Abstract

Live streaming commerce has emerged as a fast-paced and socially interactive shopping environment in which consumers frequently make fast purchase decisions under time pressure and visible social influence. While prior research has examined various factors shaping consumer behavior in livestream settings, the role of heuristic cues in driving competitive purchasing remains insufficiently understood. Drawing on dual-process theory, this study investigates how four types of heuristic cues - adjustment (price-focused), scarcity, affect, and social proof - influence fast purchase intention through two psychological mechanisms: Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and competitive arousal. A survey-based study using a single simulated livestream shopping stimulus was conducted with 325 participants, who watched a two-minute simulated livestream session and then completed a questionnaire measuring their perceptions of heuristic cues and their psychological and behavioral responses. The results show that adjustment, scarcity, and social proof cues significantly increase purchase intention, whereas affect-based cues do not exhibit a direct effect. Furthermore, both FOMO and competitive arousal serve as significant mediators, jointly explaining how heuristic cues translate into purchase intention. By integrating avoidance-based (FOMO) and approach-based (competitive arousal) motivations, this study provides a more comprehensive understanding of consumer decision-making in competitive livestream commerce environments. The findings also offer practical insights for livestream sellers on how to design effective cue-based strategies to stimulate fast purchasing behavior.

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