April 14, 2021
EditorialsSince the times of the global pandemic, no matter how many fulfilling hobbies and projects we have, we all fall prey to mindless internet scrolling. Be that social media, watching endless videos of cats and people doing things, we are always in a seek of new sensations and experiences. If we think how much energy we spend on all the different things the internet has to offer, the more is often more draining. However, this new trend of live streaming, has just about rounded up all of our favourite pastimes, combining into one. Here is why and how live streaming is become a part of life for millions in China, now spreading all over the world:
A combination of all current tech trends - social, commerce and influencers - livestream shopping is bringing us together with our favourite stars, giving us an opportunity to connect and feel closure to those we admire and those whose lives we follow for different reasons. Seeing our favourite fashionista who’s feel we love and whose creative approach to putting together pieces of clothing in a way we have not thought of is always a fun way to add value to our lives. Now we can see those stars in a much closer and personal setting than before. Watching them do a lifestream, there is even a double pleasure available. Don’t we all miss the days when we could take a stroll down the mall or our favourite shopping street with our friends, stopping for a snack and a coffee, thinking purely on how we want and what we need? Or even better- the walk back home with hands full and tired from the bag strings, thinking of all the ways we could style them, where and when we will take them out. Now we get the possibility to have that experience, but instead the tiresome trip to the mall and back home is replaced with being overwhelmed with opportunities to win discounts and prize products, all proposed by our mini-role models.
Life stream shopping is giving us an opportunity to feel in-store, but with a cosy feel. We can stay in the comfort of our home, while watching the girl we have been following for years for her eye makeup looks, talk in our favourite boutique with a professional from the industry. Saving ourselves the embarrassment of asking too many questions (hello social anxiety!), it is for once really nice to be stuck behind a screen, and not so isolating after all. We can ask whatever questions in mind, probably doing it on behalf of others watching and although a small thing, but something like being called out by that girl you follow can really render a day sweeter. Besides, things most would not think to ask when they are checking out a product or stuck in a hot changing room with those mirrors that triple all your insecurities (common stores, not cool marketing investment), like brand philosophies on product manufacturing. Being online we can really use the opportunity to weigh out our interest in the product, part of the product also includes how it has been made. Do not fear to ask the host about how close the approach of the brand they are representing is to conscious fashion ethics. Raise and spread awareness.
Seeing the host present the brand and not a brand employee creates an element of honesty that is very valuable in the internet world of advertisements screaming for your attention and giving you an exaggerated and filtered introduction of the product. Seeing a personality we relate to more and having the possibility to engage, means the host will have to improvise and give authentic responses. After all, they choose the products they showast for a reason that they truly find them unique, otherwise it would show when they are trying it out if they don’t appreciate its quality. Trying to sell it desperately will definitely only push us off the show and they know that. That is why Live stream shopping channels are really a place to find some gems, even better- with discounts. Many of those shots will give us a chance to win discounts and prizes for doing different things- send it to a friend, be the first one to respond, buy-one-get-one-free, etc. It is cool to have an account, where the more your loyalty level grows, the more generous the benefits and perks you get are. If we deserve one thing after hours of searching and filling out that check-out page, is to be rewarded for it. It is definitely a thrilling, gamble like way to spend our money, but winning only. It is not a loss if you got a special prize, during a special experience, from a special to you person.
To be able to see the product from all these angles the host will showcast it from, gives us an opportunity to assess the quality of the product (the closest it gets to real life shopping) and really get the feel of it. We can better see the quality of material, in regards to beauty and cosmetics industries it is the most convenient. However, even furniture and household products are much easier to check out this way! The journey of this experience made it extremely more fun, we can spend our time laughing and checking out our next hide-away-spot armchair. It is fascinating to see what collections of products the hosts, our beloved influencers and comedians, will choose to represent. In China, many present their latest most exciting finds, wanting to help the audience save their time and show them what really can make their life better and save their time.
Last but not least, the biggest factor for why this e-commerce type is winning
the hearts of millions across the world, is the lively aspect of personality with minimal technicalities that come with using the web and technologies. The fact you can order in a click while enjoying yourself, acts with respect towards you and your time. It takes away all the boring administrative parts of shopping, leaving us to enjoy ourselves.
Over-consumption… the accessibility and high functionality of online shopping has given rise to a the detrimental effects of shopping, on the planet and one’s well-being. Human desires are a source of great pleasure and during the age of the internet, we can often be overwhelmed with the colourful spectrum of temptations screaming for our attention. Many advertisements, playing on the basic human needs of happiness, friendship and success, forget of the correlation between the value they promise and the value they bring.
Since March 2020, most of us tend to shop via online websites instead of visiting malls. As a result of an increase in traffic in this area, the eCommerce industry has grown exponentially. As this deadly disease spread fast, online eCommerce for retailers. According to Digital Commerce 360, the growth in eCommerce sales in 2019 is expected to shoot up by 30%.
A creative approach to breathing life into an activity that is not a mere necessity, but a ‘comfort food’, a little holiday, a merry celebration. Shopping online has never been as exciting, intimate, and personalized. To be able to meet the product by seeing it being put to use by who we trust in more than an online description or shop assistant, whose help we most often avoid. The influencers involved in sales, give the customers an ability to have more faith in the quality and value of a product without seeing or trying it themselves.
Livestream shopping is a new popular trend that allows customers to find out more about their favourite brands, ask questions, and the option to buy items straight from the Livestream. It also offers customers a more engaging experience than simply clicking and loading a virtual shopping cart. Livestream shopping takes advantage of social media's natural interactivity. Comments flash through the screen as audiences tune in.
Even before the world grinded to a halt, retail shops have been closing their doors. The convenience of online shopping meant that most people were choosing to shop from the comfort of their own homes, instead of venturing to the local high street or by going to the city. It’s a growing trend that we’ve been seeing since online shopping skyrocketed almost a decade ago. The pandemic and lockdowns led to an increase in store closures. In 2020, a lot of retail stores closed indefinitely, showing that keeping business as usual is no longer a possibility. For businesses to grow and continue to strive, they have to adapt to the revolving retail business.