He envisions a future where department
stores will launch their own livestreaming
channels, featuring workers from the beauty
counter or the shoe department, giving
shoppers tips and fashion advice without
having to walk into a store.
Online shopping giant Amazon has been
experimenting with livestreaming for five
years, but last year it offered a free app
allowing businesses that sell goods on the
site to livestream from their smartphones.
Shoppers can ask questions in a chat box,
and the products that the hosts are talking
about show up near the video, making it easy
click to buy. During its two-day Prime Day
sales event last month, Amazon says it aired
1,200 livestreams.
Beauty brand Chella started livestreaming on
Amazon about a year ago, showing shoppers
how to use its eyebrow gels, heated eyelash
curlers and mascaras. The average video gets
about 3,000 views, which Chella says is a big
audience for a small brand.
Kayla Parks, who works at Chella and hosts
the Amazon livestreams, has noticed viewers
have gotten chattier during the pandemic,
complementing her nail polish or asking
which eyeliner color matches their hair color.
She thinks its either because it’s harder to
speak to workers at makeup stores, or, they’re
just lonely.
“Maybe they want someone to talk to,”
says Parks. “They don’t always feel like
they’re being sold to. It’s like you’re talking
to your friends.”