The Impact of Interactivity with LSC Host and Flow on Purchase Intention: Focusing on the Moderated Mediating Effect of COVID-19 Anxiety

Purpose: This study explores factors influencing the Live Streaming Commerce (LSC) market, focusing on the expanding landscape of social network service platforms. We investigate how host characteristics on TikTok, a Chinese social network service, affect viewer interactivity, flow, and purchase intentions. Additionally, we examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rapid growth of the SNS-based LSC market. Research design, data, and methodology: Exclusively targeting Chinese consumers with TikTok experience, an online survey was conducted using the WenJuanXing survey program in China from July 27 to September 16, 2023. After a frequency analysis to assess sample characteristics, reliability was confirmed through Cronbach’s α coefficient. Substantive hypothesis testing involved the application of Hayes’ (2013) PROCESS macro models 4 and 7 to identify the mediating effect of flow and examine the moderated mediating effect of COVID-19. Results: In the case of live streaming commerce based on social network service platforms, it was confirmed that the interactivity with hosts significantly influences consumers’ flow and purchase intentions. In addition, flow exerts a positive influence on purchase intentions. We additionally confirm how the interactivity with LSC hosts influences consumer purchase intentions by validating the mediating effect of flow. Finally, we confirm that the greater the anxiety related to COVID-19, the more the mediating effect of flow is expected to increase. Implications: Our findings recommend that companies aiming for sales increase through LSC should prioritize enhancing interactivity between hosts and consumers. This research extends existing literature by uncovering the underlying mechanisms through which LSC characteristics affect purchase intentions. Our empirical investigation also verifies the impact of COVID-19 on society from the perspective of LSC.