In e-commerce and retail, businesses are constantly exploring innovative ways to capture the attention of consumers, especially during the highly competitive Black Friday shopping extravaganza.
In this era of digital transformation, live stream shopping has emerged as a dynamic and engaging tool that is reshaping the way businesses interact with their customers.
What is Live Shopping?
Live shopping is a technology that allows businesses to connect with their customers in real-time through online platforms or mobile apps. This interactive approach can be a valuable tool for businesses looking to capitalise on the Black Friday shopping frenzy.
To read more about what live shopping is, see our previous blog talking about all things live shopping. All of the biggest social media platforms have shopping features in-app, such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. The new wave of gen-z shoppers are clinically online, therefore this is the easiest and most successful way to grab more and more shoppers with the unlimited reach that comes with any social media.
Here’s our round up of the best practices, techniques and strategies you should be using this Black Friday.
Real-time engagement
Live shopping enables businesses to interact with their audience in real time. This can create a sense of urgency and excitement, which is crucial for Black Friday, a time when customers are actively seeking deals and promotions.
Product demonstrations
Businesses can use live streaming to showcase their Black Friday deals and demonstrate the features and benefits of their products. Live demonstrations can help customers make more informed purchasing decisions and increase trust in the products being offered.
Q&A sessions
Live shopping sessions can include Q&A segments where customers can ask questions about products, shipping, returns, and other important information. This real-time interaction can build trust and address any concerns customers might have.
Limited-time promotions
Businesses can use live shopping events to announce and promote limited-time Black Friday deals and exclusive offers. This can create a sense of urgency and drive impulse purchases.
Interactive polls and surveys
Live shopping platforms often offer interactive features like polls and surveys, allowing businesses to gather feedback and insights from their audience. This data can help companies tailor their offerings and marketing strategies for Black Friday.
Social sharing
Viewers can easily share live shopping events on social media platforms, increasing the reach of the event and potentially attracting new customers.
Personalised shopping experiences
Businesses can use customer data to personalise recommendations during live shopping events. For example, they can suggest products based on the viewer's browsing history or previous purchases, increasing the chances of making a sale.
Cross-selling and upselling
Live shopping can be an effective way to promote related products or offer upsells during the event, increasing the average order value.
Building brand loyalty
Consistent use of live shopping can help build a loyal customer base, as customers may come to anticipate and look forward to these events as an opportunity to connect with their favourite brands.
Analytics and insights
Many live shopping platforms offer analytics tools that businesses can use to track the success of their live events, such as viewer engagement, conversion rates, and sales data. This information can inform future marketing strategies.
Previous Black Friday consumer statistics.
During previous Black Fridays, social media platform giant TikTok saw 79.5M impressions in 2022 around the shopping holiday, with over half of TikTok users actively looking for Black Friday deals.
Tiktok data also identified that in 2022, 80% of users on the platform discovered new brands and products on Black Friday. The figures speak for themselves, showing that you can create a space for your brand to increase awareness and exposure to new and existing audiences.
In summary, live shopping technology can be a powerful tool for businesses on Black Friday and other shopping events. It provides an interactive and engaging way to connect with customers, showcase products, and offer exclusive deals. When used strategically, live shopping can help drive sales, increase customer loyalty, and enhance the overall shopping experience for customers during the Black Friday sales period.
Here at seventy7, we recognise the power of live stream shopping and the heightened stress in popular shopping seasons.
So, if you’re thinking should you or your brand go digital this Black Friday, the answer is yes!
Ready to find out how you could make it work for your business? Get in touch and let’s talk about a bespoke, all year round live shopping strategy.