Spotlight On: Suzanne Pronk 'The Future of Live Commerce'

In today’s Spotlight On, Suzanne Pronk, founder of Yourshoppingstream.com, shares insights on the future of live commerce and what makes it successful.

Can you briefly explain what Live commerce is and why it’s gaining

traction in ecommerce?

Live commerce is the next wave in live shopping, it blends live video streaming with e-commerce creating an interactive shopping experience, where consumers can watch, interact, and buy instantly. 

This trend is booming due to its mix of entertainment, interactivity, and instant purchasing, making online shopping more engaging and trustworthy. It drives customer engagement, increases sales, and boosts loyalty. While mainstream in China, live commerce is growing rapidly in the US and Europe.

What’s social commerce vs live commerce?

Social commerce focuses on short, direct sales moments with a strong call-to-action on social channels. It is highly effective for impulse buys and transaction-oriented content. 

Live commerce centers on premium branded content, where storytelling and entertainment deepen brand experiences and foster long-term engagement. Instead of simply promoting products, we create formats that blend storytelling and experiences with conversion.

How have consumer behaviors shifted towards video-based shopping experiences in recent years?

The rise of short-form video content, social commerce, and influencer marketing has made video a preferred medium. Video commerce, in its essence, is not new, branded content on platforms like YouTube has been around for some time.

However, live commerce is innovative because it introduces interactivity, allowing for real-time engagement and a more personalized shopping experience. Consumers now crave authentic, engaging, and interactive shopping experiences.

What industries or product categories benefit the most from live commerce?

Live commerce benefits industries based on their goals, whether it’s brand engagement, community building, or driving conversions. It’s especially effective for visual, demonstration-driven sectors like fashion, beauty, electronics, home décor, luxury, and travel, as well as services that can generate leads through strong calls to action.

How do AI enhance the shopping experience?

AI enables features like virtual try-ons and personalized recommendations, improving efficiency and stream performance. While AI generated hosts can optimize streams, human authenticity remains vital for connecting with consumers.

What are the best platforms for businesses looking to integrate live shopping into their strategy? 

Live commerce on your own platform offers greater control over content and audience engagement. Social platforms like Instagram and TikTok are better for quick, transactional moments. Both approaches can complement each other, social commerce for quick engagement and live commerce for long-term brand storytelling and connection.

How does live commerce impact cross border sales and international consumer trust?

Research shows that live commerce helps reduce return rates, benefiting cross-border sales.By offering real-time product views, interactive Q&As, and engagement with hosts, it builds trust and transparency. While studies on return rates are limited, many brands find that the immersive nature of live commerce reduces hesitation and fosters confident purchases, making it easier for brands to sell globally.

What challenges do brands face when using video commerce in different markets?

The same challenges brands already face when selling cross-border, including cultural differences and language barriers. To reach a broader audience, an English-speaking host and subtitles are essential, both of which YSS provides. However, live commerce offers cost-efficiency by enabling brands to run a single stream for multiple countries. 

Are there localization strategies that help make live commerce more effective globally?

To optimize live commerce across different markets, brands can supplement their streams with regional influencers or collaborate with influencers who have a broad European audience.  

The interactive nature of live commerce is key to engaging diverse audiences, but understanding cultural nuances and local preferences remains important for success. Using an English-speaking host with localized content, along with subtitles, can help bridge language barriers.

What are the common mistakes brands make when implementing live commerce?

The biggest challenge is treating live commerce as an innovative, ongoing project rather than just a series of pilot tests. Brands need to commit to running weekly or monthly live streams to build momentum and allow consumers to adjust to the new format. It’s essential to give it some time to take off.

Additionally, brands should focus on creating high quality video content and utilize data from each stream to optimize future broadcasts. Testing, optimizing, and refining content based on audience engagement will ensure continuous improvement and success.

What are the key elements of a high-converting live shopping experience?

A high-converting live shopping experience requires authentic content, seamless technical execution, and a strong brand fit. It should be engaging, entertaining, and create a sense of exclusivity with special discounts or products, driving viewer engagement and loyalty. 

How can small and medium-sized businesses compete with big brands in the video commerce space?

While larger companies benefit from a bigger audience and brand recognition, live commerce creates opportunities for smaller businesses, too. Since live stream production costs are relatively fixed, larger brands can cover them more easily, but smaller businesses can succeed by focusing on communities, using targeted paid media, collaborating with micro-influencers and using cost-effective live commerce solutions.

What role do influencers and live shopping events play in the future of ecommerce?

Influencers play a dual role in live commerce, now they are primarily used in live commerce for influencer marketing, acting as traffic generators and brand ambassadors. In addition to traditional influencers, we see the rise of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), experts who excel at live presentation, interaction, and building trust, making them highly effective in this space.

How do you see live commerce evolving in the next 5–10 years?

In five years, live shopping will be fully integrated into the marketing mix of brands and retailers, while broadcasters and publishers have developed new propositions in live commerce. AI will drive personalized shopping experiences, increasing customer engagement and loyalty. It will play a major role in e-commerce and entertainment.

What advice would you give to brands that want to stay ahead in video commerce?

Brands should stay innovative, experiment early, gather insights, and optimize continuously. Integrate live commerce for consistency and recognition. Manage data and inventory effectively; a strong brand fit with the format, the right hosts, and influencers for authenticity. Clearly defined goals will guide strategies for social commerce, partnerships, and maximizing reach.