IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/elcore/v25y2025i4d10.1007_s10660-023-09757-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of streamer effort and popularity on livestream retailing performance: a mixed-method study

Author

Listed:
  • Bo Lu

    (Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Guoxin Li

    (Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Jiaoju Ge

    (Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen))

Abstract

Livestreaming, as a new e-retail medium, empirically enhances performance. This paper proposes a theoretical framework for examining how livestreamers’ effort and popularity affect livestream product sales and virtual gifts through social interaction. This study employed a mixed-method approach with panel data from the Kuaishou platform. The data consisted of 47,661 livestream retailing activities by 947 livestreamers (Study 1), 445 questionnaires (Study 2), and 10 streamer interviews (Study 3). Our results indicated that streamer effort had a direct positive effect on livestream product sales, while streamer popularity had a direct positive effect on livestream virtual gifts. Furthermore, social interaction mediated the effects of streamers’ effort and popularity on livestream product sales and virtual gifts, respectively. Our results have strategic implications for practitioners when it comes to selecting and cultivating streamers for livestream campaigns.

Suggested Citation

  • Bo Lu & Guoxin Li & Jiaoju Ge, 2025. "Effects of streamer effort and popularity on livestream retailing performance: a mixed-method study," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 2553-2583, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:elcore:v:25:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s10660-023-09757-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10660-023-09757-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10660-023-09757-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10660-023-09757-7?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Guo, Yuanyuan & Zhang, Kexin & Wang, Chaoyou, 2022. "Way to success: Understanding top streamer's popularity and influence from the perspective of source characteristics," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    2. Yang, Xiao & Liu, Ying & Dong, Jichang & Li, Sirui, 2023. "Impact of streamers’ characteristics on sales performance of search and experience products: Evidence from Douyin," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    3. Zhang, Shu-Ning & Li, Yong-Quan & Liu, Chih-Hsing & Ruan, Wen-Qi, 2021. "Does live performance play a critical role in building destination brand equity — A mixed-method study of “Impression Dahongpao"," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    4. Xinshu Zhao & John G. Lynch & Qimei Chen, 2010. "Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and Truths about Mediation Analysis," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(2), pages 197-206, August.
    5. 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).
    6. Meng, Lu (Monroe) & Duan, Shen & Zhao, Yijun & Lü, Kevin & Chen, Siyun, 2021. "The impact of online celebrity in livestreaming E-commerce on purchase intention from the perspective of emotional contagion," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    7. Arora, Anuja & Bansal, Shivam & Kandpal, Chandrashekhar & Aswani, Reema & Dwivedi, Yogesh, 2019. "Measuring social media influencer index- insights from facebook, Twitter and Instagram," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 86-101.
    8. Sethuraman, Raj & Gázquez-Abad, Juan Carlos & Martínez-López, Francisco J., 2022. "The effect of retail assortment size on perceptions, choice, and sales: Review and research directions," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 24-45.
    9. Farivar, Samira & Wang, Fang, 2022. "Effective influencer marketing: A social identity perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    10. Tafesse, Wondwesen & Wood, Bronwyn P., 2021. "Followers' engagement with instagram influencers: The role of influencers’ content and engagement strategy," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    11. Zhang, Yin & Lu, Baozhou & Zheng, Haidong, 2020. "Can buzzing bring business? Social interactions, network centrality and sales performance: An empirical study on business-to-business communities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 170-189.
    12. Li, You & Li, Xiaolin & Cai, Jiali, 2021. "How attachment affects user stickiness on live streaming platforms: A socio-technical approach perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    13. Liu, Xia & Shin, Hyunju & Burns, Alvin C., 2021. "Examining the impact of luxury brand's social media marketing on customer engagement​: Using big data analytics and natural language processing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 815-826.
    14. Ki, Chung-Wha (Chloe) & Cuevas, Leslie M. & Chong, Sze Man & Lim, Heejin, 2020. "Influencer marketing: Social media influencers as human brands attaching to followers and yielding positive marketing results by fulfilling needs," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    15. Kietzmann, Jan H. & Hermkens, Kristopher & McCarthy, Ian P. & Silvestre, Bruno S., 2011. "Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 241-251, May.
    16. Fine F. Leung & Flora F. Gu & Robert W. Palmatier, 2022. "Online influencer marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 226-251, March.
