The effect of live streaming commerce quality on customers’ purchase intention: extending the elaboration likelihood model with herd behaviour

This study examines how technology quality, experience quality, and herd behaviour in live streaming commerce affect customers’ purchase intention. We proposed an integrated research model based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and herd behaviour. This study used covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) to analyse data and assess the research model and hypotheses. We surveyed 872 Chinese customers who have experience in live streaming commerce, from which the data of 845 were used to test the hypotheses. Our findings show that good technology and experience quality lead customers to discount their own information and imitate their peers. Customers’ herd behaviour positively affects their purchase intention. Further, discounting own information positively mediates the indirect link between live streaming commerce quality (technology quality and experience quality), imitation, and customers’ purchase intention. This study is the first to combine live streaming commerce quality and herd behaviour to investigate customers’ purchase intention in live streaming commerce. It highlights the value of incorporating herd behaviour into the ELM and adds to the body of knowledge by providing a deeper insight into customers’ purchase intention in live streaming shopping. It also has managerial implications for live streaming commerce practitioners to sever the sustainable growth of e-commerce.