The Influence of E-Commerce Live Streaming on Lifestyle Fit Uncertainty and Online Purchase Intention of Experience Products

Abstract

Deriving from the existing research in the product uncertainty literature, we propose a new type of uncertainty that is an important predictor of purchase intention on e-commerce websites: lifestyle fit uncertainty. This uncertainty is distinct from uncertainties regarding description or performance, and targets the uncertainty that results from not knowing how much a product will help a customer reach their broader life goals and values. By integrating mean-ends chain of lifestyle (MECL) theory, socialized charismatic leadership (SCL) theory and product uncertainty theory, we explore how IT-mediated marketing service content of e-commerce live streaming mitigates lifestyle fit uncertainty. We also identify ICT-enabled information retrieval capabilities in live streaming platforms as moderators which regulates the effects of IT-mediated marketing service content on lifestyle fit uncertainty.