Trust as a Catalyst for Conversion: Understanding Consumer Behavior in Live-streaming Commerce

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on Research in Business, Management and Economics

Year: 2025

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Trust as a Catalyst for Conversion: Understanding Consumer Behavior in Live-streaming Commerce

Dat Nguyen, Thi Minh Trang Hoang, Tien-Dat Bui, The-Tuan Tran, Chih-Chin Liang

ABSTRACT:

The growing influence of live-streaming commerce (LSC) has revolutionized consumer behavior, particularly in emerging markets such as Vietnam. Despite its rapid expansion, the psychological mechanisms that drive consumer trust and purchase intentions in this novel retail format remain insufficiently understood. This research explores the impact of three critical factors (review quantity, product quality, and parasocial relationships) with live-stream hosts on consumer trust and purchase intentions in the context of LSC. By integrating the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, the study examines how external stimuli (reviews, product quality, and parasocial relationships) shape internal psychological responses, such as trust in product and seller, which ultimately influence consumer decisions. Using a sample of 425 active users of live-streaming commerce platforms in Vietnam, data was analyzed through PLS-SEM. Results reveal that all three factors significantly enhance trust in both the product and the seller, with parasocial relationships showing the strongest effect on consumer trust. These insights highlight the pivotal role of emotional and social connections between consumers and sellers in fostering trust and driving purchase behavior. The findings suggest actionable strategies for sellers, influencers, and platforms to optimize their live-streaming offerings by emphasizing authenticity, social proof, and interactive engagement to build lasting consumer relationships and improve conversion rates.

Keywords: Consumer Trust; Online Reviews; Parasocial Relationships; Product Quality; Purchase Intention