10 Ecommerce Strategies to Sleigh Your Christmas Sales with Live Shopping

'Tis the season for festive lights, joyful carols, and, of course, skyrocketing sales! As a marketing manager, you know that the holiday season is the perfect time to shine and make your brand stand out. But as an e-commerce brand, how can you gain a competitive edge without drastically increasing your marketing spend?

Social commerce is full of untapped opportunities, but e-commerce brands need to be strategic and develop striking Christmas campaigns that make it easy for customers to find and buy products—this is where live shopping with LiSA comes into play. As the holiday season is getting closer, here are a few tips on how your e-commerce brand can make the most of live shopping this festive season. 

What is Live Shopping?

Live Shopping, also known as live commerce or social shopping, is a powerful blend of e-commerce and live streaming. It allows brands to connect with their audience in real-time, offering an interactive and engaging shopping experience. With the rise of social media and the need for instant gratification, live shopping has become a game-changer for e-commerce.

There are many ways to use live shopping solutions for your numerous events whether it be product launches, seasonal sales, public commerce events, etc. And the perks are impressive—more website visitors, people engaging more, building customer loyalty, and getting more sales. Analysts at McKinsey predict that 10 to 20% of all online sales will come from live shopping by 2026, showing it's becoming a big deal in the e-commerce world.

Why is Live Shopping a Must-Have in Your Holiday Toolkit?

Live shopping is a game-changer for brands, especially when it comes to pricier items that need careful consideration. It's not just about showing off products; it's a chance for shoppers to ask questions and gather all the info they need before hitting that buy button. Brands can take it up a notch by bringing in live influencers or hosts, and using seasonal themes to enhance the shopping experience.

Ultimately you need live shopping in your holiday toolkit because it creates a high-touch, personalized online shopping journey that's flexible and convenient for customers. It's not just about making sales; it's a smart way to boost revenue and build stronger loyalty among your top-notch shoppers. Through behind-the-scenes footage, UCG content, detailed product descriptions and how-to tutorials, live shopping is like bringing your brand store to them, getting personal, and keeping your brand at the top of their list.    

Strategies for Christmas Live Shopping

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1. Set the Wonderland Scene

Live shopping isn't just about buying; it's about creating an experience that dazzles and entertains. Consumers want to be mind-blown and entertained by what they see. Starting off with a live shopping solution during Christmas time gives you an edge as an e-commerce retailer. Spice up your show with Santa, fairy lights, a Christmas tree, presents, and festive goodies. Go beyond the ordinary by adding quizzes, polls, and live Q&A sessions to keep the holiday spirit alive. Transform your online store into a festive playground and let the magic unfold!

2. Seamless Shopping Experience

Thanks to LiSA's product catalog feature, customers easily browse through the products and add them directly into their baskets during the live broadcast. The convenience is taken a step further with the user-friendly "Buy" button, allowing shoppers to add desired products to their baskets without leaving the experience. This streamlined process eliminates the need to navigate away, providing a seamless and uninterrupted shopping journey. Unlike the clunky checkout flow on Instagram, LiSA ensures a hassle-free one-step checkout directly on the native website. This not only enhances the personal touch during live broadcasts but also adds a layer of efficiency, making the holiday shopping experience truly special and stress-free for customers.

3. Get Personal this Christmas

This holiday season, give the gift of personalization. Live shopping bridges the gap between the brand and the customer, offering real-time interaction. Bridge the gap between your brand and customers with real-time interaction through the chat feature. LiSA designed this feature to encourage engaging and personal communication between the viewer, host and other members of the live show. From answering queries to suggesting personalized recommendations, this live interaction is a brilliant way to ask questions directly to the host such as laundry best practices or availability of other sizes. With the ability to like, share, comment, and provide experiences & recommendations, live shopping is the perfect place for building a community as shoppers interact with your brand and each other. 