    17. Daniel Hoechle, 2007. "Robust standard errors for panel regressions with cross-sectional dependence," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 7(3), pages 281-312, September.
    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. Yang, Xiao & Liu, Ying & Dong, Jichang & Li, Sirui, 2023. "Impact of streamers’ characteristics on sales performance of search and experience products: Evidence from Douyin," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    2. Fang, Xing & Shin, Seong Kyoung & Huang, Xingyu, 2025. "Enhancing social media engagement: Speech act strategies across influencer types," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Tafesse, Wondwesen & Wood, Bronwyn P., 2021. "Followers' engagement with instagram influencers: The role of influencers’ content and engagement strategy," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    4. Barta, Sergio & Belanche, Daniel & Fernández, Ana & Flavián, Marta, 2023. "Influencer marketing on TikTok: The effectiveness of humor and followers’ hedonic experience," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    5. Liao, Miyan & Fang, Jiaming & Han, Lintong & Wen, Ling & Zheng, Qiqi & Xia, Guoen, 2023. "Boosting eCommerce sales with livestreaming in B2B marketplace: A perspective on live streamers’ competencies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    6. Li, Li & Chen, Xiaoting & Zhu, Peng, 2024. "How do e-commerce anchors' characteristics influence consumers’ impulse buying? An emotional contagion perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    7. Li, Nianlin & Xuan, Changchun & Chen, Rui, 2024. "Different roles of two kinds of digital coexistence: The impact of social presence on consumers' purchase intention in the live streaming shopping context," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    8. Luo, Lijuan & Xu, Meiling & Zheng, Yujie, 2024. "Informative or affective? Exploring the effects of streamers’ topic types on user engagement in live streaming commerce," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    9. Alboqami, Hassan, 2023. "Trust me, I'm an influencer! - Causal recipes for customer trust in artificial intelligence influencers in the retail industry," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Ri Na & Anan Hu & Qingfeng Zeng & Ruyi Ge & Ruohong Hao, 2025. "Unveiling the relationship between virtual streamer characteristics and consumer purchase intention in live streaming commerce: Insights from source credibility perspective," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 35(1), pages 1-21, December.
    11. Silva, Marianny Jessica de Brito & Campos, Patrícia de Oliveira & Gomes, Jairo de Pontes & Melo, Francisco Vicente Sales & de Moura, Maria Raíza Ferreira, 2025. "Proposing an integrative scale of digital influence in the context of influencer marketing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    12. Belanche, Daniel & Casaló, Luis V. & Flavián, Marta & Ibáñez-Sánchez, Sergio, 2021. "Building influencers' credibility on Instagram: Effects on followers’ attitudes and behavioral responses toward the influencer," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    13. Tafesse, Wondwesen & Dayan, Mumin, 2023. "Content creators' participation in the creator economy: Examining the effect of creators’ content sharing frequency on user engagement behavior on digital platforms," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    14. Wang, Bin & Han, Yao & Kandampully, Jay & Lu, Xiaoli, 2025. "How language arousal affects purchase intentions in online retailing? The role of virtual versus human influencers, language typicality, and trust," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    15. Farivar, Samira & Wang, Fang & Yuan, Yufei, 2021. "Opinion leadership vs. para-social relationship: Key factors in influencer marketing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    16. Meng Tao & Faizan Alam & Eva Lahuerta-Otero & Chen Mengyuan, 2024. "Get Ready to Buy With Me: The Effect of Social Presence Interaction and Social Commerce Intention on S-commerce Live Streaming," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440241, March.
    17. Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi & Chuah, Stephanie Hui-Wen, 2021. "“Stop the unattainable ideal for an ordinary me!” fostering parasocial relationships with social media influencers: The role of self-discrepancy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 146-157.
    18. Lin Xiao & Xinru Lin & Chuanmin Mi & Shahriar Akter, 2025. "The effect of dynamic information cues on sales performance in live streaming e-commerce: an IFT and ELM perspective," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 2699-2728, August.
    19. Zhang, Yun & Li, Xia & Liu, Rongqin & Shuai, Qinghong & Huang, Caiyan, 2025. "How facial cues of streamers drive purchase intention in live streaming commerce: Based on a lens model," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    20. Pei Li & Charles Spence & Chunmao Wu, 2025. "What motivate consumers’ purchase intention and the intention to continue watching in livestream shopping," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:spr:elcore:v:25:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s10660-023-09757-7. 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: http://www.springer.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.