user motivation, and collaborative consumption of online platform services," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    37. Wang, Xia & Yu, Chunling & Wei, Yujie, 2012. "Social Media Peer Communication and Impacts on Purchase Intentions: A Consumer Socialization Framework," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 198-208.
    38. Hou, Chenxuan & Sarigöllü, Emine, 2022. "Is bigger better? How the scale effect influences green purchase intention: The case of washing machine," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    39. Wang, Ying & Zhao, Jincan & Pan, Jialing, 2024. "The investigation of green purchasing behavior in China: A conceptual model based on the theory of planned behavior and self-determination theory," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    40. Yumei Luo & Qiongwei Ye, 2019. "Understanding Consumers’ Loyalty to an Online Outshopping Platform: The Role of Social Capital and Perceived Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-18, September.
    41. Shehawy, Yasser Moustafa & Ali Khan, Syed Md Faisal, 2024. "Consumer readiness for green consumption: The role of green awareness as a moderator of the relationship between green attitudes and purchase intentions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    42. Yang, Hongjun & Zhang, Shengtai, 2022. "Social media affordances and fatigue: The role of privacy concerns, impression management concerns, and self-esteem," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bhardwaj, Seema & Sreen, Naman & Das, Manish & Chitnis, Asmita & Kumar, Sushant, 2023. "Product specific values and personal values together better explains green purchase," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Xiaoyun Zhang & Feng Dong, 2020. "Why Do Consumers Make Green Purchase Decisions? Insights from a Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-25, September.
    3. Rajković, Borislav & Đurić, Ivan & Zarić, Vlade & Glauben, Thomas, 2021. "Gaining trust in the digital age: The potential of social media for increasing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 13(4).
    4. Choi-Meng Leong & Alexa Min-Wei Loi & Steve Woon, 2022. "The influence of social media eWOM information on purchase intention," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(2), pages 145-157, June.
    5. Yaser Sobhanifard & Seyed Mohammad Saleh Hashemi Apourvari, 2022. "Environmental sustainable development through modeling and ranking of influential factors of reference groups on consumer behavior of green products: The case of Iran," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 1294-1312, October.
    6. Ballester, Estefania & Ruiz, Carla & Rubio, Natalia & Veloutsou, Cleopatra, 2025. "We match! Building online brand engagement behaviours through emotional and rational processes," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    7. Valentin, Alvin Patrick M. & Hechanova, Ma Regina M., 2023. "Addressing plastic pollution through green consumption: Predicting intentions to use menstrual cups in the Philippines," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    8. Chunhui Huo & Xiaorui Wang & Muhammad Waqas Sadiq & Ming Pang, 2023. "Exploring Factors Affecting Consumer’s Impulse Buying Behavior in Live-Streaming Shopping: An Interactive Research Based Upon SOR Model," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, May.
    9. Rasa Pauliene & Virginijus Tamasevicius & Silvestras Gaivenis, 2020. "Recommendations' Impact on Customer Behavior and Visiting Catering Organizations," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 9, January.
    10. Yong Liu & Enping Mai & Jun Yang, 2015. "Network externalities in online video games: an empirical analysis utilizing online product ratings," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 679-690, December.
    11. Wu, Shuilong & Hu, Zekun & Li, You & Yuan, Yongna, 2024. "How brand familiarity affects green product purchase intention: The moderating role of streamers’ environmental knowledge," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    12. Barbe, Anne-Sophie & Hussler, Caroline, 2019. "“The war of the worlds won't occur”: Decentralized evaluation systems and orders of worth in market organizations of the sharing economy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 64-75.
    13. Yong Ming Wang & Hafiz Muhammad Fakhar Zaman & Abdul Khaliq Alvi, 2022. "Linkage of Green Brand Positioning and Green Customer Value With Green Purchase Intention: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Attitude Toward Green Brand and Green Trust," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, June.
    14. Ricci, Elena Claire & Banterle, Alessandro & Stranieri, Stefanella, 2018. "Trust to Go Green: An Exploration of Consumer Intentions for Eco-friendly Convenience Food," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 54-65.
    15. Bartschat, Maria & Cziehso, Gerrit & Hennig-Thurau, Thorsten, 2022. "Searching for word of mouth in the digital age: Determinants of consumers’ uses of face-to-face information, internet opinion sites, and social media," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 393-409.
    16. Nekmahmud, Md. & Naz, Farheen & Ramkissoon, Haywantee & Fekete-Farkas, Maria, 2022. "Transforming consumers' intention to purchase green products: Role of social media," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    17. Duong Cong Doanh & Katarzyna Gadomska-Lila & Le Thi Loan, 2021. "Antecedents of green purchase intention: a cross-cultural empirical evidence from Vietnam and Poland," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 12(4), pages 935-971, December.
    18. Noopur Saxena & Ruchika Sharma, 2024. "Impact of spirituality, culture, behaviour on sustainable consumption intentions," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 2724-2740, June.
    19. Ana Babić Rosario & Kristine Valck & Francesca Sotgiu, 2020. "Conceptualizing the electronic word-of-mouth process: What we know and need to know about eWOM creation, exposure, and evaluation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 422-448, May.
    20. Nick Hajli, 2018. "Ethical Environment in the Online Communities by Information Credibility: A Social Media Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(4), pages 799-810, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-04810-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.