Zara, direct shopping arrives in Europe and the USA

Zara It decided to expand its live shopping demo experience to the UK, across Europe and the US this year, testing a format already popular in China but with which Western shoppers are less familiar.

The fast-fashion brand is investing in new ways to engage shoppers as analysts expect sales to grow less aggressively after a stunning post-pandemic surge.

According to the retail analytics company Modifieda five-hour live shopping show in China, broadcast weekly on Duanethe Chinese sister site of Tik TokHelped increase sales Zara Since its launch in November.

“We want to bring it to Western countries, where live streaming is not very popular but we think, why not, from an entertainment point of view, it is an improvement.», said a spokesman Zara Regarding the initiative that should be launched between August and October.

Shopping as entertainment is nothing new: TV channels that invite viewers to buy premium products have been popular for decades, but social media and e-commerce have sparked a new era of live streaming, led by China, where influencers sell everything from cosmetics to snacks at discounted prices. . Intensely.
Brands looking to create a more refined experience looked at in-person shopping differently.

an offer Zara We are Duane It features Chinese models wearing the clothes ZaraTry shoes and jewelry. It also includes runway sequences and behind-the-scenes makeup shots, while its conversational and personable style is at odds with the hard-to-sell live broadcasts that hosts like Lipstick King Li Jiaqi are known for.

“A team of 70 people work on the live show, which is broadcast from a 1,000 square meter space in Shanghai, switching angles between seven cameras.“, He said Zara. On average, it attracts approximately 800,000 unique viewers per show.

“Zara’s live streaming approach has created significant brand awareness in China“, said the analyst Modified Christa Corrigan. Zara The data showed that China sold the highest number of volumes and 50% more products in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2023. Modified.