Live shopping isn’t just a trend; it’s becoming a powerful force shaping today’s eCommerce game. In 2023 alone, TikTok’s live shopping events helped brands achieve over $1 million in sales during a single stream. With US social commerce projected to become a $100 billion market by 2025, businesses that adopt live shopping strategies early are positioning themselves to capture significant market share.
Here are six key strategies to help you tap into this dynamic trend and elevate your eCommerce game in 2025.
1. Maximize Engagement on Popular Platforms
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are spearheading the live shopping shift in the West. In China, where live shopping really took off, Douyin and Taobao dominate the space. As this model gains traction in Europe and the US, brands have the opportunity to leverage TikTok and Instagram for direct, real-time interaction with their target audiences.
Meanwhile, Facebook Live remains a strong contender in Western markets for brands seeking a broad demographic reach. In Southeast Asia, platforms like Shopee Live and Lazada Live are thriving, combining e-commerce and entertainment seamlessly. By tailoring platform strategies to regional preferences, brands can provide a more personalized and interactive shopping experience.
2. Create a Sense of Urgency with Exclusive Deals
Exclusive, time-sensitive offers during live shopping events can significantly boost conversions by encouraging impulse purchases. This strategy continues to show strong growth in markets like China, as highlighted in McKinsey’s “The State of Fashion 2024: Fashioning Growth in Uncertain Times”, which identifies digital and immersive retail innovations as critical value drivers. For industries like fashion, reacting quickly to consumer demand is crucial.
Structure your live shopping offers with exclusive discounts available only during the session. This tactic encourages quick decisions, helping to drive immediate sales and increase conversion rates.
Learn more about how businesses are using immersive eCommerce technologies to enhance their live shopping experiences and stay ahead in eCommerce.
3. Engage Shoppers with Interactive Features
Integrating interactive elements like polls, live Q&A sessions, and real-time feedback elevates live shopping events by creating a personalized, engaging experience. A prime example is MAC Cosmetics, during live streams makeup artists not only demonstrate products but also respond to real-time questions and conduct live polls about preferred looks. This allows them to adjust their tutorials based on viewer feedback – both hyper-engaging customers and delivering a level of customer service that’s usually only available in store.
4. Collaborate with Influencers and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs)
Influencers and key opinion leaders (KOLs) play a critical role in adding credibility and authenticity to live shopping events. Their ability to demonstrate products in real time and engage directly with the audience enhances the overall shopping experience, making it more relatable and trustworthy.
Choose influencers or KOLs who share your brand’s values and vision. Their authentic engagement with your products during live shopping sessions will help build stronger connections with your audience, driving both trust and conversions. Learn more about the best influencer strategies for 2025 in the Fashion Trends Guide.
5. Elevate Shopping with Immersive Technologies
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are revolutionizing live shopping eCommerce, offering customers the ability to interact with products in a way that wasn’t possible before. German optical retailer Fielmann demonstrates this effectively with their virtual try-on technology, allowing customers to test different eyewear styles through their smartphone cameras before making a purchase. Using AI-powered facial analysis, customers can see how frames fit their face shape and features in real-time, significantly enhancing the online shopping experience.
Unified and composable commerce platforms make it easier to integrate AR and VR technologies, enabling features such as virtual try-ons and 3D product views. These immersive experiences not only engage customers more effectively, but also enhance satisfaction and conversion rates. Learn more about unified and composable tech in the white paper: The Future of Digital Commerce Architecture.
6. Optimize Future Live Shopping Campaigns with Data
Data-driven insights are essential for continually improving live shopping strategies. Track these key metrics to enhance future sessions:
Viewer engagement:
- Watch time
- Peak concurrent viewers (highest number of viewers during the live stream)
- Chat activity
- Interactive feature participation
- Social sharing rates
Sales performance:
- Conversion rates
- Average order value (AOV)
- Click-through rates
- Add-to-cart rates
- Revenue per stream
Audience insights:
- Retention rates
- Return viewers
- Geographic distribution
- Peak time slots
By analyzing these metrics systematically, you can optimize the performance of subsequent live shopping events.
Ready to build a live shopping strategy?
Check out the 2025 Fashion Trends guide to see which brands are using live shopping to their advantage – and discover the other big trends shaking up the fashion eCommerce industry.