Moderated Mediation of Credibility and Affinity on The ‎Impact of Influencer Type and Number of Followers on ‎Consumer Purchase Intention in live-Streaming

Against the backdrop of booming social media platforms, influencer marketing has ‎become a pivotal channel for brands to engage consumers. However, the mechanism by ‎which influencer characteristics in live-streaming e-commerce influence consumer ‎purchase intent remains to be systematically explored. Building upon social influence ‎theory and source credibility theory, this study employs two scenario experiments ‎‎(Study 1 with 200 valid participants, Study 2 with 286 valid participants) to delve into ‎the mechanisms through which influencer type (perfect vs. authentic), follower count ‎‎(many vs. few), and influencer likability influence consumer purchase intent. Findings ‎reveal: First, significant interaction effects between influencer type and follower count ‎emerge for purchase intention. When influencers have large followings, idealized ‎influencers more effectively boost consumers’ purchase intentions; conversely, when ‎follower counts are low, authentic influencers exert stronger positive effects on purchase ‎intention. Moreover, influencer-follower closeness intensifies this moderating role of ‎follower count. Second, trust mediates the influence of influencer type and follower ‎count on purchase intention, with different combinations selectively activating distinct ‎trust dimensions. Third, consumers' perceived influencer affinity moderates these ‎relationships, further shaping the pathways to purchase intention formation. This study ‎not only enriches theoretical understanding of influencer marketing in live-streaming ‎e-commerce but also extends the application boundaries of social influence theory and ‎source credibility theory. It provides practical guidance for brands to optimize influencer ‎collaboration strategies and for influencers to enhance content marketing effectiveness. ‎Additionally, it identifies research limitations, such as the exclusion of cultural context, ‎and points the way for future studies‎.