【公开学术报告-第160期】How Livestreaming E-commerce Reshapes Consumers’ Product Return Behaviors

How Livestreaming E-commerce Reshapes Consumers’ Product Return Behaviors: A Tri-processing Theory Perspective

【直播电商如何重塑消费者退货行为——基于三重加工理论视角】

Speaker: Ranyi (Oliver) Wei (Ph.D. candidate in Information Systems, HKUST)

Date & Time:  Thur. 15 January 2026, from 10:00 to 11:30 AM (Beijing Time)

Location: Tongji Building A2101

ABSTRACT

Livestreaming e-commerce (LEC) is transforming online shopping by enhancing consumer experiences and boosting sales. However, should retailers adopt LEC solely based on its potential for sales growth? This study examines the impact of introducing LEC on consumer purchases and product returns by comparing it to traditional e-commerce (TEC). Extending the tri-processing theory to the LEC context and integrating it with the LEC and channel introduction literature, we examine the impact of LEC exposure beyond consumers’ purchasing to product returns behaviors. We leverage a novel dataset from a leading retailer in China that adopted LEC in July 2017. Employing difference-in-differences (DID), regression discontinuity in time (RDiT), and instrumental variable (IV) estimation approaches, our findings reveal that LEC increases sales by 95% in value and 111% in quantity. However, it also results in an 86% increase in the value of returns and a 50% increase in return frequency. Notably, most returns occur at the pre-shipping stage. We further identify consumers’ self-control failure as a critical moderator of tri-processing theory, indicating that consumers lacking self-control are less likely to correct their purchase decisions early. Furthermore, we find that increased product returns at the pre-shipping stage are associated with more negative emotions compared to returns in the post-shipping stage. Finally, we analyze how LEC disrupts retailers' cost structures related to each return stage. Our research contributes to tri-processing theory by applying it to a multi-stage decision-making context in online shopping and highlighting self-control as an important moderator for activating Type 3 processing. Our work provides valuable guidelines for retailers and platforms considering the adoption of LEC.

Keywords: livestreaming, product returns, dual-processing theory, tri-processing theory, channel adoption, e-commerce

Guest Bio：

Oliver Ranyi Wei is a Ph.D. candidate in Information Systems at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. His research centers on the unintended consequences and governance of nascent digital technologies, with particular focus on generative AI and livestreaming e-commerce platforms. His research on Gen-AI has received the Best Student Paper Award at premier Information Systems conferences, including the Workshop on Information Systems and Economics (WISE 2024). Before pursuing his Ph.D., he was a successful entrepreneur in livestream e-commerce. His research and entrepreneurial ventures have been widely covered by major media outlets, including the People’s Daily and Tencent News.