What's behind the Success of Influencer Marketing In e-Commerce Retailing: Investigating the Psychosocial Mechanisms between Influencer - Fans Parasocial Relationship and Fans Purchasing Intention

In a sample of Chinese young adults (N = 1484), this study found that (a) the influencer-fan parasocial relationships (PSR) are associated with fans' purchase intention, (b) self-identity, attachment to the influencer, and negative but not positive emotions mediated the association between PSR and fans' purchase intention.