A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis of Live Streaming Commerce: Mapping the Research Landscape

Abstract

Livestreaming commerce (LSC) has transformed the retail business model, introducing it as an integral channel of distribution in social commerce. Numerous existing contemporary research literature highlights the absence of LSC-underpinning theories. The paramount aim of the present study is to furnish a comprehensive reference for forthcoming analyses by conducting an all-encompassing meta-review of the literature. The present study adopted VOSviewer software package to conduct a bibliometric analysis of 75 articles in domain. The conducted comprehensive literature analysis reveals current LSC research segments, classifying significant discoveries into three broad areas of specialization: streamer-focused research, consumer-focused research, and platform-focused research. These subdomains contribute to the existing knowledge base by identifying underpinnings theory, methodologies, and eight core themes that have emerged: behavior, credibility, trust, adoption, costs, information dissemination, purchase intention and knowledge acquisition. A comprehensive study is a valuable tool for pinpointing pivotal research areas that have been extensively examined while establishing a strong foundation for detecting potential obstacles and emerging patterns that could influence forthcoming investigations. This study aims to fill the gap by conducting a comprehensive review of this emerging phenomenon. This study categorizes key findings into three specialization and identifies underpinnings theory, and methodologies for each subdomain. By exploring key themes in the field, this study sheds light on important areas for future research in LSC.