By: Hiacynth Gem Ablanez
“Necessity breeds innovation,” as the saying goes. While we’ve been required to stay at home to follow quarantine protocol, some people took to online platforms to make a living. During the last few years of the pandemic, the e-commerce industry has boomed even more as people tried to minimize physical contact by purchasing products online. Among the different ways to buy and sell products online is live selling, which became popular due to the nature of instant purchasing and accessibility of social media.
This trend has successfully transformed the shopping experience of people – from going outside to shop and risk getting infected, to scrolling and typing “pa-mine” on their mobile devices. But how exactly did this trend come to be so popular? Here are High Five reasons why live selling is the future of e-commerce.
Quarantine Restrictions and Accessibility
It’s been two years since we last enjoyed shopping without restrictions. For everyone’s safety, we were encouraged to not go outside and quarantine regulations were put into place. And as expected, when people can’t go out to buy goods, well they’ll surely find a way to do it from the comforts of their homes. According to a study conducted by Visa in October 2020, about 52% of Filipinos shopped online for the first time during the pandemic, with 43% of them making their first purchase on social media channels.
Despite the initial reason being the pandemic and quarantine, it’s clear to see that the accessibility of social media has made it easier for consumers to buy online, and it’s also made participating in live selling all the more enticing.
Simple and Easy
From the sellers’ perspective, especially for small business owners, doing live selling broadcasts is a simpler way to sell their products as it doesn’t require a lot of time to produce. They don’t have to take pictures of every item from every angle and upload them with the correct description. They just have to stand in front of their device, pick up the items one by one and sell it. It’s easier. It doesn’t also require a huge set-up of devices. Just your mobile phone and a stable internet connection.
Wide Variety of Choices
Live selling broadcasts offer choices galore. It feels like you can buy just about everything you need online. It can be a live selling of clothes, shoes, bags, food, house supplies and so on. You name it, they’ve got it. If you need proof, just go to Facebook and search for a product with “live selling” after it. We’re sure that at least one seller will pop up featuring the product in their broadcast.
A New Breed of Social Media Celebrities
Much like how social media influencers have become popular in the last decade, live sellers have also become prominent personalities themselves. If you’re a Filipino, you must be familiar with Daisy Cabantog, known as “Madam Inutz,” a live seller in the Philippines who gives fun and entertainment while she sells clothes. After going viral, Daisy had collaborations with vloggers and celebrities even became a contestant in reality show Pinoy Big Brother. Another example of how live selling can launch you into popularity is Steffania Alvarez, who once had a million viewers in one of her livestreaming sessions and was even featured in the weekly magazine show, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.
Live Shopping Experience
A 2018 study in the Journal of Business Research found that live selling, when done right, can increase consumer trust and ultimately lead to purchase from consumers. Because live selling is done via livestream, viewers can see the products vividly and allow them to interact with the sellers for any concerns or questions they have. They just have to react and comment to get the attention of the seller.
It is also a good opportunity for the sellers to explain and promote the products in depth, without the time limit of video ads or character limit of e-commerce websites. And as people are staying cooped up in their homes, this is also the closest they can get to browsing for products in-store without actually going out.
What do you think about live selling? Do you think it’s just a product of the pandemic or is it here to stay? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!