Remember home shopping on cable TV? Well, it has a new, digital-first face, and it’s called live stream shopping.
Drawing comparisons to the infomercials and home-shopping networks of the past, viewers can interact with sellers in real-time; only this isn't QVC circa 1990. Live stream shopping platforms are marketed toward Gen Z and younger consumers, delivering a fusion of entertainment, eCommerce and real-time interaction right to your phone.
Live stream shopping goes by several different names—live shopping, live commerce, video-driven commerce, vCommerce, experiential shopping platforms—but one thing that’s constant is its rate of growth.
The rise of live stream shopping
In China, the live stream shopping market is projected to reach $647 billion this year, and it’s rapidly gaining popularity in the US. Accelerated by the pandemic, live stream shopping offered a lifeline to brick-and-mortar businesses that had to remain shuttered during the early lockdown days.
Since 2021, the US live-shopping market has almost tripled in size. And while experts have called live-commerce platforms the malls of the future, where people will go to shop and socialize, the industry is still in its infancy.
The brands entering the chat
QVC’s parent company Qurate Retail Group, one of the largest players in video-driven commerce, recently launched Sune, a Gen Z-focused live stream shopping app.
Each user’s in-app experience is customized to their preferences and purchase history, with personalized recommendations and filters. Consumers can purchase products directly within their feeds and tune into their favorite influencers and content creators to explore cult beauty and fashion brands, handmade products and exclusive limited-edition items.
Brian Beitler, founder of Sune, says that the app’s playful branding and UI set it apart from other live-shopping platforms, and Sune’s goal is to provide a joyful, inspirational and relaxing experience.
Popshoplive is a platform similar to Sune that’s also geared toward younger consumers, powered by CommandSold. It markets itself as the first all-in-one-creator commerce platform, giving users a suite of tools to start selling even if they don’t make their own products.
Then, of course, there’s TikTok Shop. Despite a bumpy start and counterfeit problem, it’s now tied with Instagram for Gen Z’s preferred shopping app.
What agencies can learn from the popularity of these platforms
It’s hard to know what the future holds for this burgeoning format, but more and more brands are betting on its success, with big box retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom and Best Buy all integrating live-shopping experiences into their websites.
These hyper-engaging, commerce-driven brands present a few takeaways for web designers and Wix Studio eCommerce sellers of all kinds, such as:
Design to reflect a brand’s values
“We wanted our branding and UI to highlight some of our core values,” Beitler says. “Sune yellow conveys the joy of shopping and discovery, an emotional experience we wanted to bring back through our platform.”
They also conveyed movement and fluidity. “Our content should always be moving and evolving with our users and creators,” he says. “Our shapes aren’t always perfect circles, our logo isn’t one straight line and our font has curvature to it.”
Sune runs live experiences daily, but most of its content is pre-recorded video, so it’s not just about live streaming. “Pre-recorded videos in each user’s feed are designed similarly to social media platforms where you can like, comment or share, creating a feeling of community,” Beitler says. “And the video component allows users to engage with the hosts live and get real-time demonstrations and answers to enhance and personalize their experience.”
Use microinteractions to keep users engaged
On Popshoplive, I joined a seller's stream and was greeted personally by the host as current viewers commented in the chat about their favorite products or just how their day was going. Streams can last for several hours and are filled with a variety of microinteractions and engaging UI elements, like lightning bolt icons showering the host’s interface like confetti whenever a sale is made. You can use website animations to engage visitors on your clients’ websites, too. Check out 10 website animations that convert and engage for ideas and inspo.
Connect with your audience
“Live streaming empowers the people who are caring, empathetic and can read the room,” says Dan Dan Li, founder of Popshoplive. “The ones who will benefit the most from live selling in the next few years are the people who care deeply and strive to create that emotional connection with the audience. It’s a different type of creator—not necessarily the funniest or prettiest person you know, but the one you want to spend the most time with.”
In other words, the majority of growth in this market can be attributed to small businesses, individual makers and influencers who know how to connect with their audience in an authentic way. And that’s important on any platform you tap into today.
For more about connecting with your audience, check out the influencer trends you need to know now and what to make of a possible TikTok ban.
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