An Empirical Study on the Effects of Streamer Theoretical and Professional Expertise Depth, Consumer Empathy, and the Density of Commercial Persuasive Talk in Livestream Commerce on Consumers’ Purchase Conversion in the Skincare and Beauty Sector, with Consumer Emotional Attachment as a Mediating Mechanism

This study addresses a highly salient yet persistent challenge in China’s skincare and beauty livestream commerce, namely why purchase conversion remains markedly volatile despite consistently strong viewing traffic. Drawing on the Stimulus Organism Response framework and attachment theory, the study conceptualises streamer theoretical and professional expertise depth, consumer empathy, and the density of commercial persuasive talk during livestreams as key external stimuli within the livestream room. Consumer emotional attachment is positioned as the core psychological mechanism linking streamer behaviours to conversion outcomes. A questionnaire survey was administered to Chinese consumers with viewing and purchasing experience in skincare and beauty livestreams, and the hypothesised relationships were examined using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results indicate that expertise depth and empathic capability enhance purchase conversion, whereas a higher density of commercial persuasive talk suppresses conversion. In addition, consumer emotional attachment mediates the effects of all three streamer behavioural factors on conversion, suggesting that conversion is not driven solely by promotional stimulation. Rather, professional explanation and emotional responsiveness jointly cultivate a psychological bond with the streamer, which subsequently translates into purchase decisions. The study further clarifies the conversion logic of skincare and beauty products, which are characterised by a strong reliance on explanation, demonstrating that content credibility and relational credibility are more likely than short term stimulation to generate stable conversion. These findings provide a clearer mechanistic account of the commonly observed phenomenon of high traffic but low conversion in livestream commerce and offer actionable implications for practice. Streamers should prioritise professionalised explanations and high-quality empathic interaction as core capability development. Brands and platforms should also reduce their reliance on high intensity scripted persuasive talk in evaluation and governance and instead strengthen long term incentives for content quality and relationship quality.