The Impact of Technological Features and Relationship Quality of Live Commerce Platforms on Purchase Behavior

Purpose: This study examines how IT affordances—visibility, metavoicing, and shopping guidance—affect consumer purchase behavior in live commerce. It explores the mediating role of relationship quality, specifically swift guanxi and trust in streamers, in shaping purchase intentions. Research design, data and methodology: A survey was conducted with 504 Chinese consumers experienced in live commerce. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping analyses were used to test the relationships among IT affordances, relationship quality, and purchase intention. Reliability, validity, and mediation effects were examined to ensure robustness. Results: Shopping guidance had the strongest impact on relationship quality, followed by metavoicing and visibility. Swift guanxi and trust in streamers significantly mediated the effects of IT affordances on purchase intention. These findings emphasize the critical role of real-time interaction and personalized engagement in enhancing consumer trust and purchase decisions. Conclusions: By integrating IT affordance theory with relationship quality literature, this study provides insights into consumer behavior in live commerce. The findings suggest that platform managers and streamers should leverage interactive features and personalized services to strengthen consumer relationships, foster engagement, an