Stimulus–Organism–Response Framework in Practice: Live Streaming Marketing, Trust, and Impulsivity in Indonesian TikTok Commerce

Purpose -- The objective of this study is to examine the influence of live streaming marketing (LSM)—defined by live streamer, product quality, and live-streaming platform—on trust and impulsivity, which in turn affect purchase intention, within the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) paradigm. The research examines Aerostreet, an Indonesian local footwear manufacturer that employs TikTok live streaming as a sales platform.

Design/methodology/approach -- A quantitative, cross-sectional study was executed with 395 TikTok live viewers in Surakarta, Indonesia, aged 17 and older. Data were collected using a structured online questionnaire and analyzed using SEM (AMOS 24.0), yielding good model fit indices (e.g., RMSEA = 0.025; TLI = 0.994).

Findings -- Results indicate that LSM enhances trust and impulsivity, although exerts no direct impact on purchase intention. Both trust (β = 0.328, p < 0.001) and impulsivity (β = 0.430, p < 0.001) strongly influence purchasing intention. Mediation research indicates that trust mediates the effect of the live streamer and platform on buy intention, but not product quality, whereas impulsivity mediates all pathways from live streamer marketing to purchase intention. These findings corroborate the SOR theory, emphasizing that LSM (stimulus) influences psychological mechanisms (organism), which then dictate consumer response (purchase intention).
Practical implications – For live commerce professionals, augmenting streamer credibility, interactivity, and platform interaction features is more efficacious when integrated with techniques that foster trust and incite impulse purchasing, rather than depending exclusively on product characteristics.
Originality/value -- This study expands LSM research to the Indonesian TikTok commerce context, illustrating that its influence on purchase intention is mediated indirectly by psychological factors, hence enhancing the SOR model beyond its primary applicability in the Chinese market.