The Impact of Livestream E-Commerce on Credit Use and Savings Allocation among Minors

Abstract

Livestream e-commerce increasingly shapes minors’ consumption decisions, yet its relationship with installment-based payment behavior and savings allocation remains insufficiently examined. This study investigates the associations among livestream viewing, indirect credit use, and pocket-money savings among minors, while considering age, pocket-money level, family financial education, and parental payment supervision. A self-administered survey was distributed to students aged 12–17 years from three junior high schools and two senior high schools, yielding 218 valid responses. Descriptive frequency analysis, cross-group comparisons, and group-mean comparisons were employed to evaluate the data. Indirect credit use was reported by 43.12% of respondents. Its rate increased from 18.97% among students watching livestreams no more than once per week to 45.00% among those watching two to four times, and 63.33% among those watching five or more times. Furthermore, average savings ratios declined from 36.27% for non-shoppers to 21.54% for livestream shoppers without installment use, and 7.39% for those using installments. Lower indirect credit use and higher savings ratios were also observed among students receiving family financial education and stronger parental payment supervision. These findings provide robust descriptive evidence that livestream consumption, payment arrangements, and family-level financial guidance are closely associated with minors’ financial allocation patterns. Ultimately, the results support the implementation of targeted financial education and payment supervision measures to foster healthy digital consumption habits and protect vulnerable youth in the evolving e-commerce landscape.