1. Introduction

In the modern society where the live broadcast economy is becoming more and more popular, consumers are more and more like to buy goods in the network broadcast. In order to encourage users to make purchases, the anchors will answer queries and dispel customers' uncertainties while introducing the pertinent facts of the products in the broadcast room. In the existing network live broadcast, the forms of live broadcast are becoming more and more novel, including the diversity of anchors, such as "shopping guide anchors," "offline market anchors," "farmers anchors,"etc., or the effective fusion of professionalism and traffic, like when celebrities engage with viewers in the broadcast studio or when authorities work with highly trafficked anchors, etc. With the advancement of contemporary Internet technologies, customers now favor online shopping. As a result, "online drainage + physical consumption" is increasingly preferred by retailers and customers, and this has a clear impact on how modern society is developing economically. The 53rd statistical report on China's Internet development shows that there were 10.92 trillion Internet users in the country by December 2023, up 24.8 million over the previous year, with a 77.5% Internet penetration rate. The amount of people shopping online has been increasing rapidly. Online shopping consumption continued to grow steadily. With 15.4 trillion yuan in online retail sales in 2023, the country ranked first in the world for 11 years running. From the increase in the scale of Internet users, it can be seen that the increase and pursuit of Internet users for information acquisition channels. Interactivity is one of the many characteristics that influence consumers' desire to purchase in the webcast economy. An essential tool for forming interaction is barrage. It involves both the communication between customers and the interactions between customers and anchors. The anchor further enhances the live broadcast's presentation form by providing customers with a detailed explanation of the material by reacting to the bullet screen. E-commerce live streaming, as opposed to traditional e-commerce, offers customers a quicker and easier experience. It's an online virtual community that combines social and purchasing features.[1]. One of the most significant distinctions between live e-commerce and regular e-commerce is the ability for customers to communicate in real time through bullet screen remarks with merchants and other viewers in the live broadcast room. [2].

Prior research has demonstrated that the success of live broadcasting platforms is significantly impacted by barrage information.[3]. More academics are beginning to value its study and think that it influences audiences behavior in some way. However, there are only a few studies on the complex impact of barrage comments on consumers [3,4]. In particular, how the information quality of bullet-screen comments affects the decision-making process of consumers has not attracted much attention from scholars. Therefore, this study takes this as the research focus. This study examines how the bullet-screen information quality of several variables in e-commerce live streaming has varying affects on customers' perceived value, perceived risk, and buy intention through various paths. It is based on prior research models and related advancements. It is hoped that this research can help livestreaming merchants better understand consumers' ideas, improve sales strategies and services, and then enhance consumers' purchase intention and increase sales.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Live Streaming E-commerce

As Internet development continues to expand quickly, consumers are paying more and more attention to live streaming e-commerce. Some studies examine why consumers engage in live broadcasting by watching a significant number of users. These studies are among the researches on the subject of consumer motivation for live broadcasting. Research has also been done on the intention of consumers to acquire live streaming e-commerce products based on their social presence. In previous studies, psychological arousal theory and SOR theory were used as the theoretical basis to explore the impact of live broadcast function and anchor characteristics on consumer behavior [1,5,6,7,8]. These studies suggest that consumers make decisions because they are determined by their feelings and attitudes after being exposed to external stimuli. Some studies have focused on the influence of consumer motivations such as online interaction tendency and utilitarian and hedonic motivation on their decision-making [9,10]. Emphasizing the influence of real-time contact on consumer behavioral intentions in e-commerce broadcast rooms, other research have investigated the relationship between community interaction and consumer viewing and interaction characteristics and customer continuous use. [11,12].

Additional research is required to fully understand how consumers make purchases in live e-commerce broadcasts, as shown by prior studies. First off, the majority of studies have not emphasized how well information works to shape consumers' impressions. Most of these studies focus on the role of anchors in influencing consumer cognition, but lack the impact of information itself on consumers [6,7]. Secondly, although e-commerce live broadcasting is a socially interactive business environment, customers' perceived risk and value in this setting have not received enough consideration.

