Amazon Live Is An Online Shopping Game-Changer Allowing Merchants To Video Stream About Products
Shopping outlets and channels like HSN and QVC may soon face some serious competition. Amazon Live, a new live streaming service, is now available to Amazon Professional Sellers. Amazon Professional Sellers will now be able to engage with their customers in real-time and advertise featured products.
During the livestream, Sellers will be able to chat with their viewers and demonstrate products, while viewers can comment during the livestream and directly purchase featured items from a carousel display that appears under the video. Amazon claims that Sellers will be able to “reach more shoppers on Amazon.com and build your brand through interactive livestreams.”
Amazon Sellers will first need to downloaded Amazon Live Creator iOS mobile app (oddly, no version exists currently for Android). Once the app is installed, Sellers will need to log-in in with their Amazon account. When the Seller is ready to livestream, they will select the products they would like to feature and then either schedule their stream or instantly go live. They will be able to stream through Amazon.com on a desktop or mobile device or through Amazon's mobile app. The app also allows Sellers to rehearse and test their live stream before publishing it, as well as access viewer statistics and sales results.
The livestreams will appear on Amazon.com or the Amazon mobile app on the product’s page, the Seller’s store, and the Amazon Live page. Sellers can also pay to expand the reach of their livestreams. It is important to note that while Amazon Live page can easily be found through Amazon’s mobile apps, it is not currently listed on Amazon’s desktop navigation menu. Desktop users will need to go directly to Amazon Live or Seller’s page.
There are a few caveats. First, this app is only available through the Apple App store. Second, you must be a Professional Seller that is enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry to use the service. Lastly, live streaming is currently not supported in China or Hong Kong.
This is not the first time Amazon has dabbled in a shopping livestream service. A few years ago, viewers could tune in to Style Code Live, a live show focused on fashion and beauty. The show was hosted by Lyndsey Rodrigues, Rachel Smith and Frankie Grande and included guest appearances by Sarah Jessica Parker, Kourtney Kardashian, and Kelly Osbourne. The show was ultimately cancelled in 2017 due to mediocre viewership numbers.
Amazon also experimented with live streaming during Amazon Prime Day 2017 and 2018. They have also allowed select brands to try out the service over the last few months. However, Amazon is now expanding access to this service to a greater number of Professional Sellers.
QVC is not the only rival that Amazon is trying to take down. Rumor has it that Amazon is also developing their own gaming streaming service. Amazon technically owns Twitch, but they are already in discussions with game publishers to stream their titles on the upcoming platform. It remains to be seen whether Amazon Live or this rumored gaming service will truly drive sales. You can check out Amazon Live here, and Amazon's tutorial for the services can be found here.
During the livestream, Sellers will be able to chat with their viewers and demonstrate products, while viewers can comment during the livestream and directly purchase featured items from a carousel display that appears under the video. Amazon claims that Sellers will be able to “reach more shoppers on Amazon.com and build your brand through interactive livestreams.”
Amazon Sellers will first need to downloaded Amazon Live Creator iOS mobile app (oddly, no version exists currently for Android). Once the app is installed, Sellers will need to log-in in with their Amazon account. When the Seller is ready to livestream, they will select the products they would like to feature and then either schedule their stream or instantly go live. They will be able to stream through Amazon.com on a desktop or mobile device or through Amazon's mobile app. The app also allows Sellers to rehearse and test their live stream before publishing it, as well as access viewer statistics and sales results.
The livestreams will appear on Amazon.com or the Amazon mobile app on the product’s page, the Seller’s store, and the Amazon Live page. Sellers can also pay to expand the reach of their livestreams. It is important to note that while Amazon Live page can easily be found through Amazon’s mobile apps, it is not currently listed on Amazon’s desktop navigation menu. Desktop users will need to go directly to Amazon Live or Seller’s page.
There are a few caveats. First, this app is only available through the Apple App store. Second, you must be a Professional Seller that is enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry to use the service. Lastly, live streaming is currently not supported in China or Hong Kong.
This is not the first time Amazon has dabbled in a shopping livestream service. A few years ago, viewers could tune in to Style Code Live, a live show focused on fashion and beauty. The show was hosted by Lyndsey Rodrigues, Rachel Smith and Frankie Grande and included guest appearances by Sarah Jessica Parker, Kourtney Kardashian, and Kelly Osbourne. The show was ultimately cancelled in 2017 due to mediocre viewership numbers.
Amazon also experimented with live streaming during Amazon Prime Day 2017 and 2018. They have also allowed select brands to try out the service over the last few months. However, Amazon is now expanding access to this service to a greater number of Professional Sellers.
QVC is not the only rival that Amazon is trying to take down. Rumor has it that Amazon is also developing their own gaming streaming service. Amazon technically owns Twitch, but they are already in discussions with game publishers to stream their titles on the upcoming platform. It remains to be seen whether Amazon Live or this rumored gaming service will truly drive sales. You can check out Amazon Live here, and Amazon's tutorial for the services can be found here.
