Integrating Social Interaction and Technology Readiness to Explain Consumer Adoption of Live-Streaming Shopping

Abstract

Live-streaming shopping has rapidly emerged as a dominant form of digital commerce, yet the mechanisms driving consumers’ intention and actual purchasing behavior remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Technology Readiness (TR) theory, this study develops and tests a comprehensive model integrating live-streaming interactivity, anchor credibility, perceived complexity, trust, intention, and technology readiness as a moderator. Using data from 284 Chinese consumers and SmartPLS 4.1, the results reveal that interactivity and anchor credibility significantly enhance trust and intention, whereas perceived complexity negatively affects both constructs. Trust and intention strongly predict actual behavior, demonstrating their central roles in live-streaming commerce. Importantly, technology readiness not only directly influences actual behavior but also strengthens the intention–behavior linkage, indicating that consumers with higher technology readiness are more capable of translating intention into action. The model demonstrates acceptable explanatory power, and IPMA results highlight intention, trust, and technology readiness as key levers for increasing consumer adoption. This study contributes theoretically by integrating technological and social-interaction perspectives within an emerging digital retail context and offers actionable insights for platforms and retailers aiming to enhance user engagement, reduce friction, and promote adoption in live-streaming environments.