Letters | Why live-stream e-commerce is a doubled-edged sword

E-commerce

Letters

Published: 12:25am, 7 Dec 2020

Why you can trust SCMP

I am writing in response to the report “Live-stream fashion and beauty shopping hits the US after gaining popularity in China” (November 28).

The Covid-19 pandemic has deterred people from many of the pursuits that used to be part of their daily routine. Thus, many shops face the risk of closure because sales are so poor they cannot pay the rent and sustain their business. However, to a certain extent, the pandemic has popularised a new mode of shopping – selling products through live streams.

While this offers entrepreneurs a different route through which to sell their products, it also affords customers easy access to all sorts of products and services. All they need to do is click several buttons to find products they like. It is a more efficient mode of shopping than patronising bricks-and-mortar shops.

Selling through live streams also saves entrepreneurs the cost of renting a physical space. All they have to do is upload the pictures of their products online to sell them.

Yet, every rose has its thorns as this shift to online shopping has exacerbated environmental problems. It has made shopping so easy that people buy too many unnecessary products. Because customers cannot touch and examine the products, they sometimes buy something they are not happy with. Also, to prevent the products being damaged, they are securely packaged which increases the use of plastic.

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‘Grandma Apricot’ finds online fame as she sells fruit on live streams from rural China

Live-streaming also poses a challenge to business owners because they have to adapt their marketing strategies. Because customers cannot touch the products, businesses need to provide more information to give customers the confidence to make a purchase. Businesses also need to learn new methods to attract customers, such as providing high-quality photographs and setting up a question and answer section.

Online shopping has both upsides and downsides, but it seems to be a trend that is here to stay.

Christine Lam, Kwai Chung

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