Live shopping, a combination of livestreaming with online shopping, has been one of the retail success stories of the century in China and several other Asian nations. There, the incredible rise of this new way to shop has largely hinged on the influencers who have quickly mastered the form.
In Western markets, the rise of live shopping would be better categorised as possibly bubbling up. Social media firms went big and then quickly ditched their facilitating features in years past. In 2025, however, with Instagram and eBay seemingly pushing, as well as dedicated platforms, another major player has entered the fray.
Asos has now launched its own live video content platform. Asos Live can be accessed through the app, with live and on-demand videos aiming to engage with customers in real time. Their approach, much as it has been in the Far East, is to emphasise creator-led styling and beauty content to draw in potential customers.
Leveraging the Popularity of Live Streaming
On paper, there is already a seasoned and avid live shopping audience in Western countries. After all, Twitch has become a colossus of a company – one driven by independent influencers and creators – that millions of people turn to for free entertainment and community activities.
In July 2025, Twitch Tracker indicates that a new all-time peak of viewership was hit. On 26 July, 13,819,442 people were watching live video on Twitch. While offering a chance to interact with popular creatives through a text chat, the Twitch experience is still somewhat of a passive one for viewers.
The bridge between the more passive viewing experience and what platforms hope to be the immersive and interactive appeal of live shopping is better showcased in the arena of live gaming. With several table and game shows played live and in real time, the jackpot casino has been buoyed by live streaming technology.
Now, anyone in the world can join a game, see its round play out, and bet on it in real time while the host or croupier interacts with the audience and runs the game. Live shopping needs to tap into this combination of real-time entertainment and charismatic hosts with the creator-driven emphasis of the likes of Twitch.
Catch the Wave Just as it Looks to Break
Asos looks to be on the right track with the launch of Asos Live and its focus on creator-led content. It’ll look to merge its formidable British branding with the appeal of such an approach. It’s set to launch at a prime time, with more and more reports praising the rise of live shopping elsewhere.
One of the headline acts in this regard has been Whatnot. A few years ago, it was Popshop, but that platform struggled and was eventually acquired. Whatnot, however, has slowly been growing as a specialist seller of collectables. Now, the dedicated platform is said to be worth some $5 billion, proving its growing popularity.
Still, this form of online shopping is niche. The dedicated platforms are yet to hit vast mainstream audiences or become the norm for shoppers. Should momentum continue with major brands getting involved and bringing in charismatic creators, however, live shopping could soon become a popular format in Western markets.
