From Presentation to Purchase: Economic and Financial Analysis of Host Characteristics in Food Live-Streaming
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study examines the economic and financial implications of host characteristics in food live-streaming commerce, a rapidly growing sector that has transformed digital retail. Drawing on parasocial interaction theory and the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, we investigate how streamer attributes—namely, professionalism, attractiveness, interactivity, and expertise—impact consumer trust and purchase intentions. Using secondary data from 345 consumers engaged in food live-streaming platforms, we employ structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyze the complex relationships between host characteristics and economic outcomes. Results indicate that streamer professionalism (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) and attractiveness (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) significantly enhance consumer trust, which mediates purchase intention (β = 0.51, p < 0.001). The economic analysis reveals that a one-standard-deviation increase in host professionalism correlates with a 23% increase in consumer purchase value. Our findings demonstrate that parasocial interaction plays a crucial mediating role (indirect effect = 0.31, p < 0.001) between host characteristics and financial outcomes. The fsQCA results identify three configurations of host attributes that lead to high purchase intentions, with comprehensive trait combinations proving most effective. This research contributes to the literature by integrating economic analysis with consumer psychology, providing actionable insights for platform operators and content creators in the $843.93 billion global live-streaming commerce market. The study has significant implications for resource allocation, streamer selection, and marketing strategy optimization in the food live-streaming sector.
DOI: 10.14419/443cc317
Authors: Wei Zhao, Yue He, Quanbo Wang
Institution: Panyapiwat Institute of Management
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4416596457
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