Why business through livestreams is growing

Image Credits: UnsplashImage Credits: Unsplash
  • Livestream commerce combines live video streaming with online shopping, offering an interactive and engaging experience.
  • The format has seen significant growth globally, particularly in China and the United States.
  • Influencers and celebrities play a crucial role in driving sales through live shopping events.

Livestream commerce is rapidly transforming the retail landscape, blending the immediacy of live video with the convenience of online shopping. This innovative approach has gained significant traction worldwide, driven by a combination of technological advancements, changing consumer behaviors, and the influence of social media platforms.

Livestream commerce, also known as live shopping, involves selling products through live video streams where hosts, often influencers or celebrities, showcase and demonstrate products in real-time. This format allows for interactive engagement with viewers, who can ask questions, seek recommendations, and make purchases directly from the live stream.

Global Adoption and Growth

The concept of livestream shopping took off in China, where it has become a multi-billion dollar industry. In 2023, China's live-streaming commerce market reached nearly five trillion yuan, a twelvefold increase from before the COVID-19 pandemic. This success has inspired retailers globally to adopt similar strategies. In the United States, livestream e-commerce sales hit $50 billion in 2023 and are projected to grow by 36% over the next three years. Other regions, including Southeast Asia and Latin America, are also seeing significant growth in this sector.

Key Drivers of Livestream Commerce

Several factors contribute to the rise of livestream commerce:

Interactive Shopping Experience: Livestream shopping offers a dynamic and engaging experience that traditional e-commerce lacks. Shoppers can interact with hosts, ask questions, and receive instant feedback, creating a more personalized shopping experience.

Influencer and Celebrity Endorsements: Influencers and celebrities play a crucial role in livestream commerce. Their ability to attract large audiences and build trust with viewers makes them ideal for promoting products. For example, Chinese influencers like Li Jiaqi and Viya have become superstars in the livestream shopping world, generating billions in sales during events.

Technological Advancements: The proliferation of high-speed internet and mobile devices has made it easier for consumers to participate in live shopping events. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook have integrated live shopping features, making it accessible to a broader audience.

Pandemic-Driven Shift: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online shopping and livestream commerce. With physical stores closed, consumers turned to online platforms for their shopping needs, and livestream commerce provided an interactive alternative to in-person shopping.

Challenges and Future Prospects

Despite its rapid growth, livestream commerce faces challenges. Skepticism towards products endorsed by influencers and the need for high-quality, engaging content are significant hurdles. Additionally, the format may not appeal to all demographics, with older consumers being less likely to participate in live shopping events.

However, the future of livestream commerce looks promising. As technology continues to evolve and more brands experiment with live shopping, the format is expected to become a staple in the retail industry. The success of livestream commerce will depend on how well brands understand their audience and leverage influencers to create authentic and engaging shopping experiences.

Livestream commerce is not merely a passing fad; rather, it represents a fundamental shift in the manner in which customers engage with companies and go about making purchases. Incomparable is the value that it provides in terms of real-time engagement and entertaining activities.

Livestream commerce is revolutionizing the e-commerce landscape by merging entertainment with shopping. Its ability to provide an interactive and engaging shopping experience, coupled with the influence of social media and technological advancements, has made it a powerful tool for retailers. As the industry continues to grow, brands that embrace this format and leverage its unique advantages will be well-positioned to succeed in the evolving retail environment.


Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 18, 2025 at 4:30:00 PM

How to boost customer referrals without gimmicks

Everyone wants referrals. The reality? Most startups build systems that quietly discourage them. They think delight leads to virality. They assume satisfaction drives...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 18, 2025 at 2:00:00 PM

Why word choice for influencers matters more than you think

When a founder-led brand or influencer makes a verbal misstep, the internet focuses on the backlash. But the real damage? It often begins...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 17, 2025 at 5:30:00 PM

Why customer experience is the top priority for CEOs

While AI labs chase compute and CFOs tune capital structures, the most forward-looking CEOs in 2025 are focused on something quieter—yet far more...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 17, 2025 at 4:30:00 PM

Can retailers keep up with rising consumer expectations in e-commerce?

While Gulf e-commerce platforms invest aggressively in fulfilment and last-mile control, many Western retailers are still revisiting whether free returns are financially viable....

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 17, 2025 at 4:00:00 PM

Why personal data sharing isn’t about consent, it’s about friction

There’s a common story early-stage founders like to tell themselves: if users are willing to share their personal information with our app, it...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 17, 2025 at 2:30:00 PM

How entrepreneur use numbers to justify the wrong moves

We made the wrong hire because the spreadsheet told us to. Her numbers were solid. Lead-to-close ratio? Great. Past team targets? On point....

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 16, 2025 at 10:30:00 PM

Why people forward some ads and ignore the rest

It happens in a blink. You’re in the middle of a group chat. Someone drops a link. “You have to see this.” You...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 15, 2025 at 10:30:00 PM

Livestream shopping is booming—here’s why it matters now

We didn’t understand what we were building. That was the real problem. We thought livestream commerce was a marketing tactic—a content strategy. Something...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 14, 2025 at 7:30:00 PM

Your customer’s home screen is your new front door

We assume the failure is technical. The load times were too slow. The checkout flow was clunky. The design didn’t adapt well to...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 14, 2025 at 2:30:00 PM

How celebrity endorsements influence what we buy

We’ve all seen it. The high-gloss ad with a superstar front and center. Cindy Crawford sipping a Pepsi like it’s a lifestyle. Shaq...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 13, 2025 at 11:30:00 AM

When influencer marketing works—and when it doesn’t

Influencer marketing didn’t emerge from a textbook—it emerged from a trust vacuum. As traditional advertising lost credibility and reach fragmented across digital ecosystems,...

Marketing
Image Credits: Unsplash
MarketingJuly 12, 2025 at 11:30:00 PM

Why representation in marketing is a growth strategy—not just good optics

We once launched a campaign that looked great in the boardroom—and landed flat in the market. The problem wasn’t the budget, the creative,...

Load More