2.2. Barrage Information Quality

Online comments that emerge in massive quantities at once and nearly fill the screen are referred to as barrage.[13]. Information quality is the degree of consumers' perception of information and an important antecedent of consumers' information adoption and behavior decision [14]. Some studies have defined information quality in terms of diversity and quantity, relevance and reliability [15]. Information richness is also used to indicate the extent of multimedia content in information, emphasizing the differences in quantity, individuation and linguistic diversity of information. Other studies divide information quality into two dimensions: one is to use intrinsic information quality to describe the content of information; Second, the quality of representational information is used to represent the way of presenting information [16]. Based on this, this study expressed the barrage information quality in e-commerce live broadcasting by the barrage internal information quality and the barrage representation information quality.

The intrinsic information quality of the barrage represents the intrinsic characteristics of the barrage that consumers perceive from the barrage comments, such as relevance and reliability. Relevance is the degree to which the products that the anchor in the live broadcast room recommends and the barrage information are closely related. [17]. Anchors can give corresponding answers to questions in the bullet screen, and consumers can also watch commodity related information released by other consumers in the same broadcast room in real time [17]. Reliability indicates the degree to which the barrage information is trustworthy [15]. Bullet screen is the bridge between consumers and anchors, and the main carrier for virtual community members to express their views and emotions. Consumers judge the reliability of information expressed by other consumers mainly based on bullet screen itself [15].

Barrage representation information quality represents the form of barrage representation perceived by consumers, including the number and diversity of barrage. Quantity refers to the adequacy of the number of bullets in the direct broadcast room [17]. Diversity refers to the diversity of personalized language of barrage information [18]. Bullet screen information in the form of non-single text, such as expressions and numbers, is more able to attract consumers' interest [19]. Through these various forms of information, consumers can also form their cognition of related products [19].

In conclusion, in order to investigate the impact of barrage information quality on consumers' purchase intention, the quality of representative information of barrage is expressed by quantity and diversity of barrage, while the relevance and reliability of barrage represent the internal information quality.

2.3. Consumer Value Theory

The consumer value theory states that social and functional value are two aspects of consumers' perceived worth. [20]. The physical or functional worth of the commodity itself is highlighted by functional value. The concept of social value highlights how goods serve a purpose by fostering connections between users and other social groupings. This theory shows that before consumers make a purchase, their final choice is influenced by a variety of consumption values. Although few previous studies have gone into depth from the perspective of consumer value theory, the relevant contents of consumer perceived value, such as perceived value, emotional attachment, perceived enjoyment and perceived utility, are still mentioned in the literature. Nonetheless, there hasn't been enough focus on how the perceived worth of consumers' purchase intentions is affected by the quality of the deluge of information. The primary focus of this study is on how consumers' purchase intentions are influenced by perceived utility and perceived connection. The former refers to the degree of usefulness consumers perceive from barrage information, while the latter refers to the sense of identity with broadcast groups and their affiliations.

2.4. Perceived Risk Theory

In the process of purchasing behavior, consumers have clear demand Settings. Customers will perceive risks when they are unsure of the consumption type that will best suit their demands [21]. The study's definition of perceived risk is the subjective assessment of different dangers that consumers have when they shop. When studying whether perceived risk has an effect on consumer behavior, many scholars have found that consumers' purchase intention will change with the change of perceived risk. Some studies have found that consumers' purchase intention will be significantly reduced due to perceived risk, thus reducing shoppers' purchase behavior [21]. This study will verify this.

3. Research Method

3.1. Model Construction and Research Hypothesis

In conclusion, as seen in Figure 1, the conceptual model of this investigation is suggested.

Figure 1: Research conceptual model.

3.1.1. Barrage Information Quality and Consumer Perceived Value and Perceived Risk

Studies have shown that commodity-related information in reviews can promote consumers' perception of purchase value [22]. Bullet screen comments have a high degree of relevance, which can stimulate the shared experience among viewers and thus stimulate the perception of social existence that they belong to the same group as others [22,23]. The reliability of information is believed to reduce consumers' perception of risks and thus enhance their confidence in products and transactions [22]. Therefore, the following hypothesis is put forth:

H1a: The internal information quality of bullet screen is positively correlated with consumers' perceived utility.

H1b: Customers' perceived affiliation is positively connected with the barrage's intrinsic information quality.

H1c: The inherent information quality of bullet screen is negatively correlated with consumers' perceived risk.

