- Jul 15, 2021
Read the latest and greatest shoppable content news for the summer of 2021 and what this means for brands.
With temperatures rising and holidays (or staycations) approaching, fans are on the look out for trending summer styles to refresh their look. With brands rushing to meet demand, shoppable content has helped many to deliver the latest collections with the click of a button.
We have seen a huge rise in brands participating in shoppable trends this summer and many are embracing the incredibly engaging, instantaneous 'see now, buy now' technology. Especially in the wake of the global pandemic.
So, if you want to shake up your dusty digital marketing, Ecommerce methods, check out how these household names have been embracing digital change with mind blowing, inspiring shoppable videos.
Jacquemus harnessed the power of shoppable video to let their fashion savvy fans buy straight from the runway!
Reimagining shopping in 2021 means making products even more accessible for customers.
Jacquemus astounded audiences with their 'see, buy, wear now' runway show. This dynamic, interactive and seamlessly shoppable show was created using Smartzer's interactive video platform and generated super high results.
See A-list models such as Kendal Jenner effortlessly display the Fall 21 'La Montagne' collection featuring timeless silhouettes in vivid colours that echo the beauty of the natural world.
Optimising this for the digital space, the brand seeks to create a more relevant, “more adaptive, modern and flexible approach. Our goal is to maintain the momentum between our presentation and product availability”, translating the energy of the show into immediate sales via a clickable overlay.
Check out the video live here!
ITV announces revolutionary shoppable TV
As the first of its kind in the UK, ITV is breaking boundaries with shoppable TV. Soon, viewers will be able to purchase the exact same lipstick as their favourite love islander with a popup that takes them directly to the product page on the Boots website.
ITV has used The Take's technology to connect to LG TV sets to allow viewers to shop using their remote. Explained by ITV, the service identifies and tags featured products during programmes and notifies viewers that products on-screen are available. If a viewer is interested, they can select to view more info with their remote and make a purchase via the vendor’s site or a link sent to their phone.
This extra layer of interaction makes for an incredibly special shopping experience unlike any other. Viewers can engage with their favourite brands while being entertained by their favourite show.
Klarna acquires conversational commerce platform Hero
The wear now, buy later has branched out into the social shopping sphere with some help from Hero. With over 90 million active users worldwide, Klarna seeks to optimise the shopping experience by opening up a new channel of communication using video call, chat room and chat bot technology.
Hero focusses on bringing the in store experience, online. The technology connects online shoppers with in-store representatives to provide a personalised customer service experience. Book one-to-one, one-to-many consultations to discuss products in more detail and ask for style advice.
This new hybridised version of online shopping will unlock growth for retailers by enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions as part of an engaging and personalised shopping journey.
Walmart and Kraft Heinz partner with Eko to produce 11 tasty and shoppable videos.
Using Eko's interactive video platform, Walmart and Kraft Heinz have created a variety of shoppable recipe tutorials. Viewers can choose which recipe they want to see being made and can purchase all the ingredients straight from the video by adding them to a shopping list.
This new form of grocery shopping reimagines a household chore to be fun, entertaining, educational and memorable. The convenient and hyper personalised experiences make shopping even more relevant to the customer.
As a result, Walmart and Kraft Heinz give a usually boring activity a face lift, setting an example for other food and beverage brands.
If you want to find out more about how you can use shoppable content with your brand, visit Smartzer's website here!
Updated: Jul 15, 2021
Live shopping in China has boomed over the past year; it is now estimated to be worth over $60 billion annually, and this trajectory is showing no signs of stopping.
Livestream shopping first originated in China and now has over 524M+ live streamers and generated an estimated $170Bn in 2020 while the west is now playing catchup with Amazon, Google, Instagram and Youtube testing their own version of shoppertainment.
Source: https://nextbn.ggvc.com/opinions/is-live-streaming-the-new-frontier-of-ecommerce/
Ecommerce trends in China
Ecommerce in China has always been big business- and the effects of COVID have accelerated this growth exponentially. Globally, China has always been a few steps ahead of the rest of the world in terms of ecommerce trends. Chinese consumers are generally more comfortable with interactive video platforms than their international counterparts.
According to Forbes, in 2020 over 700 million Chinese consumers shopped online compared to 600 million in 2018. According to eMarketer, over 35% of total retail sales in the country were made online in 2019, this is three times higher than in the US. Chinese consumers have always been accustomed to shifts in digital trends, making them incredibly open to new/advancing forms of technology.
Will other markets follow suit?
In the U.S., the livestreaming market was worth about $6 billion last year and could reach $11 billion by the end of this year, according to consumer market research group Coresight Research. It expects the market could eclipse $25 billion by 2023.
The trend is growing globally with the live shopping market in India estimated to reach US$35B+ by 2025- it is a worldwide phenomenon.
Live Stream Shopping is booming
Live stream shopping in China is a huge part of the retail landscape, it has been hailed as a hybrid between an infomercial and a tv skit. Popular influencers host live shopping experiences on China’s top online retailers in order to sell products, but also to connect with their audiences and grow brand popularity.
The featured influencers are charismatic, persuasive and relatable personalities that demonstrate the products to the audience. This friendly form of conversational commerce encourages the audience to buy without the pressure often associated with more formal sales methods.
This has proven to be a winning formula in the region as in 2020, over 560 million consumers viewed livestreams. Amazingly, live stream purchases amounted to 9% of total online sales (over 100% increase from 2019).
