How Virtual Influencers Shape Consumers’ Green Purchase Intention Among Chinese Consumers: Evidence from PLS-SEM and fsQCA

Abstract

Virtual influencers have emerged as an important marketing tool in social commerce and digital consumer engagement. However, limited research has examined how virtual influencer characteristics shape consumers’ green purchase intention through underlying emotional and relational mechanisms. Drawing upon Parasocial Interaction Theory and Affect-as-Information Theory, this study investigates the effects of perceived authenticity, social presence, and interactivity on consumers’ green purchase intention, with parasocial intimacy and emotional arousal serving as mediating variables. A mixed-method approach integrating Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) was employed. Data were collected from 346 consumers who had prior experience interacting with virtual influencers and purchasing green products. The PLS-SEM results indicate that perceived authenticity, social presence, and interactivity significantly enhance parasocial intimacy and emotional arousal, which subsequently increase green purchase intention. Furthermore, the fsQCA findings reveal multiple configurational pathways leading to high green purchase intention, suggesting that different combinations of virtual influencer characteristics can generate similar consumer outcomes. This study contributes to the electronic commerce and influencer marketing literature by extending the understanding of virtual influencer effectiveness in sustainable consumption contexts. Methodologically, the integration of symmetrical and asymmetrical analytical approaches provides a more comprehensive explanation of consumer decision-making in virtual influencer marketing environments. The findings also offer practical implications for marketers seeking to leverage virtual influencers to promote green consumption in digital commerce settings.