Based on the past five years of analysts’ predictions, one would think that 2023, after a period of pandemic-accelerated trial and error, was going to be the year that live shopping took off in the West. Or maybe it was 2024. No, 2025 has undoubtedly been the year of the live sale, right?
The culture and rapid growth of live shopping in Asia have long entranced U.S. brands. It’s likened to QVC or the Home Shopping Network, but with a faster, more frenetic rhythm that matches our shortened attention spans and drives real-time purchases that add up fast.
Despite their best efforts, Western brands have struggled to replicate this phenomenon, leading many retailers to abandon livestream commerce altogether. But live shopping doesn’t have to “take off” to be a valuable part of retailers’ audience engagement strategy.
Retailers have treated social media as non-negotiable for over a decade, but today they face growing pressure to act as both content studios and shopping destinations. When done well, live shopping enables them to fulfill both roles simultaneously.
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But what is “correct” for something that’s still so nascent?
Existing case studies reveal a pattern of consistency, quality and actual value for the viewer. For example, Bloomingdale’s “Masterclasses” that bring the department store counter experience to home screens, and Ikea’s live sales that focus on design tips and tricks rather than just selling a product.
No matter the brand, the right approach to live shopping is the one that drives viewer engagement and builds trust – and that may not look the same for every retailer.
Two Paths Emerging in Western Live Commerce
The introduction of TikTok Shop to the U.S. market fundamentally changed the outlook on live shopping in the West. While Meta and other platforms had experimented with live selling features in the past, TikTok Shop introduced accessible tools that made it easier for a variety of content creators – not just retailers and entrepreneurs – to experiment with livestream commerce. They were already familiar with the algorithm and interface, which reduced the technological learning curve. Chances are, they already had an interested audience too. For retailers, this offered a new way to flex their creator partnerships without directing viewers to a new app.
TikTok Shop also offered unprecedented discoverability for shoppable content. TikTok Shop videos were enmeshed into users’ For You pages like any other TikTok video; the feature also hit at a time that other transactional content, like NPC streaming, was popular on the platform. And when a TikTok goes viral, it spreads like wildfire – the potential rewards were too good for retailers to pass up.
Two years after the U.S. launch, some brands have enjoyed more success than others. Beauty brands, for example, have found a lucrative home on TikTok Shop because they can show how the product looks on different skin tones and textures in real time rather than in photo approximations. Other brands have done well with live-sale-exclusive items and promotions. While best practices for TikTok Shop are still evolving, it’s become an accessible entry point for retailers building their live commerce strategies.
Alternatively, platforms like Whatnot offer a different model — one built on intent, community and trust rather than algorithmic discovery. Whatnot has gained traction by going deep into collectibles and niche fandoms, where sellers often feel more like passionate enthusiasts than polished hosts. Viewers open Whatnot because they’re looking for specific communities or products, not because an algorithm surfaced it for them. In that way, Whatnot shows how live commerce can thrive when audiences arrive with purpose, and when the seller-viewer relationship is driven by trust and shared interest.
Embracing Authenticity
Live shopping is transparent – no one is hiding the fact that they’re selling you something. However, live shopping has to feel like something a brand or creator would do. Otherwise, consumers won’t trust them, and trust is the primary value guiding consumers’ purchasing decisions. Between AI “slop” and a rise in disinformation, they value transparency and authenticity more than ever, so they’re leaning on the creators who have already proven they’re authentic.
Many retailers already leverage influencers in their live commerce endeavors, and when they do, they partner with specific creators who align with the brand’s voice and consumer profile. Mega-influencers and celebrities have partnered with brands like Pacsun to host live shopping events. Still, certain retailers, especially SMBs, might find better results with smaller-scale creators who build audience relationships and community rather than wide-sweeping fandom.
There are several ways retailers can promote authenticity in their live shopping streams:
- Partner with creators who already use the product: Existing customers with a content platform can be powerful advocates for a retailer. These customer-creators offer the trust factor of traditional word of mouth combined with the aspirational value of an influencer. Smaller creators who actually use a product can deliver better conversion than a creator with millions of followers but no genuine brand loyalty.
- Be professional, but not overly polished: Not everything needs a studio setup. Technology is evolving to make production easier on the go, enabling retailers to be more flexible with settings and formats.
- Embrace the live format: Livestreaming runs on the power of unpredictability. A light script is fine to ensure a smooth run-of-show, but retailers shouldn’t shy away from unfiltered moments. Being real builds trust. People like bloopers for a reason.
- Bring the store to the screen: For retailers with a physical presence, live sales can recreate the in-store shopping experience. This makes it easier to demo products, but it can also evoke a sense of belonging or nostalgia in the audience. Those powerful feelings can influence a purchase.
Tapping into Creator-Based Commerce
Live shopping is also an effective tactic for creator-owned brands and product labels. These sales feel like a special event in the creators’ ongoing content slate, and they give viewers something to look forward to (and save up for).
Creators have been uniquely successful in starting their own retail brands. It’s not easy to get a CPG brand off the ground. Still, brands like Emma Chamberlain’s Chamberlain Coffee and FaZe Rug’s 1UP candy have become household names, available at major retailers nationwide. Fandom has undoubtedly played a role in the popularity of creator brands, but they’re also quality products, founded on a creator’s genuine interests and values.
Creator-led products, whether they’re the centerpiece of the live sale or just one element of the bigger show, can draw new audiences to retailers. Retailers should look beyond seeing creators as live sale hosts and instead see them as long-term brand partners.
Making Live Shopping ‘Stick’
Live shopping tactics aren’t one-size-fits-all, and they shouldn’t be. Not every streamer runs the same kind of livestream. Not every creator makes the same kind of content. When retailers embrace their own brand identity and develop a live selling experience that fits who they are — the identity consumers know and trust is authentic — they can attract new and old audiences.
At the end of the day, it’s all about offering value and being entertaining. Live sales ask consumers for a lot of their time, so retailers exploring live shopping should focus on creating an experience that people want to be a part of.
As Head of Streamlabs, Ashray Urs keeps a steady pulse on the creator economy, identifying streamers’ and influencers’ evolving needs and ensuring his teams are innovating to meet them. An accomplished tech leader, Urs has helped build Streamlabs into a livestreaming powerhouse that helps creators make content for multiple channels and audiences, craft a unique brand and build communities around their content.
