Hugely popular in China, Zara’s shows broadcasted by Douyin – Tik Tok´s Chinese equivalent – features models wearing the retailer´s dresses, trying on shoes, as well as jewellery, while also including catwalk sequences and “backstage” make-up shots, presented in a conversational, leisurely style.
In contrast to its China broadcasts, which typically last for 5 hours, Zara plans to shorten their future broadcasts in Europe, with shows lasting around 45 minutes to an 1 hour. While the company primarily relies on the streaming platform Douyin to help broadcast their shows in China, in Europe, they plan to host the live shows exclusively on its app and website in an attempt to exert maximum control over aesthetics, as well as drive more shoppers to its owned channels, reports Reuters.
A team of 70 people works on the live show, which is streamed from a 1,000-sq m space, switching angles between seven cameras, Zara said. On average, it attracts around 800,000 unique viewers per show.
In general, Zara´s parent-company, Inditex, has outperformed competitors in recent quarters by benefiting from investments in new store and online experiences such as livestream shopping. The company´s broadcasts in China have also boosted the retailer´s overall sales in the region, shares Reuters. The livestream also allows Zara to reach shoppers even as its physical presence in China has shrunk from 570 stores in 2019 to just 192 as of Jan. 31 this year.
By entering the European market, Zara is expecting that live commerce’s entertainment factor will draw in Western viewers and eventually drive sales, even though the service has yet to rise in popularity.
In recent years, social media and ecommerce have triggered a new era of livestreaming. Even though the idea of shopping as entertainment is by far not a novelty anymore, the change of medium and approach have significantly shaped a new face of the genre.
The new ad-hoc livestreams will feature specific Zara Woman collections, and will be hosted by two “very well-known” fashion personalities, the retailer said.
