Analyzing Key Opinion Leaders’ Live Commerce Strategies in a Cross-Cultural Environment: Insights from Japan–China e-Commerce

Owing to the increasing importance of social media, companies collaborate with key opinion leaders (KOLs) to engage consumers and promote their brands. This study examines how KOLs influence live commerce promotion in Japan–China e-commerce. We use the stimulus–organism–response model, with KOL characteristics serving as external stimuli, employing perceived value as the mediating variable and purchase intention as the dependent variable. We found that the expertise and cross-cultural adaptability of KOLs influence consumer behavior in a live commerce environment. This study offers valuable insights for companies seeking to expand in the Chinese market using live streaming for product promotion.