Using Contextual Environments to Improve Approach Tendency and Purchase Intention in E-Commerce Live Streaming: Evidence from an Eye-Tracking Study

Atmospheric cues play significant roles in e-commerce live streaming (ELS). With "Clear Mode" removing interface elements in ELS, the role of non-interface atmospheric cues has become critical, yet their impacts remain underexplored. Drawing upon the elaboration likelihood model and the dual model of environmental perception, this study develops a research model to examine how contextual environments (CE), a kind of noninterface atmospheric cue, influence consumer attention, perception, and behavior in ELS. Adopting real-world live streaming videos as stimuli, we conduct a 2 (CE: high versus low) & times; 2 (product involvement: high versus low) within-subject eye-tracking experiment to test the research model. The results show that compared to lowCE (LCE), high-CE (HCE) captures more exogenous attention (i.e., attention to the surroundings) and has spillover effects on endogenous attention (i.e., attention to the streamer and the focal product). Exogenous and endogenous attention compete but addictively contribute to perceived diagnosticity, which further increases approach tendency and purchase intention. Additionally, the positive effects of HCE (versus LCE) on endogenous attention are more salient when the product involvement is low (versus high). This study undertakes a pioneering investigation into the role of CE, shedding light on the importance of non-interface atmospheric cues in ELS research. It has practical value for managers, streamers, and platforms in designing live streaming rooms.