Exploring factors of live streaming commerce influencing impulse buying behaviour: Empirical research on consumers from an emerging market

Abstract

This study investigates the factors of live streaming commerce that influence impulse buying behaviour among Vietnamese consumers. It draws upon the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework to examine how the five dimensions of social presence (Stimuli) affect impulse buying (Response) through the mediating roles of cognitive assimilation and flow state (Organism). A quantitative approach was employed to test the research model using survey data from 342 consumers in Ho Chi Minh City. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. The results show that most social presence factors positively affect people’s organisms, specifically cognitive assimilation and flow state. Notably, flow state is a substantially stronger predictor of impulse buying behaviour (R² = 0.639) than cognitive assimilation (R² = 0.381), underscoring the predominantly hedonic nature of LSC purchases. Both cognitive assimilation and flow state influence the behaviour to buy impulsively. However, the social presence of live streaming platforms and telepresence do not have an impact on cognitive assimilation, suggesting that the social presence of other viewers does not affect the flow state. This research explicates the factors that influence impulse buying behaviour, which might have meaningful practical implications for firms and customers.