Trust in Human and Virtual Live Streamers: The Role of Integrity and Social Presence

Abstract

With the development of live streaming e-commerce, an increasing number of virtual streamers have emerged on e-commerce platforms. Considering trust is an antecedent factor in entering business partnerships, this research examines the composition of trust in streamers and the factors influencing purchase intentions in live-streaming commerce, focusing on the differences between virtual and human streamers. Study 1 collected 411 survey data (147 males and 264 females) from consumers and used PLS techniques to evaluate the hypotheses. Study 2 designed a 2 × 2 × 2 mixed-design experiment to explore the causal relationship between the type of streamers, the streamer’s integrity, the live room’s social presence, and customers’ trust and purchase intention. One hundred sixty data were processed using repeated measures ANOVA. The results showed that trust in live streamers comprises perceived integrity, ability, and benevolence. Social presence influences trust for both types of live streamers, but it only directly affects purchase intention towards virtual streamers. Perceived enjoyment and similarity also affect purchase intention. More importantly, the effect of social presence on trust and purchase intention was constrained by the integrity and type of streamer. The present studies provide robust evidence for the trust and purchase intention in live streaming commerce, revealing perceptual differences between human and virtual streamers. It emphasizes the significance of integrity for human streamers and social presence for virtual streamers. This research not only offers insights and recommendations for the thriving human streamer industry but also sheds light on the potential development of virtual streamers in the future.