Product purchase or gift-giving? An investigation of different viewer-streamer interaction strategies in tourism live streaming

Abstract

Building on the Uses and Gratification Theory (U&GT), a mixed-method approach was employed to investigate the influencing mechanisms of different viewer-streamer interactions on viewers' product purchase and gift-giving intentions. In study 1, we collected 331 valid questionnaires and examined the proposed quantitative model through SmartPLS 3.3.3. The quantitative findings from study 1 revealed the role of telepresence and trust in streamers that influence viewers' product purchase and gift-giving intentions. In study 2, we conducted 20 in-depth interviews to further explain the mechanisms of viewer-streamer interaction strategies on product purchasing and gift-giving intentions through three types of gratification (i.e., process gratification, social gratification, and content gratification). The current study has implications for streamers to conduct appropriate interaction strategies and achieve better monetisation targets.