Gratification in live-streaming: impact of social comparison and relationships on purchase and continuance intentions

Purpose The study aims to investigate how different types of user gratification influence purchase and use continuance intentions on live-streaming platforms. Utilizing uses and gratifications theory, it examines the moderating effects of attention to social comparison and social relationships on these intentions. The research addresses a critical challenge in live-streaming commerce – converting frequent viewers into high-intent purchasers and retaining their continued use. Design/methodology/approach The study establishes a model based on the uses and gratifications theory. To validate the model, we collected data through a scenario-based survey of the viewers participating in the live-streaming (N = 816). MANOVA and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were employed to test the hypotheses. Findings The results show that gratification factors have different impacts on users' purchase intention (PI) and use CI in live-streaming. Specifically, utilitarian gratification increases both purchase and use of CI. In contrast, entertainment gratification increases CI use but does not affect PI, and social gratification increases PI but does not use CI. Moreover, the impacts of gratified usage on purchase and use CI are moderated by factors such as attention to social comparison and social relationships. Originality/value The findings provide valuable insights for both the IS research community and e-commerce practitioners, offering guidance for optimizing platform design and marketing strategies to enhance user engagement and profitability in live-streaming commerce.