When Sensory Language Sells: Evidence from Livestream Commerce on Mental Imagery, Perceived Authenticity, and Product Type

Livestream commerce has become a major retail interface, yet limited attention has been paid to how streamers’ language shapes consumer responses. This research examines the effect of streamer sensory language on consumer purchase in livestream commerce. Drawing on one field study using Douyin livestream data (Study 1: 31,254 min-level observations from 526 livestream sessions involving 136 streamers) and two experiments (Study 2: N = 200; Study 3: N = 320), we show that sensory language increases consumer purchase responses. Study 1 demonstrates a positive association between streamer sensory language and real-time purchase behavior and provides initial evidence for the moderating role of product type. Study 2 establishes the causal effect of sensory language on purchase intention and tests the serial mediation of mental imagery vividness and perceived authenticity. Study 3 further shows that the effect is stronger for experience goods than for search goods.