
doi: 10.1002/cb.70199
ABSTRACT With the rapid adoption of virtual streamers in live streaming commerce, how their language strategies shape consumer decision‐making remains insufficiently understood. Although sensory language is widely used by human streamers as a persuasive device, its effectiveness in virtual streamer contexts remains inconclusive. Drawing on processing fluency theory, this study examines the interactive effects of virtual streamers' sensory language (present vs. absent) and message appeal (rational vs. emotional) on consumers' purchase intention, while testing processing fluency as a mediating mechanism and streamer‐product matching level as a moderating factor. Using scenario‐based experiments, the results show that sensory language is not universally effective; rather, its persuasive impact depends on its alignment with the type of message appeal. Specifically, sensory language enhances processing fluency and, when combined with emotional appeals, increases purchase intention, whereas it may undermine processing fluency under rational appeal conditions. Further analyses indicate that a high level of streamer‐product matching strengthens this interaction effect. By adopting an information‐processing perspective, this research identifies critical boundary conditions for the persuasive effectiveness of virtual streamers' language strategies, extends the literature on virtual streamer persuasion mechanisms, and provides actionable insights for content design in live streaming commerce.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
