The findings matter as online shopping continues to surge across Southeast Asia, with platforms like Shopee competing through features that blend entertainment, social interaction, and commerce. Trust remains a central challenge in digital transactions, where consumers cannot physically inspect products. This study shows that new marketing formats are effectively addressing that gap.
Growing Importance of Trust in E-Commerce
As e-commerce expands, consumers face uncertainty about product quality, seller credibility, and transaction security. Traditional product listings often fail to provide enough reassurance. Live streaming and affiliate marketing have emerged as solutions by offering real-time interaction and personalized recommendations.
Live streaming allows sellers to demonstrate products directly, while affiliate marketing relies on third-party promoters—often influencers—who share product experiences. Both strategies aim to reduce perceived risk and strengthen trust.
Simple Method, Clear Insights
The research used a quantitative approach, analyzing responses from Shopee users in Medan, Indonesia. The authors examined relationships between four main variables: live streaming, affiliate marketing, consumer trust, and impulsive buying.
Using statistical modeling, the study measured how each factor influences the others, including indirect effects where trust acts as a bridge between marketing strategies and purchasing behavior.
Key Findings
The study reports several significant results:
- Live streaming increases consumer trust (coefficient: 0.424)
- Affiliate marketing strengthens consumer trust (coefficient: 0.442)
- Consumer trust drives impulsive buying (coefficient: 0.291)
- Live streaming indirectly triggers impulsive buying through trust (coefficient: 0.123)
- Affiliate marketing also drives impulsive buying via trust (coefficient: 0.129)
These results confirm that consumer trust is the central mechanism linking digital marketing strategies to spontaneous purchasing decisions.
Why Live Streaming Works
Live streaming gives consumers access to real-time product demonstrations and direct communication with sellers. Viewers can ask questions, see product details instantly, and observe feedback from other users during the broadcast.
This transparency reduces uncertainty and builds confidence. The study notes that consumers are more likely to trust sellers when they can interact directly and observe products in real conditions. Social proof—such as comments from other viewers—also reinforces credibility.
The Power of Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing works differently but achieves similar outcomes. Affiliates typically share personal reviews and experiences, making their recommendations feel more authentic than traditional advertisements.
Because affiliates are often seen as independent and relatable, their endorsements carry higher credibility. The study finds that social engagement between affiliates and their audiences strengthens trust, making consumers more likely to follow recommendations and complete purchases.
Easy access to product links and detailed explanations further simplifies the buying process, reducing friction and encouraging faster decisions.
Trust as a Trigger for Impulse Buying
One of the most important insights from the study is the role of trust in shaping impulsive buying behavior. When consumers feel confident about a product and seller, they spend less time evaluating risks.
This sense of security reduces hesitation and increases the likelihood of spontaneous purchases. Emotional factors also play a role, as trust creates a positive psychological state that encourages quick decision-making.
Harahap and colleagues explain that trust not only influences rational evaluation but also affects emotional responses during shopping. As a result, consumers are more likely to act on impulse when they perceive low risk and high credibility.
Real-World Implications
The findings have direct implications for businesses, platforms, and consumers:
- For e-commerce platforms: Enhancing live streaming features and supporting affiliate ecosystems can boost engagement and sales.
- For sellers and marketers: Building credibility, transparency, and authentic communication is essential to gain consumer trust.
- For policymakers: Ensuring ethical marketing practices and transparency in influencer promotions is increasingly important.
- For consumers: Awareness of how trust influences impulsive decisions can help prevent overspending.
The study recommends that businesses invest in interactive and transparent marketing strategies while maintaining honesty and consistency in product information.
Academic Insight
Tasya Amanda Harahap from the University of Sumatera Utara emphasizes that trust is a key psychological driver in digital commerce. She notes that stronger trust leads to faster and more spontaneous purchasing decisions, especially in environments where consumers feel secure and well-informed.
This insight aligns with broader research in consumer behavior, which shows that emotional and cognitive factors often interact in shaping online purchasing patterns.
Author Profile
Tasya Amanda Harahap is a researcher specializing in digital marketing and consumer behavior. She collaborated with Rini and Absah, both academics at the University of Sumatera Utara with expertise in marketing management and consumer psychology. Their research focuses on how technological innovations influence buying behavior in e-commerce environments.
Source
Harahap, T. A., Rini, & Absah. (2026). The Influence of Live Streaming and Affiliate Marketing on Impulsive Buying Through Consumer Trust on Shopee. Formosa Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 5 No. 5, 1503–1522. url: https://journalfjmr.my.id/index.php/fjmr
0 Komentar