Doing well by doing good: The effect of purchasing poverty-alleviation products on consumers' subsequent product preference in live streaming shopping

Abstract

Live streaming shopping as a new e-commerce model has exploded in recent years. Broadcasters sell poverty alleviation products (PAP) on their live channels as a way to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. The objective of this research is to examine the effect of purchasing PAP on consumers' subsequent product preference in live streaming shopping. The authors conducted one field study and three lab experiments. Study 1 documents the positive correlation between PAP consumption and indulgent consumption using real live streaming transaction data. Study 2 is a lab experiment which provides support for the causal relationship between PAP consumption and subsequent indulgent consumption. Study 3 extends the ecological validity and examines the mediating effect of the moral self-concept. Study 4 demonstrates that discount levels of PAP weaken the moral licensing effect in the in live streaming shopping context.