The Influencers’ Attributes and Customer Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Customer Attitude Toward Brand

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to discuss whether online influencers can improve customer brand attitude and thus increase purchase intention as both of them are important performance indicators in a live show. Drawing on the persuasion theory, the authors aim to investigate the impacts of influencers’ attributes (professionalism, credibility, interactivity and attractiveness) on customers purchase intention from the perspective of attitude toward brand. Data were collected from 233 customers in China where the influencer centered livestreaming e-commerce is enjoying rapid growth. The hypotheses were tested via structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that the influencers’ credibility and attractiveness increase purchase intention directly. Further, customer brand attitude plays a mediating role in the relationship between the influencers’ attributes (attractiveness, credibility, and interactivity) and purchase intention. While, the professionalism improves neither favorable customer brand attitude nor purchase intention. The findings provide theoretical implications for scholars to rethink the role of internet influencers in influencing customer purchase intention.