Consumers want an experience, a close relationship with their favorite brands and to feel special, even when buying online. More and more brands are turning to live shopping because it adds a human touch and connects the brand to its consumers. Who are your customers and what do they expect of you? How can you stand out...
Consumers want an experience, a close relationship with their favorite brands and to feel special, even when buying online.
More and more brands are turning to live shopping because it adds a human touch and connects the brand to its consumers.
Who are your customers and what do they expect of you?
How can you stand out with the help of good practices?
This article answers all these questions, along with a few more!
What consumer behavior do younger generations display?
Millennials and Gen Z were born and raised in a digital world. They are at ease with technology and online shopping. They consume content quickly, as reflected by TikTok, where you scroll through a newsfeed from one authentic and interactive video to the next.
The buying journey is undergoing a “Tiktokisation”, and many brands are drawing inspiration from the app to promote their products.
Interaction, hyper-personalization, immersion… These are all goals you should aim for to connect with consumers.
Did you know?
Spending $161 per month on clothing and services is average for adults. Middle-age adults spend about $50 more per month.! (Credit Donkey, 2021)
So, you can only gain from presenting your products in a creative and engaging manner, by highlighting their unique benefits and characteristics.
What are the benefits of live shopping?
During a direct shopping session, brands have consumers undivided attention, as they listen and weigh up your sales pitch. Such interactions are more and more rare in-store. Younger generations’ consumer habits are ever-changing. This marketing channel meets their expectations in terms of comfort, speed and the overall shopping experience.
3 examples of live shopping fashion brand strategies
1. 24S highlights its pieces’ sustainability
In this Live Shopping event, Alexandra Van Houtte (founder of TAGWALK) and Paola Locatelli (content creator) present viewers with a selection of 24 ‘timeless’ and ‘interchangeable’ pieces. These terms are emphasized throughout the session.
- The timeless nature of the pieces means that they are not part of a collection or a trend that will soon become obsolete.
In the consumer’s mind, an initially expensive purchase therefore becomes a lasting investment. - Interchangeability means that customers can combine the pieces with classic, quirky, winter or even summer outfits… and mix and match them.
Top tip from this live shopping event:
You can create cross-selling by combining different pieces and showing that they are interchangeable. Not least because it helps viewers picture themselves in the clothes.
You’re not just selling a sweater, but a sweater with a pair of pants, a skirt and an accessory, for example.
2. Printemps adapts its live shopping sessions to different seasons
Printemp’s 34th live shopping event focuses on the holiday season. The host and guests are wearing Christmas or New Year’s Eve outfits.
This strategy ties together the promotion of different products with the season they tend to be worn in.
Viewers can relate because Printemps is highlighting products they need at the time of the live shopping event.
Top tip from this live shopping event:
Organize a competition during your direct shopping session with a voucher to be used in-store with a personal shopper:
- This gamification mechanism boosts your live shopping event’s visibility
- Transforms your virtual audience into real customers
- Provides valuable information about items that match the winner’s needs, with a service provided by a member of staff
3. ba&sh uses two models to showcase its outfits
In this live shopping event, the host is accompanied by two young women wearing the clothes that are presented throughout the session.
This strategy helps viewers see what the clothes look like on and to picture themselves in them by comparing their body types to the models’.
It also reassures customers who are unsure about a purchase.
One of these two women is Wendy Swan, a content creator with more than 260,000 followers on Instagram, whose editorial style is a perfect match with ba&sh. The brand attracts its own audience, as well the content creator’s loyal community.
Don’t forget that 87% of consumers have already bought a product after seeing it recommended by an influencer (HubSpot, 2022).
What better way to combine Live Shopping and Influencer Marketing?
Top tip from this live shopping event:
ba&sh has a banner at the top of its Live Shopping page with a countdown to the next session, and a brief description.
This is a clever strategy because it hooks viewers so that they can make sure they are available for the next session.
In conclusion
Live shopping is an effective way for fashion brands to connect with their target audience and boost their visibility. By creating a personal connection with viewers, brands can improve engagement and loyalty, while increasing their sales.
The examples of direct session strategies in this article, such as using models, highlighting product sustainability and adapting to different seasons, underline the importance of tailoring live sessions to the audience and products.
Live shopping is a powerful tool for fashion brands to create a unique buying experience and convince consumers that they want their products. Which can result in:
- An increase in sales
- Better customer retention
- Greater brand awareness
