Investigating the impact of different types of live-streaming marketing on consumers' intention to purchase clothing

Purpose This paper aims to study the impact of the interaction effects between live-streaming marketing and clothing type on consumers' intention to purchase clothing, and the mediating effect of internalization and identification on the relationship between them. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducts a scenario experiment to 486 consumers who had experience in purchasing clothing on the live-streaming platform and employs the analysis of variance, structural equation model and multivariate regression model. Findings Our findings reveal that professional live-streaming marketing (PLSM) can better stimulate consumers' intention to purchase formal clothing than entertainment live-streaming marketing (ELSM) does. Compared with PLSM, ELSM can better stimulate consumers' intention to purchase casual clothing. When PLSM promotes formal clothing, it triggers the internalization mechanism of consumers, so as to improve their purchase intention. When ELSM promotes casual clothing, it triggers consumers' identification mechanism, so as to improve their purchase intention. Originality/value This paper helps to identify the differences in the impact of different types of live-streaming marketing on consumers' intention to purchase different types of clothing, as well as the mediating role of internalization and identification mechanisms. This paper provides a theoretical reference for clothing firms to strategically select the appropriate type of live-streaming marketing.