Peer Interaction and Impulse Buying in Live Streaming: A Meta-Analysis from a Social Cognitive Lens

Abstract

Digital transformation of commerce has initiated new forms of consumer experience, and live streaming has emerged as a supreme retail interaction channel. Live-streaming shopping integrates real-time video, bidirectional interaction, and social cues, which is a blended experience between online shopping and social networking. Unlike traditional online shopping, live streaming involves the presence of peer presence, comments, and interactive actions, each of which activates unique psychological processes that more often than not culminate in unintended or impulse purchasing. Impulse buying, under which spontaneous and unreflective buying takes place, thrives under emotionally and socially engaging conditions. Live-stream shopping, by facilitating real-time interaction between streamers, brands, and peer viewers, creates an effective space in which these purchases develop.  The research aims to synthesize empirical evidence from multiple approaches to identify the strength of association and whether factors including platform type, viewers' traits, and culture can moderate these impacts. This study is a contribution to theory as well as practice. Theoretically, it contributes to SCT by pushing its application into live-stream commerce and its observation and mutual learning processes underlying peer-to-peer interactions. Practically, it informs marketers, influencers, and platform designers of the psychological levers that can be employed to ethically influence consumer behavior.