AI hosts fuel China's livestream shopping boom

While this motivation may be latent—even subconscious, for most—in the U.S., it’s an economic driver that’s well understood in China, fueling a thriving video ecommerce market. In Asia, the powerful force of video entertainment shopping has spawned a livestream ecommerce industry akin to professional movie production. It’s more than a place where a... See more

'Livestreaming as a distribution channel' monetisation strategies  This is what an e-commerce livestream looks like on Taobao:  The livestream host is showing off the new skirt while reading comments from viewers about how the clothes will fit on different frames. Clicking on the basket sign takes me to a check-out while the stream is sti... See more

“A major trend going forward will be elevated livestream experiences,” said Alibaba Group Vice President Yu Feng, who oversees content e-commerce at Taobao. “More and more consumers have adopted livestreaming as a way to shop. It has become an irreversible trend and, at the same time, an increasingly competitive space.”