Understanding the points of e-commerce differentiation

Livestreams offer a way for brands to stay relevant and discoverable in a retail world that’s increasingly online-first, writes GWI’s Isaac Hopkins. (This is an excerpt from a longer Opinion piece. Click "View more" to read the full article.)

E-commerce boomed as stay-at-home orders were issued and the increased activity will stick. Nearly half (49%) of consumers expect to shop online more frequently, even after the pandemic, according to GWI’s latest report, "Connecting the dots".

However, given the context of a virus, aspects of it could become stale. Product delivery has to be socially distanced, there is little interaction with staff or fellow shoppers and, most of all, fewer ways to distinguish a brand.

Even if normality returns next year, the last part will remain a tough nut to crack. However, our research has suggested ways to differentiate online.

Online purchases are largely driven by those “seamless” qualities of free delivery (60%) and an easy check-out (43%). Convenience still rules the day but 29% also want the online shopping experience to be entertaining. Interestingly, given where so much attention was focused during 2020, this is the same as the number who say support of social causes would nudge them into buying a product online.

There are many ways to use content and entertainment in this vein. One of the standout themes of this year’s Singles’ Day in China, for example, was minigames. In recent years it has been livestreams stealing the headlines in the East, no more so than when Kim Kardashian and local streamer Viya teamed up to sell 15,000 perfume bottles in a matter of minutes.