[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/01\/05\/the-future-of-shopping\/#Article","articleBody":"The blending of shopping and entertainment \u2013 \u201cshoppertainment\u201d \u2013\u00a0 isn\u2019t a new trend. The QVC shopping television channel pioneered it in 1980s. Today, it\u2019s the future of shopping.\nWhile COVID-19 has pushed e-commerce to the forefront, it won\u2019t be enough for brands to simply have an online storefront. Brands have to do more to attract customers, especially younger consumers who are digital natives. They\u2019re looking for more than a simple product purchase; they want novel, immersive experiences.\nThe truth is consumers today crave education, inspiration, and entertainment before they buy. Brands need to prepare for this future of shopping.\nHello, hello, hello: The future of shopping is entertainment\nSo what exactly is shoppertainment? According to Lexico, shoppertainment is defined as:\nThe provision of entertainment or leisure facilities within or alongside a retail store or shopping centre, as part of a marketing strategy designed to attract customers; the entertainment or facilities provided in this way.\nOf course, in the age of COVID, we\u2019re talking about shopping and entertainment in the online retail world. Here\u2019s where shopping infused with entertainment is practically on steroids, taking on various formats such as influencer marketing, gaming, immersive experiences, and live streaming. It\u2019s a fresh opportunity for brands to connect with consumers in exciting new ways.\nInfluencers who\u2019ve built a vast following on social media are proving powerful in swaying purchasing decisions, especially among Gen-Xers. Celebrities like Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and singer Selena Gomez are among the top influencers on Instagram.\nLive selling through live streaming on sites like Facebook and Instagram has become a popular way to showcase and sell products. It\u2019s essentially QVC for the digital era.\nWith the lights out, it's *more* dangerous\nDrunk shopping drives $45 billion dollars for e-commerce. What are folks buying? Which professions spend the most on these late-night sprees?We\u2019ve got the details here.\nThe future of shopping is here: Examples from around the world\nThe shopping-entertainment blend is growing around the world. In China, influential key opinion leaders or KOLs amuse consumers from Guangzhou to Beijing, offer tips and advice, demonstrate products, and promote brands online.\nIn Thailand, 90,000 viewers recently tuned in to watch a Shiseido live stream on Lazada, a leading Southeast Asian e-commerce platform. The Japan-based brand saw a 40-fold uplift in sales value, boosted by a \u2018see now buy now\u2019 feature on its app.\nAliExpress, Alibaba\u2019s e-commerce platform, declared it is recruiting 100,000 content creators and influencers globally, including KOLs from TikTok and Instagram, to get involved with international shoppertainment.\nIn the U.S., influencers are becoming on-air anchors with shoppable videos. Recently, model Karlie Kloss and vlogger Patricia Bright hosted an Est\u00e9e Lauder beauty live stream resulting in increased site visits, orders, and a sell-out of a limited-edition lip kit promoted on the \u201cprogram.\u201d\ne.l.f. Cosmetics is teaming up with Kathleen Belsten \u2013 also known as \u201cLoserfruit\u201d or \u201cLufu\u201d \u2013 a superstar who found fame on Twitch and has built a strong following across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. She will provide her audience \u2013 both females and males \u2013 with engaging content that integrates her favorite cosmetic and skincare products from e.l.f.\nShoppertainment is taking on new guises, too. The explosion of gaming in North America, for instance, means that rapper Travis Scott can appear in a virtual concert on Fortnite, the wildly popular digital battle game, and notch up 12 million viewers. At the same time, you can shop for limited edition action figures of Scott and customized Nerf Blasters on the back of his foray into digital entertainment\nAre you ready for the future of shopping?\nFor brands, the shopping as entertainment trend involves staying ahead of the hype curve and innovating at speed. The biggest challenge is identifying the latest movers and shakers before they trend, along with promising technologies or the start-ups that bring them to life.\nThe other challenge is understanding the latest mega-trends and what they mean for businesses and then connecting brands to this ecosystem in a way that feeds the bottom line.\nThe cutting-edge of shopping isn\u2019t for every brand; it\u2019s best suited for those looking to be innovative. It works for businesses that want to engage with new audiences, source new revenue streams, create a fresh buzz about their brand, be collaborative, and experiment.\nBrand leaders have an open innovation mindset. They listen, learn, and watch how consumers behave, with a keen eye on how our digital culture is influencing human behaviour. New ideas and tie-ups, disruptive business models, left-of-field external partnerships, or moon-shot ideas are all encouraged and explored.\nShoppertainment is also a fine balance. Consumers must be truly engaged before the shopping cart is full. Finding the equilibrium between entertainment and retail is crucial.\nIt\u2019s a brave new era. Move over QVC; 21st century, technology-driven prowess is creating something better.\nIn retail, speed is everything. Get tips for innovating e-commerce at lighting speed HERE.","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/01\/05\/the-future-of-shopping\/#Article_Person","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/01\/05\/the-future-of-shopping\/#Article_Person_ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/23x6xj3o92m9361dbu2ij362-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Valerie_Vacante_B_W-150x150.jpg"},"name":"Valerie Vacante","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/valvacante","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/valerievacante\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/valerie-vacante\/"},"dateModified":"2021-11-01T18:25:23+00:00","datePublished":"2021-01-05T06:28:02+00:00","description":"The future of shopping is entertainment. 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