Today, technology is evolving at a rapid rate – so much so that, what was once an innovative idea of its own, live streaming for e-commerce is seeing a wave of fresh ideas. So, let’s take a look at some of the technology making for the next generation of live stream e-commerce.
OCR
Optical character recognition (OCR) uses a camera lens to capture an image, which is then transformed into a machine-readable format. This has traditionally been used to automate processes in financial, logistics, and postal settings. However, it is seeing a rise in applications in live streaming – particularly for things like entertainment and e-commerce. Take something like online casinos, for example. When players try their hand at live casino game shows they are played in real-time, hosted in a real studio, with real physical equipment. Whilst players view and interact with the stream digitally, hosts will spin physical wheels, deal cards, and operate a real table.
In this case, OCR can capture the results of the live games, transforming them into digital data. The data can then be stored for analysis, and displayed on screen for those who may have missed it. This same logic can be applied to e-commerce. During product launches or demonstrations, it may be important for names, ingredients, or equipment to appear instantly on screen. OCR can read the labels of the items, which will appear as a caption on the stream. Additionally, the text could be converted into other languages for international audiences.
AI Hosts
Traditional e-commerce live streams have a human host. This can mean that there are limitations – perhaps you can only afford so many hours of wages, people can only work for so many hours per day, and everyone needs time for a break. However, AI hosts don’t have these limits. The programmes can be easily designed to suit the business, with an avatar that is modelled after the real host to cover when they are gone or create a whole new persona.
AI hosts have particularly taken off in Chinese e-commerce, with other countries quickly following. These avatars can live stream 24/7, bringing a human-like touch to the streams, whilst also opening up the streams to consumers who are in different time zones. Therefore, this can allow businesses to widen their international reach.
Interactive Element
In today’s day and age, many consumers favour instant gratification. They want it, they buy it – that’s why e-commerce is so popular, after all. In the past, this is where live streams have fallen short. Consumers would have to navigate out of the live stream to find the products being advertised, which inserts barriers to purchase.
However, live shopping broadcasts are seeing a huge boom in popularity, with even high street giant Zara launching the initiative in the UK, Europe, and the US. This approach incorporates interactive elements into live streams – perhaps a static advertisement or a simple ‘buy’ button – that allow audiences to purchase the items they see on screen without leaving the streaming platform, capitalising on impulse purchasing habits, and improving conversion rates.
And there you have it – just a few technological developments enhancing live stream e-commerce. From automation to widening reach, and even improving the sales funnel, this signals the next generation for e-commerce.
