E-commerce continues to change with each passing day. It’s no surprise, then, that live shopping technology is changing with it.
Over the last decade, live video shopping for e-commerce has grown massively, leading to many businesses taking advantage of all that comes with using live shopping to promote their e-commerce platforms.
In this post, we’ll be looking at how live shopping technology is being integrated into e-commerce platforms, and how video streaming can be used to improve the performance of e-commerce platforms.
What Is Live Shopping?
Live shopping for e-commerce is the integration of live demonstrations with an online platform that allows viewers to make purchases from that store online. Much like the classic QVC channel that reigned as the primary live shopping program on television, e-commerce involves the use of live streams that help viewers decide on whether or not to make a purchase.
Live shopping is an advantageous digital marketing strategy that e-commerce businesses use to:
- Improve viewers’ experiences of buying a product or service
- Increase how much time each viewer spends on the website
- Improve the average purchase per viewer
- Bring in new customers and audiences
- Clarify questions viewers may have about a product
- Improve Google search rankings
- Increase engagement from viewers, and more
Live Commerce Boosts Online Sales
There is a direct correlation between the use of live videos and the likelihood of sales. This is because a video that demonstrates another person using the product helps viewers feel like they’re able to get the whole picture of the product without actually being there in person. From seeing how it’s used to installing, applying, or taking it apart, a product’s story can’t be told through a single picture alone.
In fact, online shoppers expect to see videos, with 3 videos and 6 pictures being the most common expectation per product. If shoppers are interested in learning more about a product, 66% of them say they would opt for a brief video.
More statistics show an even higher percentage of increased traffic and profits. For example, 87% of digital marketers state that using videos has brought more traffic to their websites, and 85% of digital video marketers also say that videos have directly boosted their businesses’ sales.
How Live Streaming Is Being Used in E-Commerce Platforms
Live video shopping for e-commerce is expanding every day, with new methods for e-commerce businesses making it harder to choose which option is best. Let’s go over three of the most notable live shopping technologies in use today.
1. Social Media Platforms for Live Shopping
Live shopping is a gold mine for making sales on social media, with platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and even LinkedIn having live streaming capabilities on their platforms.
However, selling on these platforms requires a manual process. Customers have to type in their intention to purchase a product, and the seller or host has to contact the customer through direct messaging for proof of payment. Hosts have to keep track of stock themselves as well.
Though some of these platforms are slow to the live shopping movement, some predict that TikTok, especially, will be a profitable platform for hosting live streams for products. In fact, 66% of product marketers have said that they saw a return on their investment after using the social media app.
2. White-Label Live Shopping
With the undeniable competition on mainstream social media platforms, it can be hard for your live streaming feed to stand out from the crowd. That’s where an alternative to using popular social media platforms can be of use to you.
White-label solutions are a less known, but powerful, way to give your live stream the boost it needs to flourish. In short, white-label solutions involve working with a professional provider such as BeLive Technology to power up your platform with live streaming capabilities.
In this scenario, your live shopping platform will have a shop button that appears on your live stream. This makes it easy for viewers to browse your product catalog and make purchases as they watch your live stream.
Another benefit of using white-label solutions is the ability to select and implement appropriate live streaming features for your platform. Also, although the live streaming technology is by BeLive, there will be no watermarks. This is because the technology in your platform will be under your ownership.
Is your business looking for a flexible live streaming solution with a quick turnaround? BeLive Technology covers a wide variety of solutions for any industry. Contact BeLive Technology now.
