What is Live Shopping?

What is Live Online Shopping? It’s a livestream event during which products are bought in real time. It’s the hottest shopping trend in 2025, and it’s rapidly evolving.

In China, live commerce (live selling or live shopping) already accounts for over 20% of total online retail sales, with platforms like Taobao Live leading the way.

The U.S. live shopping market is expected to grow to over $8 billion by 2030, and the UK is forecasted to reach $1.1 billion in the same period.

South Korea has a well-established live shopping culture, with platforms like Naver Shopping Live seeing significant engagement.

Younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) prefer interactive shopping experiences over traditional static or passive eCommerce.

Live shopping blends entertainment with shopping, making it a social and engaging experience rather than just a faceless transaction.

Major platforms like TikTok Shop, Instagram Live, Facebook Live, YouTube Live and Amazon Live are heavily investing in live commerce.

Retailers are increasingly leveraging AI-powered recommendations and real-time engagement tools to boost conversions.

Live shopping conversion rates range from 9% to 30%, much higher than traditional eCommerce (2% - 3%). Urgency-driven promotions, real-time Q&A, and influencer-driven sales help reduce cart abandonment.

Big brands (Sephora, Nike and Walmart) as well as small businesses are using live shopping to build connections with their customers.

Influencers and content creators are driving much of the engagement, making product discovery more organic.

Live shopping is not just a passing trend - it’s a long-term shift in eCommerce. As more brands and platforms adopt it, it will likely become a core part of online retail, worldwide.