4. Create Exclusivity & Loyal Fans

Everyone loves feeling privileged, so give that feeling to your customers by orchestrating exclusive live shopping events. Roll out the red carpet for Christmas by showcasing exclusive products and providing a personalized service to your loyal patrons. This not only captivates new customers but also ensures your existing ones return for more. Viewers returned to the Marks & Spencer website three times more often than usual after watching a live show.

5. Get Dynamic with Your Product Displays

Static images can only do so much to showcase a product. So, ditch the static and embrace dynamic product showcases! Live Shopping takes your audience beyond still images, bringing products to life in action. It's a journey that highlights the USPs, value and usage of products. Live shopping is an invaluable "show and tell" tool, especially for products that demand a deeper understanding. By bringing viewers into the fold, live shopping provides an opportunity for detailed explanations and showcases, which allows complex/intricate products to shine far brighter in a live setting than through a basic static image. Just look at the impactful Christmas live show from Marks & Spencer and AVON for a compelling example of how effective live shopping can be.

6. Create FOMO & Something Extra Special

Make your live shopping events irresistible by inducing FOMO with time-limited promotions and exclusive deals. Share behind-the-scenes insights to spur immediate purchases during the holiday rush.

To make the show extra special, infuse the spirit of giving by featuring gift-giving moments during your live shopping events. Whether it's exclusive discounts, surprise giveaways, or limited-edition holiday bundles, your live shopping show should create a sense of excitement and generosity. These gestures not only delight your audience but also encourage repeat visits and customer loyalty.

7. Building Your Community through Influencers

What better way to witness a specific product being tested and presented by an expert or an influencer? By doing this, you not only enhance brand awareness but also draw in your ideal customers. Be strategic in inviting hosts tailored to the products they specialize in, as they’ll naturally bring their own followers to your show.

Leverage this Christmas shopping season to do more than just showcase products. Turn your passive shoppers/followers into an engaged community through live shopping. The interactive experience fosters a strong sense of belonging and shared moments, resulting in heightened brand loyalty and a higher likelihood of retaining satisfied customers.

8. Happy, More Product-Educated Customers = Lower Returns

Live shopping gives your audience a positive experience that they will want to repeat! Your customer will appreciate your ability to capture their attention, provide product specifics and answer their questions live. The presentation of your products will remove potential barriers to purchase and reduce return rates as your audience has a chance to view the product in greater detail. As you build a loyal fan base, they will be eager to return for future calendar events. 

9. Increased Website Traffic ‍

If one of your holiday season marketing goals is to increase traffic to your website? We have what you need! Live shopping will generate traffic on the day of the live show, as it’s broadcasted directly on your e-commerce site. LiSA offers a popular feature of recording a live show and resharing it onto your website to allow your customers to watch the replay and shop at a time that’s convenient for them. 

10. Content Longevity

Unlike the fleeting nature of most social media content, live shopping sessions offer a longer shelf life. Through LiSA’s live shopping solution, you can record the live show and repurpose it into highlights, snippets, and engaging moments to keep the festive spirit alive well beyond the live session. Just take a look at our client success stories of the brands that have trusted us LiSA to provide their live shopping solution.

Ready to sleigh your Christmas sales strategy?

Live shopping could be done on social media but recent data showed that consumers prefer it when live commerce is natively installed on an e-commerce shop rather than on social media platforms. By partnering up with a live shopping solution provider like LiSA, you make a purpose-built place for festive live shopping shows that audiences are craving right now.

Give us a jingle today to effortlessly blend live shopping into your online store strategy. Grab the opportunity with a risk-free trial, connecting your brand’s online shop with the LiSA CMS in just 24 hours. It's not just simple and instantly effective; it's a long-term game-changer. By entering the live shopping e-commerce game now and implementing a social video commerce strategy that leverages your brand’s most impactful content, you’re creating a clear pathway to e-commerce success in the years to come.

There’s still time to increase your Christmas sales with live shopping and leap into 2024, ahead of your competitors. Let's make this season your merriest and most successful one yet, book your Christmas special free trial now!