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Aug 31, 2022 Stage TEN

How Live Commerce Is Transforming The Fashion Industry

When retail stores were shuttered in 2020 due to the pandemic, the fashion industry had to pivot.

Yes, most brands already had an established e-commerce presence, and those who didn’t quickly opened an online store to compete. 

But e-commerce is a different beast than in-person fashion retail. Consumers are making purchases online without the chance to see, touch, or try on clothing, shoes, and accessories. Retailers then had to find a way to give consumers a more interactive way to experience their products. That’s when live commerce started to be recognized as the way forward for the fashion industry.

 

More e-commerce = more returns

We know that more and more consumers have been shopping online during the pandemic. But this doesn’t mean that e-commerce retailers are raking in the bucks. While consumers are shopping online more frequently, they are also returning a larger amount of clothes, accessories, and shoes to retailers.

In 2020, when the pandemic first touched down, the average return was 10.6%. That number jumped to 16.6% in 2021—that 6% increase equates to $761 billion of fast and slow fashion ending up back in stores and warehouses. 

How can fashion brands combat dependence on e-commerce and rising rates of return? By finding ways to let consumers experience your products in an as-close-to-live setting as possible.

 

Go live and get interactive

When it comes to recreating the in-store shopping experience, nothing has come as close as live shopping.

Consumers have direct contact with brand representatives and can ask questions about the products. They get the chance to see the products in real-world settings and sometimes even see the products on different-sized models. This gives consumers a much clearer picture of the quality and sizing, which then cuts down on returns.

Live shopping also lets the audience connect with the brand representative—they have the chance to experience a candid conversation in real-time which builds a deeper sense of connection. Live shopping takes the idea of a live customer service chat and infuses it with personality, trust, and a real person.

When someone joins your live shopping event, it’s like they are virtually walking into your store—something piqued their interest and they decided to join. The whole process is very similar to the in-person shopping experience you’d get at a mall or boutique.

With an integrated checkout process, you can make the shopping experience as seamless as checking out in-store or on your standard e-commerce site. Using Stage TEN, consumers can stay in the video player and checkout without having to miss any of the fun.

 

How fashion brands are making waves with live shopping

At Stage TEN, we’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing fashion brands to bring their live shopping experiences to life. After producing dozens of fashion-focused live shopping events, the numbers don’t lie.

On average, our partners have experienced a 135%+ increase in sales, a 7%+ conversion rate, and a staggering 80% engagement rate. Let’s take a look at 3 Stage TEN-produced live shopping events.

 

Target Live: Fall Style Haul

When retail giant Target starts running live shopping events, it’s probably time for the rest of the retail world to follow suit. This live shopping event was the first live commerce stream for Target, earning a 2022 Webby Award nomination! Target and Stage TEN helped the audience express their story live with help from hosts and styling experts Jazzmyne Jay, Essence Gant, and Maria Marinaro, and the latest fall style from Target. This special was just the starting point for Target—the success of this event convinced Target to run regular live commerce events.

 

Real Talk with Romeo Hunte 

When Brooklyn-based designer Romeo Hunte was deciding how to launch his latest collection, he was looking for a way to bring it to the people, wherever they were. He did just that and more with his live shopping event. Hunte gave fans a live tour of his studio and hosted an interactive styling session with co-host and fashion expert Essence Gant. Audience members were able to ask Hunte questions and shop the collection live. “I truly believe this is what the future of fashion looks like,” said Romeo Hunte after his live event.

 

Dee Ocleppo Live Shopping Launch

Dee Ocleppo-Hilfiger hosted her first live commerce event with Mary Alice Stephenson and Stage TEN. She invited the audience into her home for an interactive experience where fans could call in and shop her latest fall collection. It was an overwhelming success with impressive sales and a conversion rate that easily surpassed the industry standard of 1-4%

 

So, what are you waiting for?

Are you ready to dip your toe into the world of live fashion commerce? Then you’re ready for Stage TEN.

With Stage TEN, you can add live commerce to your streams, interact with your audience, and earn revenue. Our interactive player makes checkout a seamless part of interactive storytelling—no need to leave the video player. 

It’s time for your fashion brand to deliver more than just a product—it’s time to deliver an engaging shopping experience. 

 

Sign up for your free account today or contact us to inquire about partnering with Stage TEN.

Published by Stage TEN August 31, 2022
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