UK e-Commerce Startups Should Hop on the Live-Streaming Boom

UK e-commerce startups can look at the rise of this company and others, and use it as inspiration. They show what’s possible when live streaming is used in novel and entertaining ways.

The UK is Finally Ready for Live Commerce

Live streaming has served various purposes over the last decade, but it has arguably been more prominent in entertainment. Indeed, one of the first places that the technology was used was in the online casino industry, where its function was to deliver online roulette games and blackjack offerings to people in their homes. These proved to be so popular that they inspired countless other twists on the games hosted by real dealers, such as Fireball Roulette and Pinball Roulette.

Various e-commerce businesses have begun to use live streaming, realising how effective it is at reaching customers and promoting products. It’s particularly popular in China, but Amazon has also expanded into it in recent years. However, these companies have used it mainly for sales and promotions, rather than in an entertaining way. Part of Whatnot’s success is that its founders realised how powerful live streaming was in entertainment and tried to capture that for the world of e-commerce.

Live commerce has struggled to gain traction in the UK for years, mainly because it clashed with well-established shopping habits. There’s clearly a huge global shift happening towards live e-commerce, though, and British startups need to jump on it now or risk being left behind.

How Did Whatnot Become a $5 Billion Shopping App?

The rise of Whatnot over the last few years offers an excellent blueprint for UK startups to follow. The company has blown up in the last year, and is now valued at $5 billion according to the latest reports. It all started with its founders building a loyal base of sellers and buyers in a reinvigorated collectibles market. After that, it strategically expanded into new categories.

What makes Whatnot stand out is its focus on making e-commerce entertaining. It wants to make the product showcasing process fun and exciting, with viewers often drawn into a story behind the items on display. It also invested in tools that made live selling easier for creators and effectively lowered the barrier to entry.

There are various other startups that are making waves with live streaming in e-commerce too, highlighting the technology's potential. Other emerging brands include Bambuser and Popshop Live, which have been enjoying impressive growth in American and Indian markets. 

There’s a gap in the market for this type of e-commerce in the UK, and startups that already sell products can easily pivot towards it. It’s simply a case of exploring more use of live streaming on existing e-commerce pages, with a focus on making sure it is entertaining and engaging. Live streaming is only going to get more influential in the years ahead, and businesses need to evolve with it now.