Years before Covid-19 reared its hideous head and gave the world an urgent reason to shop from home, retail influencers were livestreaming inside of boutiques, offering product closeups and even trying on clothes, shoes and jewellery for an online audience. In 2017, livestreaming marketplace ShopShops sold a viewer a second-hand Birkin bag for US$14,500 (RM62,313) – no returns accepted.
Livestream shopping has been wildly popular – in China, that is. People there are used to watching other people livestream almost everything they do: cook, play or just sit and eat dinner. Smartphone viewing offers a form of entertainment and human connection.