How coronavirus helped Shopee and Lazada bring China’s live-stream shopping craze to Southeast Asia
- A surge in popularity for firms like Shopee and Lazada raises hope that live-streaming in Southeast Asia will copy its multibillion-dollar success in China
- Audiences held captive by Covid-19 have boosted its popularity, but it is also a favourite with brands which see it as a way of connecting with customers
As a working mother of two toddlers, Rovi Calonge is always on the lookout for a good deal when shopping for her children. These days, that means tuning in to e-commerce platform Shopee’s noontime show on its app, in the hope of winning discount vouchers. “I don’t even shop for my baby’s essentials in the grocery store any more,” she said. “It’s cheaper to buy them online.”
In April, when many countries in the region were implementing their toughest coronavirus measures, Lazada recorded 27 million active users on its live-streams across all markets, helping to boost its gross merchandise value by 45 per cent month-on-month. In the same month, Shopee recorded 300 million live-stream views in Southeast Asia – quite a feat in a region with a total population of 650 million.
Live-streams are reminiscent of the live television shopping channels of the 1980s, only this time, the shopping is online and it doesn’t happen only at night but at all hours of the day and targets all demographics. The streams take various forms, from game shows to make-up tutorials, and tend to be produced by brands, small sellers and sometimes the e-commerce platforms themselves. Not only are the products demonstrated live, but viewers can also buy the items while watching the show.