The barrage information, both in terms of volume and variety, improves consumers' ability to think clearly. Consumers are better able to comprehend and adjust to the information content the more varied and abundant the information is.[24]. Bullet screen information can not only help consumers and anchors communicate, but also promote the communication between viewers and build a good atmosphere in the broadcast room. A lot of information displayed in bullet points makes it easier for users to see other people's company, which helps them create stronger social identities, recognize that they are a part of the broadcast room community, and feel deeply connected [23]. In a live room environment, when the product's barrage information is presented more abundant, the probability of consumers adopting this information usually increases accordingly [25]. Customers' perceptions of product uncertainty and risk are lowered when there is more information presented in bullet points on the screen, allowing them to grasp the product in greater detail. As a result, the following hypothesis is put forth:

H2a: Barrage representation information quality positively affects consumers' perceived utility

H2b: The quality of bullet screen representation information positively affects consumers' perceptual belongingness.

H2c: Barrage representation information quality is negatively correlated with consumers' perceived risk.

3.1.2. Consumer Value and Perceived Risk and Consumer Purchase Intention

Perceived utility reflects consumers' judgment on the practical value of information, which is the decisive factor for consumers to make purchases. Studies have shown that when customers are given more helpful information in the broadcast room, their perceived trust is greatly increased, and they are also more likely to make purchases [26]. When it comes to e-commerce live broadcasting, co-viewers' opinions and information sharing can help consumers derive more meaning and utility from bullet screen information. This means that bullet screen information is more useful for helping consumers comprehend products and fulfill their shopping goals, which in turn enhances their perception of the information's usefulness and influences their intention to make a purchase [10].

Perceived belonging can reflect users' identification with online groups and the belonging relationship between themselves and the groups [27]. In e-commerce live broadcasting, viewers' frequent processing of barrage information can strengthen the belonging relationship between them and other co-viewers, so that they can easily agree with the group's judgment, and may also contribute to the live broadcast room [2,27,28].

It is evident from the prior literature study that consumers are less likely to purchase a product if they believe it to be riskier than it is. As a result, the following theory is put forth:

H3: Purchase intention and perceived utility of the product are positively connected.

H4: There exists a positive correlation between consumers' buying intention and their perceived ownership.

H5: There exists a negative correlation between consumers' purchasing intention and their perceived risk.

3.2. Questionnaire Design

The measurements from earlier research were used in this investigation. On the basis of literature review, the scale topics of this study are sorted out. In order to make the title more in line with the situation of the study, the expression of some titles has been modified accordingly. Table 1 displays the scale's contents. A 5-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), was used to measure each item.

Table 1: Contents of the measurement scale.

3.3. Data Collection

This study published questionnaires through social media to collect data mainly from college students in A University in Hebei Province, China. The questionnaire first introduced the survey activities to the respondents and explained the definitions involved in the survey. The assumptions of the study were not disclosed. Pre-screening questions were used at the beginning of the questionnaire to ensure that respondents fit the survey context. When the respondents gave a positive answer to the question "Do you watch live network broadcasts" and a positive answer to the question "Do you usually watch bullet screen comments when watching live broadcasts with goods?", they could continue to answer the following questions. After pre-screening, 187 valid data were finally recovered for formal data analysis.

4. Result

4.1. Correlation Analysis

In this study, the scores of each variable in the questionnaire are represented by spss using the mean value of the questions that make up each variable. The correlation between variables was tested using the Pearson correlation coefficient in correlation analysis..

Table 2: Results of correlation analysis between barrage information quality, consumers' perceived value and perceived risk.

As shown in Table 2, the perceived value of barrage by customers is positively connected with its intrinsic information quality (Pearson=0.622, P<0.01). There was a favorable correlation between the perceived affiliation of consumers and the intrinsic information quality of barrage. (Pearson=0.553, P<0.01). Customers' perceptions of risk and barrage's inherent information quality were positively correlated. (Pearson=0.378, P<0.01). The quality of bullet screen representation information was positively correlated with consumers' perceived utility (Pearson=0.757, P<0.01), perceived belongingness (Pearson=0.633, P<0.01) and perceived risk (Pearson=0.55, P<0.01).

Table 3: Correlation analysis of consumer value, perceived risk and consumer purchase intention.

