Food live streaming e-commerce in China: enhancing consumer purchase intentions through sensory marketing

Purpose Given the rapid expansion of food live streaming e-commerce (FLSE) as an emerging retail channel, this study aims to examine how sensory experience influences purchase intention through flow experience and food craving. Design/methodology/approach This research gathered 265 valid responses from food live streaming viewers in China and conducted data analysis using PLS-SEM. Findings The results demonstrate that positive sensory experiences enhance consumers' purchase intentions through flow experience and food craving. Both flow experience and food craving serve as mediators in this process, while viewing frequency moderates the relationship between sensory and flow experiences. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature by demonstrating the comparative strength of food craving versus flow experience as mediating mechanisms and by establishing viewing frequency as a novel boundary condition that shapes consumer responses in food live streaming contexts. These findings extend sensory marketing theory to digital food retail environments.