How to get ahead of Black Friday with live commerce

To most people not working in the eCommerce world, thinking about Black Friday when the summer heat has barely even hit seems crazy. But we know it’s practically all many of you think about all year. And putting the right plans in place today is going to pay off big time months down the road.

In this digital era, brands need to be present where their customers are, which, as you know, is online. In 2023, it’s expected that 21% of the $6.3 trillion retail purchases will take place online. To create a significant impact during Black Friday, incorporating influencer marketing and social media into your live commerce strategy is crucial. By leveraging the power of social media, you can create hype around your Black Friday sales, showcase your products in a visually-appealing way, and drive more traffic to your website.

But what makes live commerce — especially live video shopping — a perfect fit for Black Friday marketing and sales campaigns? Let’s look at why we think it’s a tool you can’t leave out of your strategy this holiday season.

5 reasons live commerce is perfect for Black Friday

1. The popularity of live commerce for key Black Friday product categories

When it comes to handling the main types of products typically sought after during Black Friday, such as electronics, sporting goods, fashion, toys, and home goods, live commerce offers a key advantage for consumers.

It allows your brand and experts to showcase products by using them in real-world scenarios, highlighting their key features, and demonstrating how they can address specific needs. You can walk customers through the setup process, its different modes or functions, and offer practical tips and tricks for optimal usage.

By witnessing live demonstrations, customers gain a better understanding of the product’s capabilities, helping you build trust in the product and increase your customers’ sense of confidence in their purchase.

2. Overcoming information gaps for Black Friday shoppers

Black Friday sales tend to attract a significant number of low-information buyers — consumers who may have limited knowledge or awareness about the products they intend to purchase.

The surge of low-information buyers during Black Friday sales presents an opportunity to use one-to-one live video shopping as an effective strategy to cater to them. Through this more personalized style of live video streaming, your product experts can showcase and demonstrate a wide range of products, and provide an in-depth look at their features, functionalities, and benefits. They can explain product specifications, offer usage tips, and answer questions directly from the buyers, effectively bridging the knowledge gap.

Informed buyers are more likely to select the right product from the outset, resulting in a smoother shopping experience for both you and your customers. By providing accurate and detailed information to these buyers, they can make more informed decisions, ultimately decreasing the likelihood of dissatisfaction and subsequent returns.

3. Simplifying the experience for Black Friday shoppers

Live commerce is known for its convenient and user-friendly nature, making it easily accessible even for individuals without much experience with online shopping. This simplicity of use is particularly favorable during the holiday season when a diverse range of shoppers, including those less accustomed to eCommerce, actively seek the best deals and gift options. Typically, all it takes is a couple of clicks for shoppers to access live commerce features directly from the website they are already on.

4. Hesitation caused by crowded stores on Black Friday

Black Friday crowds can make shoppers hesitant to go into the store. However, having a livestream process in place can eliminate the need for complex navigation or extensive browsing on the website.

In fact, brands that have adopted livestream selling have seen a 30% rise in conversion rates — a rate ten times higher than conventional eCommerce. It presents a prime opportunity for brands to organize large-scale one-to-many live commerce events. By doing so, brands can effectively tap into the predictable consumer mindset focused on making purchases.

Live commerce platforms often provide interactive features that allow customers to engage directly with hosts. Through chat functions or video calls, shoppers can communicate their preferences, ask questions, and seek clarification on product details. This interactive element helps replicate the experience of having a personal shopper or sales associate, offering a level of service and support that might otherwise be unavailable when avoiding crowded physical stores.

5. Seizing Black Friday opportunities to convert ready-to-buy customers

The holiday season is the most concentrated period on the annual calendar when people are most likely to be actively shopping at any given time. This lends itself well to large one-to-many live commerce events, when you can catch consumers in a buying state of mind.

These events capitalize on the festive spirit and gift-giving traditions, allowing brands to reveal new products and offer enticing deals. With consumers already in a buying state of mind, the holiday season provides an opportunity for an impactful live commerce experience that drives sales and creates meaningful connections between brands and their customers.

Reaching and converting shoppers during the holidays with live commerce

Black Friday shopping comes with its fair share of consumer challenges, from navigating crowded stores to dealing with low-information buying decisions. However, live commerce emerges as a powerful solution that can help brands overcome these obstacles and deliver a seamless, personalized shopping experience. By leveraging the interactive and informative nature of live commerce, brands can address the needs of hesitant shoppers, provide expert guidance, and create a sense of trust and confidence in their products.

In regards to next steps, getting up to speed on how your brand can get started with livestream shopping ahead of Black Friday. Once you’ve determined your specific needs, you can start your search for the right live commerce solution to help you maximize your reach, connect with your target audience, and ultimately boost sales.

Ready to deliver a more personalized customer experience? Schedule time to see a live demo.