The Influence of Educational Content and Perceived Credibility of Knowledge-Oriented Streamers on Consumers' Purchase Intentions in Live-Streaming E-Commerce---An Empirical Study of East Buy

Abstract

This research explores the influence mechanism of educational content and the perceived credibility of knowledge-oriented streamers on consumers' purchase intentions in live-streaming e-commerce, focusing on East Buy. As live-streaming marketing shifts from entertainment and low-price promotions to knowledge-based value delivery, the psychological impact of educational content remains under-explored. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, this study conceptualizes educational content as the external stimulus, perceived credibility as the internal organism state, and purchase intention as the behavioral response. A theoretical model was developed to examine direct and indirect relationships, emphasizing the mediating role of perceived credibility. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected via structured questionnaires from consumers with East Buy viewing and purchasing experience. Subsequent empirical analysis using SPSS, including reliability, validity, correlation, and regression tests, confirmed the research hypotheses. The findings demonstrate that educational content significantly and positively predicts purchase intention, highlighting the core role of knowledge value in consumer decision-making. Furthermore, high-quality educational content enhances streamers' perceived credibility, which positively regulates purchase behavior. Perceived credibility thus serves as a crucial partial mediator and psychological bridge connecting content attributes to consumer actions. Theoretically, this study expands the live-streaming e-commerce literature through a content-centric perspective. Practically, it offers actionable strategies for platforms and streamers to optimize content, build long-term user trust, and maximize conversion efficiency in knowledge-oriented live broadcasts.