PERFORMATIVE QUALITY: DECONSTRUCTING PRODUCT QUALITY PERCEPTION IN THE TIKTOK LIVE SHOPPERTAINMENT TREND

Abstract

The shoppertainment phenomenon via TikTok Live has exploded, successfully revolutionizing consumer shopping behavior and creating new dynamics in product quality assessment. Products trending on this platform often sell out in minutes. This phenomenal success is not purely due to their intrinsic superiority but is more frequently driven by momentary urgency and real-time social validation created by the host. This research aims to deeply analyze how "product quality" is actually performatively constructed by the live host and how this instant perception subsequently affects consumers' impulsive purchase decisions, even before they touch the product. The study uses digital ethnography and qualitative content analysis to observe trending TikTok Live sessions, examining the dynamic interaction between the host, the product, and thousands of simultaneous audiences. The results clearly show a fundamental shift where the perception of quality has moved away from the product's physical attributes—such as raw materials, durability, or functionality—towards a highly visual and emotional performative validation. Quality is now defined by the host's personal charisma, coupled with their hyperbolic and persuasive product demonstration skills, and strongly supported by the number of viewers "fighting" for the item, reinforced by the rapid scroll of positive comments. The host actively and strategically uses artificial scarcity mechanisms like flash sales and "last stock" and instant on-screen testimonials to successfully build an illusion of high quality and massive market demand. The perceived quality during the live broadcast often overshadows or totally eclipses the product's actual quality that consumers will receive later. Consequently, consumers are caught in a collective FOMO and euphoria, willing to ignore rational considerations to acquire the trending product. The study concludes that in the trending TikTok Live ecosystem, "quality" is not a fixed product attribute but a social performance created and consumed instantly, with its success driven by trust in the influencer and the psychological pressure from the digital crowd.