As shown in Table 3, consumers' perceived utility (Pearson=0.657, P<0.01), perceived ownership (Pearson=0.786, P<0.01) and perceived risk (Peasron=0.322, P<0.01) are all positively correlated with consumers' purchase intention.

4.2. Hypothesis Testing

In this study, barrage information is divided into internal information quality and representational information quality to explore the correlation between its perceived value, perceived risk and purchase intention of consumers. For example, the above correlation analysis results show that hypothesis H1a, H1b, H2a, H2b, H3 and H4 are all supported.

5. Research Discussion

After data analysis, the analysis results of H1c, H2c and H5 are different from the original hypothesis. That is, the higher the representational information quality and intrinsic information quality of the barrage, the higher the perceived wind direction generated by consumers. Customers are more likely to make a purchase when they perceive a higher level of risk. This does not seem to fit the reality. Due to the virtual nature of the Internet, this study conjectured that the phenomena "the higher the quality of bullet screen information, the higher the perceived risk of consumers" may arise. Consumers cannot accurately tell which barrage is real and effective. Even now, many broadcasters will hire a water army to help them publish some comments that are conducive to selling goods. This leads to the phenomenon of bullet screen brushing in many broadcast rooms. This phenomenon is likely to cause certain perceived risks to consumers.

The phenomenon of "the higher the perceived risk of consumers, the higher the purchase intention of consumers" may be because this study did not do further research on the types of consumers shopping online. It may be that the products sold in the broadcast room are very attractive to consumers, resulting in consumers' curiosity about the products beyond their awareness of the possible risks of the products, so they are willing to pay for their curiosity. Or because the merchandise sold in the studio itself comes with some additional protection, such as the current return shipping insurance. This leads consumers to be willing to try to buy the product even if there is a certain perceived risk to the product.

The following recommendations for the management of e-commerce direct broadcast rooms are made by this study in light of the findings of the data analysis mentioned above:

The importance of the barrage information quality in the direct broadcast room should not be understated by anchors, merchants, or platforms. They should assess the barrage based on information quality attributes like quantity, diversity, relevance, and reliability, and implement efficient measures to enhance the intrinsic and representational information quality of the barrage in the direct broadcast room. Anchors need to create a positive atmosphere in the broadcast room and drive viewers to discuss the goods. From the point of view of the anchor, the anchor should first answer the questions raised by the viewers in the live broadcast, timely reply to the negative comments in the live broadcast room, try to meet the reasonable needs of the viewers, and trigger the desire of consumers to send the live broadcast. In addition, businesses should manage the barrage information and optimize the barrage environment of the live broadcast room. The platform should set up a reporting mechanism, for the merchants or consumers who brush the bullet screen, other consumers have the right to report, and the report will be rewarded accordingly. Avoid the situation of merchants hiring water soldiers, and help merchants create a correct live environment.

6. Conclusion

This study divides the barrage information quality into two parts: the barrage internal information quality and the barrage representation information quality, and explores how it affects consumers' purchase intention. Finally, it is determined that by favorably influencing consumers' perceived utility and ownership, the barrage's intrinsic and representational information quality can both have a beneficial impact on their purchase intention. However, due to the fact that this study did not set too many demographic variables in the questionnaire, and the survey objects were mainly concentrated in college students, this study has certain limitations. In addition, this study only uses spss to analyze the data, and the analysis method is relatively simple. In future studies, if surveyors scattered at different educational levels are selected, more surveys are conducted on minors and middle-aged and elderly people, and a variety of data analysis methods are used for analysis, the research results will be more reliable. This study considers that further research is needed on how the barrage information quality can lead to consumers' perceived risk and further affect consumers' purchase intention. In the future, this study will first add questions about consumers' types of live shopping and their purchasing behaviors into the questionnaire to further verify the rationality of this hypothesis. In addition, this study mainly explores how the intrinsic information quality and representational information quality of barrage affect consumers' purchase intention from a macro perspective. But a barrage is a kind of fast-moving real-time commentary, and its length, color, etc. in the live broadcast room may have an impact on consumers. To provide a clearer explanation of the effect of bullet screen information on customers' buy intention, subsequent research will exclusively concentrate on the micro level to investigate which particular aspects can influence consumers' purchase intention.