Livestream shopping, live online shopping, live video shopping. You can call it many things. But, whatever you call it, the trend is here to stay.
Shoppers love livestream shopping because it’s convenient and hassle-free. As well it’s a fun and interactive way for businesses to sell their products online. Livestream shopping is like a live TV show.
Watching is great, but you can also ask questions and buy stuff the host shows you.
But don’t forget to mute your mic—no one wants to hear you exclaim, “Ooh, I want that one!”.
What is livestream shopping?
Livestream shopping uses live video streaming to showcase and sell products online. It’s easy to host a video stream on your e-commerce site. It’s also possible to buy products directly through livestream. During the livestream, the host or presenter will
- display and describe the products
- answer questions from viewers
- offer special discounts or promotions.
Livestream shopping is becoming more popular for businesses to connect with their customers. 78% of businesses use livestream shopping. And 17% of US residents watch influencer shopping streams, says Influencer Marketing Hub.
Why does my eCommerce need livestream shopping?
Livestream shopping is trendy among younger Americans. A survey by Accenture says 69% of 18- to 34-year-olds watch livestream shopping events. It’s 34% for people 55 and older.
It’s easier for brick-and-mortar stores to deliver personalized shopping experiences. They do it by catering to the needs and wants of customers when they walk in.
In the e-commerce era, people have traded traditional shopping for convenience and comfort with online shopping. Get it delivered anywhere in the world.
Yet consumers wanted more.
Because of poor user experiences, traditional e-commerce checkouts lose engagement. As a result, abandoned carts. Making your customers feel connected to you isn’t a given anymore.
You have to work on it.
You can’t always count on campaigns to convert. Because of that, there’s a fierce battle for attention and engagement.
Your brand’s success depends on connecting with your customers personally.
This digital age has made live streaming more and more popular and effective. Keep in touch with your target audience so you can improve your relationship. And you receive feedback right away with live selling.
Live streaming lets people interact with their favorite brands in real-time. You can leverage this desire to connect with your customers. As a result, you maximize revenue generation and exposure.
Suppose a luxury watch brand offers a “live unboxing” of a newly released product. Customers can watch and interact with the product unboxing in real-time. How cool is that?
How does livestream shopping work?
To host a livestream shopping event, you can approach it from a variety of perspectives. These are:
1. Expert interviews:
Bring a pro or industry expert to join the livestream. Going live, they can talk about a particular topic or share their expertise. For example, a fashion brand might invite a stylist to give fashion tips. Also, answer the viewers’ questions.
2. Q&A session with experts:
It’s like live interviews. But the main focus is on answering questions from viewers rather than the host asking the questions.
It could be an expert from the company hosting the livestream. Or from a related industry.
3. Live tutorials on the brand:
A host shows how to use any brand’s products in these streams. Or shows you how to get the most out of them. That’s a great way to display the products. You can also educate viewers about the features and benefits of those products.
4. Live Unboxing :
This is a stream where the host opens and shows off new stuff. It could be a product you just released or one they just received. Introducing and buzzing around new products can be fun.
5. Taking a behind-the-scenes look:
It’s a sneak peek behind-the-scenes at the company. A chance for viewers to see what happens behind the scenes. They can take a look at the people and processes behind the products.
6. Engage the audience in live challenges:
Here, the host or presenter sets up a challenge for viewers to complete, like a cooking contest or a fitness challenge. It’s a fun way to get your audience involved and get them to interact.
7. Live reviews:
These streams have a host or presenter reviewing a product. They share their honest thoughts and opinions. It’s a good way for viewers to see what other people think of a product before buying it.
8. Livestream an event:
You can livestream an event as it is happening. Something like a concert or a fashion show. Despite not being able to attend in person, viewers can experience an event in real time.
The video might be available again after the stream ends. Either on the streaming platform or website. Customers can buy products through the stream or your eCommerce site.
How Do I Start with My First Livestream Shopping Event?
Let me tell you a secret. Your business doesn’t have to be Amazon or Walmart to use live selling.
For example, a local bookstore could use live selling to host a virtual event. They can do it with an author. By doing this, the bookstore would be able to connect with its community and sell books.
With Arvia’s livestream shopping widget, you can effortlessly broadcast live events from your e-commerce website and sell your products interactively on your own platform. To add live selling to your marketing strategy, you can follow these simple steps:
- Add Arvia live streaming widget to your website,
- Prepare and showcase your products,
- Create a plan for your live selling event,
- Start streaming, and don’t hold back!
Read Also: Ready, Set, Stream: A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting Your First Livestream Shopping Event
How to Market a Livestream Shopping Event
A marketer needs to understand the basics of live streaming before launching a campaign.
It would be best if you had a clear strategy before you used tactics. No shortcuts.
The secret to effective campaigns is identifying your audience and their demographics. Also, their problems and their preferred platforms.
You’ll also have to answer these questions as part of your marketing strategy.
- What about live-streaming marketing experts? Can we do it in-house?
- What livestream platform do we use? Are we gonna host it on our website? Or do we host on our social media platform? If yes, which one do we like best?
- Do we buy our own gear?
- What’s our plan? Are we using an influencer or just relying on our brand’s power?
- Is this a once-off, or do we do it every time?
- What’s our product?
- What’s our content like?
- Are we recording it for later? (You should do it, as it’s a great marketing tool).
That’s right. I know there’s a lot to ask.
But you’ll do your brand more harm than good if you’re unprepared—and on stage.
I recommend you partner with marketers who have done this before. In addition live-streaming widgets like Arvia’s are an option to add livestream shopping events to your website. If you want to try this type of commerce, we have a feature focused on it.
So, the investment in time, money, and resources is relatively low.
When you’re done with all these points, you’re ready to market the event.
Read Also: Live Selling Mastery: 6 Proven Tips for Successful Livestream Shopping Campaigns
How to Choose Livestream Channels?
You can reach new customers by streaming on their favorite social media platforms. You must figure out what sales channels work best for your products and target market. Besides, you should publish your content on your own website.
Also, invite your customers from other social media platforms to your website. It will be beneficial to you in many ways.
For example, in a declining market, a company may need to diversify its products. It gives them a safety net.
Use Arvia for livestream shopping events. It’s an easy-to-use platform that allows you to connect with your audience in real-time. And deliver engaging content.
Is it better to do Livestream Shopping horizontally or vertically?
You can customize livestream shopping events based on what you want. Take a look at these things:
Video in vertical mode:
- It works better on smartphones and tablets since it takes up the whole screen.
- It provides a more immersive experience.
- It is more suitable for showcasing products that take up a lot of vertical space (e.g., clothing).
Video in horizontal mode:
- It might give you a better viewing experience on a desktop computer.
- It allows more information at the same time.
- It’s great for showing off a wide variety of products, like home decor and furniture.
It all depends on your needs and goals for your event. Consider your target audience and the type of products you’re displaying.
I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all answer to this. Some live-streaming platforms might have specific requirements for video orientation. Arvia, for example, may recommend vertical videos for live streaming.
It’s always a good idea to check with the platform you’re using. Doing so ensures that you’re meeting their technical requirements.
Conclusion: The Basics of Livestream Shopping
Livestream shopping makes selling online products easy and fun. You can offer a personalized shopping experience to customers. Younger shoppers especially love it.
Show off your products, answer viewers’ questions, and even offer promotions or discounts during a livestream shopping event. It’s a great way to build stronger relationships with customers and sell more stuff. So, why not give it a try?
Arvia offers a range of features to make your event a success. Including real-time interaction with your audience and easy setup. Click here to get started with Arvia and take your livestream events to the next level.
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