Research on the Correlation Between Purchase Motivation and Refund Intention in Tourism Live Streaming

Tourism live streaming’ s rapid growth is accompanied by high refund rates, threatening the industry’s sustainable development. Drawing on Regret Regulation and Mental Simulation theories, this study utilizes two experiments to investigate how different impulse buying types influence refund intention. Results suggest both types are positively associated with refund intention, with price-driven buying exhibiting a more pronounced effect. Anticipated regret is identified as a key mediating mechanism. Notably, a “Motivation–Simulation Matching” effect was found: outcome simulation amplifies price-driven impulse buying’s impact, while process simulation intensifies the emotion-driven effect. These findings provide strategic insights for platforms to manage expectations and mitigate refund propensities through targeted information alignment.