Different Maturity and Adoption

Live shopping arrived in China in 2016 and has become an integral part of consumer habits. Dedicated platforms like Taobao, Douyin, and Tmall specialize in this format, hosting interactive live sales events. Major events like Alibaba's Singles Day generate colossal revenues within hours. Over time, these annual events and daily use of live shopping platforms have led to widespread adoption in China.

In comparison, live shopping in France has not reached such maturity. While it gained popularity during lockdowns, it is still in the expansion phase. In 2022, 41% of French consumers reported making purchases during live shopping. The difference lies in cultural integration and more advanced technological infrastructure for live shopping in China.

Key Opinion Leader (KOL) vs Influencers

In China, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) wield significant influence within their communities. Their impact on consumer purchasing decisions is much stronger than in France. They become powerful sales drivers, profoundly influencing buying decisions due to their credibility and close connection with followers. Their approach is often seen as authentic and reliable, amplifying their sales impact.

Some of these live streamers achieve record-breaking sales during live shopping sessions. For example, Viya generated $1.2 billion in just a few hours during events like Alibaba's Singles Day. On the other hand, Austin Li, known as "the lipstick king," is recognized for selling thousands of products in a short time. These KOLs stand out for their ability to build trust with their audience, significantly influencing their purchase decisions.

In contrast, in France, although influencers play a crucial role in product promotion, their direct and powerful impact on purchasing decisions is less pronounced. French influencers tend to focus more on content creation and community engagement rather than immediate sales conversion. The relationship between influencers and consumers in France is more oriented towards inspiration and information, unlike China where KOLs are direct sales drivers.

In France, it is also observed that it is challenging to transition an influencer's community from a social platform to the brand's e-commerce site. The investment in influencer marketing often does not yield a significant audience for live shopping.

A live shopping event must be linked to the brand's current affairs.

The primary requirement for generating sales during a live shopping session is to associate the event with the brand's news. Connecting live shopping to a product launch is essential because it creates a unique and exclusive event that captures consumers' attention. It provides an ideal platform for live demonstrations and immediate interaction with the audience, increasing engagement and interest.

For example, Adopt used live shopping for the launch of its advent calendars, achieving a 90 ROI. Another example is the backpack brand Cabaia, which presented all its new collections during live shopping sessions.

In parallel, associating live shopping with a dedicated promotional offer can also boost sales by creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity. This encourages consumers to participate in the event to benefit from special offers, thereby generating impulsive purchases.

It is crucial to provide viewers with a compelling reason to invest their time in live shopping. This can be achieved by granting access to exclusive deals, ensuring that the viewers' time is valued and rewarding.

The importance of timing

The importance of timing is key to the success of live shopping. Organizing live shopping during product launches is crucial for optimal consumer impact and engagement. When products are showcased live for the first time, it creates a sense of exclusivity and novelty, captivating the audience. Conversely, if products have been available on the e-commerce site for weeks, live shopping loses its appeal, negatively affecting sales.

A successful example of this strategy is Orange Spain, which organized a live shopping event on the day of the launch of the new Samsung S23. Thanks to the event, the telecommunications company saw a 30% increase in the share of digital sales of the smartphone.

Live shopping goes beyond the traditional concept of teleshopping by focusing on real-time interaction with the audience. This approach is crucial for creating deep engagement. By answering viewers' questions, involving them in polls and contests, live shopping becomes an engaging experience.

These interactive elements extend beyond product promotion during the live session; they transform the experience into a community event, enhancing consumer engagement and brand loyalty.

Allowing the audience to actively participate during a live shopping session is a key factor in transforming it from a simple sales session into a truly immersive and personalized experience. When viewers can interact, ask questions, and even influence the course of the live stream, it creates a stronger connection with the products and the brand.

This approach not only increases engagement but also enhances understanding of the products, thereby addressing doubts and purchase hesitations, resulting in higher conversion rates.

Continuing to generate performance over time

Replay gives a second life to live shopping events. It allows brands to capitalize on the content created during the live session to continue generating sales over time. A significant proportion of sales (over 70%) occurs after the event, as consumers watch the replay at their convenience.

Integrating this replay into product pages or other sections of the e-commerce site captures the interest of prospects who couldn't attend the live event. The replay also serves to reinforce the brand's message and provide in-depth product presentations, thus increasing the conversion rate.

Splitting live content into shoppable videos

At the end of a live shopping session, you have high-quality video content about your products. Why not use it to enhance your e-commerce site and social media?

From the live shopping content, you can extract key moments from the event and turn them into shoppable videos. These videos can be strategically placed on your homepage and category pages to encourage product discovery. They act as interactive showcases, capturing customers' attention and enticing them to explore

Integrated within product pages, these shoppable videos enhance the available content. They provide assistance with product selection and offer a deeper demonstration of product features and benefits. This type of video content helps establish a stronger connection between the product and potential customers, thereby optimizing the conversion rate.

Finally, adopt an omnichannel approach by using these shoppable videos on your social media platforms. This strengthens your brand's presence by creating a unified and consistent customer journey. By sharing these contents on your social media, you reach a broader audience while providing a seamless and integrated shopping experience.

Despite a hesitant start in France, live shopping remains a valuable channel for brands to boost their sales. However, they must use it for the right reasons to avoid disappointing sales performance.

In this regard, our Aploze solution positions itself as a key partner in this endeavor. With our experience and over 200 live events conducted, we offer our expertise and support for the creation of profitable live shopping experiences.