To be perfect or to be honest? The impact of two-sided product descriptions on purchase intention in live streaming commerce

Purpose Given the dual role of e-commerce streamers, that is both advertisers and reviewers, this study investigates how streamers’ two-sided product descriptions (TSPD) influence consumers’ purchase intention (PI) in the context of live-streaming. To further examine the mechanism of this relationship, we examined the moderating role of streamer type. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted four online experiments. Study 1 verified which product descriptions of streamers (two-sided vs. positive) induce higher PI. Study 2 reexamined the main effect and elucidated the underlying mechanism of how TSPD influence PI. Study 3 further explored the moderating effect of streamer type (influencer vs. online store). Study 4 ruled out the alternative explanation of cognitive load. Findings Our study reveals that a two-sided description positively impacts PI, with perceived transparency and trust in streamers serving as mediators. Furthermore, the positive impact of TSPD on PI is enhanced when the streamer is an influencer (vs. online store streamer). Originality/value The findings in the live-streaming scenario extend the research regarding TSPD by considering the dual roles of the streamer as both advertiser and reviewer. Also, the interaction effect between streamer type and TSPD reveals new signaling sources in live-streaming e-commerce, enriching the application of the signaling theory.