To discover more about Smartzer's shoppable live stream product click here
Live Stream Influencer to Celebrity
At the heart of Chinese live stream trends are the influencers themselves. They each host a 4hr ‘show’ a night whereby they present 12 products per hour, 48 in total. Intriguingly, it isn't easy for brands to get their products onto these shows as they have to pitch to influencers in order to win a spot and roughly only 1 in 8 get chosen to feature.
Influencers hold the power to sell out products in seconds, raking in millions of dollars every night. On top of this, the influencers negotiate with brands in order to get discounts for their audiences, boosting their influence and success.
These live shopping shows really are a spectacle. On top of showcasing, explaining and trialling products, guest celebrities often appear as well as ad hoc singing and dancing. It’s this fun, unpolished and interactive way of showcasing products that ensure sky high sales. As a result, the consumer forgets that this is a paid activity designed to make sales!
The Future is Now
Though the uptake of video ecommerce has been slower in western markets, trends are undoubtedly shifting in favour of this immersive and interactive way of shopping. Smartzer has seen fantastic results amongst our brand collaborations for live shopping events so far, with an average of 55% of viewers engaging with the shoppable live streams and CTR ranging from 20-75%.
China has certainly paved the way for the future of shopping, even though in western markets the features of these live streams may be adapted and optimised for the western viewer.
Ecommerce as we know it is evolving, and now is a great time for brands to embrace the change and integrate a different way of buying that satisfies shifting consumer needs and behaviours.
To learn more about shoppable video and live stream, visit Smartzer here!
Having taken OFF in China, live stream shopping has the potential to be BIG in Europe and the US. But, in order for this to happen, we need to discuss strategy 😎
The live shop industry has been pumped with capital over the past year and a bit. Largely thanks to the pandemic. This year in China alone, shoppers are expected to spend $300 billion on products featured in live shop streams. An astonishing figure brought on by an increasingly online retail space.
So what makes up a successful stream? And could it be possible for Western audiences to start spending billions on broadcasts? 💰
Anything is possible, but to start from the beginning, let's take a look at the key anatomy of a live shop broadcast...
1. The video stream itself 📽
In basic terms, this is simply the video the viewer sees on their desktop, mobile or tablet device. The hosts show their products and talk about their brand through the stream to a limitless audience.
For interactive video platform, Smartzer, live stream shopping events are streamed into the shoppable editor using third party streaming apps like OBS or Larix. They can be easily connected using the stream key and RTMP link.
2. Featured products with handy links to shop 🛍
As the brand live streams, the appropriate products will be displayed as product popups on top of, or alongside the broadcast. When clicked, viewers can see exciting details such as descriptions, sizing and price. They can EVEN click to add the item straight to their bag.
3. Chat function allows viewers to communicate and interact 💬
A chat bar encourages viewers to ask hosts questions. This opens a new channel of communication for online shopping, replicating the benefits of shopping in-person, virtually. Some chats have a reaction button function that allows viewers to share the love and appreciation.
So, what can marketers learn in order to harness the power of live stream shopping?
Do some research into live stream shopping event content and consider how your audience might engage 🔎
If you have a solid social media following, you will be able to generate hype in the run up to your event to encourage audiences to attend. Content can be super engaging, demonstrating products in action, showing the creation process or hosting a Q and A. Ask yourself, do my customers respond to product video formats?
Do consider the costs and rewards of using live shopping 🏆
The beauty of live stream is that it is super cheap to create. Broadcasting real time content means that although scary for some, content doesn't need editing or producing at a high level. It may cost money to use a live shopping platform, however, with brands appealing to impulse buying behaviour, it could be possible to sell hundreds in seconds. Even if you aren't selling hundreds of products, you could still have the opportunity to boost revenue through this unique, memorable and exciting shopping format.
Do keep an eye on the competition 👀
With the growth of live stream popularity, it is likely that similar brands to yours are branching into virtual shopping events. Check out what others are doing, what content are they focussing on? Don't forget to watch their audiences reaction as a way to gauge how yours might respond.
Fail to plan, plan to fail. Don't jump in blind 🙈
Make sure you have researched platforms, social sharing options and costs. Low quality live streams are frustrating to watch, if you haven't planned equipment, scripts for hosts, products to show, WIFI boosters, lighting, setting, date and time it will look unprofessional.
Don't leave your audience in the dark! 👎
Let your audience know when and where your live stream shop is happening. Ensure you are talking about it on socials, blogs, email newsletters and on website landing pages. Spread the word!
Broadcast hosts should be putting every effort into interacting with the audience and engaging their attention. Loyal customers love to see the face behind the brand so don't forget to let that personality show!
Do consider drawing your customer in with time sensitive, exclusive live stream offers 💯
Attract an audience with exclusivity. Debut new collections through ticketed events to make your viewer feel special. You could even offer one-off discounts for stream viewers to encourage impulse buys and quick decisions.
Do check out interactive video platforms like Smartzer! ❤️
Smartzer shoppable live stream helps brands to create seamless live shop experiences for their customers, generating incredible results. The simple editor allows users to add an interactive overlay to streams that viewers can shop from. Customers can add to bag without leaving or pausing the stream leading to high conversion rates. Brands can even repurpose recorded streams as on demand shoppable video content on Ecommerce and social.
For more information click here!