Title: The enchantment of live broadcasters and online impulse buying

Authors: Edward C.S. Ku; Chun-Der Chen; Ya-Hui Chan; Ling-Ling Liu

Addresses: Department of Travel Management, National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, No. 1, Songhe Rd., Xiaogang Dist., Kaohsiung City, 81271, Taiwan ' Department of Business Administration, Ming Chuan University, No. 130, Jihe Rd., Shihlin District, Taipei City 111, Taiwan ' Graduate Institute of Hospitality Management, National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, No. 1, Songhe Rd., Xiaogang Dist., Kaohsiung City, 81271, Taiwan ' Graduate Institute of Hospitality Management, National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, No. 1, Songhe Rd., Xiaogang Dist., Kaohsiung City, 81271, Taiwan

Abstract: This study examines the elements of external information that influence buyers' psychological state and subsequent behavioural intention from the perspectives of emotion and source credibility. The sample consists of people with impulse buying experience on Taobao and JD.com. We contacted the online retailers and asked them to provide their buyers with an invitation message and a hyperlink to our survey, and 517 valid questionnaires were returned. The results show that review helpfulness, product enticement, and trust in broadcasters significantly contribute to online buyers' emotional responses, while the influence of emotional response on impulse buying is moderated by the effect of online retailer stickiness. Impulse buying has become a critical issue; increasingly, more online retailers focus on impulse buying mechanisms to understand how to enhance best buying behavioural. This study provides an overall understanding of impulse buying with online retailers.

Keywords: impulse buying; review helpfulness; product enticement; trust in broadcasters; emotional responses; online retailers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2025.146504

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2025 Vol.25 No.4, pp.448 - 468

Received: 20 Sep 2022
Accepted: 07 Oct 2023

Published online: 02 Jun 2025 *

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