Anthropomorphism effect of virtual influencers on purchase intention in social commerce: A presence perspective

The rise of social commerce has drawn attention from scholars and practitioners, but the role of virtual influencers (VIs) remains underexplored. Utilizing the computers as social actors paradigm, our study examined how the anthropomorphism of VIs influences consumer behavior, with brand credibility as a moderator. We analyzed survey data from 408 consumers using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings showed that the anthropomorphism of VIs enhanced social presence and telepresence, boosting consumers’ purchase intention. Additionally, brand credibility moderated the effect of telepresence on purchase intention. The study concludes with a summary of implications for research and practice.