Against the backdrop of booming social media platforms, influencer marketing has become a pivotal channel for brands to engage consumers. However, the mechanism by which influencer characteristics in live-streaming e-commerce influence consumer purchase intent remains to be systematically explored. Building upon social influence theory and source credibility theory, this study employs two scenario experiments (Study 1 with 200 valid participants, Study 2 with 286 valid participants) to delve into the mechanisms through which influencer type (perfect vs. authentic), follower count (many vs. few), and influencer likability influence consumer purchase intent. Findings reveal: First, significant interaction effects between influencer type and follower count emerge for purchase intention. When influencers have large followings, idealized influencers more effectively boost consumers’ purchase intentions; conversely, when follower counts are low, authentic influencers exert stronger positive effects on purchase intention. Moreover, influencer-follower closeness intensifies this moderating role of follower count. Second, trust mediates the influence of influencer type and follower count on purchase intention, with different combinations selectively activating distinct trust dimensions. Third, consumers' perceived influencer affinity moderates these relationships, further shaping the pathways to purchase intention formation. This study not only enriches theoretical understanding of influencer marketing in live-streaming e-commerce but also extends the application boundaries of social influence theory and source credibility theory. It provides practical guidance for brands to optimize influencer collaboration strategies and for influencers to enhance content marketing effectiveness. Additionally, it identifies research limitations, such as the exclusion of cultural context, and points the way for future studies.
Yang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.