In a recent RETHINK Retail interview, Joe Kwong, Head of Business Development at Agora, discussed the evolution of live shopping, the role of technology in shaping consumer experiences, and how Agora is influencing the future of digital commerce.
Agora’s Origins
Agora was founded over a decade ago to empower developers to create real-time engagement applications. Since then, thousands of businesses have adopted Agora’s SDK to build immersive, real-time communication solutions.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demand for virtual engagement, positioning Agora to drive innovations in live shopping and digital commerce.
The Influence of COVID-19
“During COVID, people couldn’t really go into physical retail stores. And what was born out of that was e-commerce and live shopping. We see that consistently existing today.”
One of the most significant trends that emerged during the pandemic is live shopping. As Kwong explained, “during COVID, people couldn’t really go into physical retail stores. And what was born out of that was e-commerce and live shopping. We see that consistently existing today.”
Social media platforms embraced live commerce, where consumers can watch live product demonstrations, engage with sellers, and make purchases instantly. Kwong emphasized the continued growth of live shopping, saying, “If it’s not broken, why fix it?” He noted that live shopping remains a key driver for digital sales across platforms.
A New Era of Engagement
Modern live shopping is more organic, often led by influencers or everyday users, making it more relatable for today’s audiences.
Social media has played a pivotal role in reshaping live shopping. Kwong contrasted the traditional live shopping formats like QVC with today’s social commerce. Traditional platforms often relied on scripted, studio-based productions with paid actors and rehearsed content. In contrast, modern live shopping is more organic, often led by influencers or everyday users, making it more relatable for today’s audiences.
Kwong also noted that super apps—platforms offering multiple services within one app—are driving the next phase of live shopping. While popular in China and Latin America, super apps haven’t yet taken off in the U.S. However, they present a significant threat to traditional live shopping platforms due to their ability to integrate e-commerce with other daily services.
Challenges for Traditional Platforms
“We’re all losing market share: our time. That’s a challenge.”
The rise of social media and super apps has presented challenges for traditional live shopping platforms. Kwong explained that traditional platforms are losing viewership. “Everybody that we know is on social media; that’s a threat. You’re losing market share, and you’re losing the “eyeball”—the time spent on an app. Same thing with entertainment, TV, movies… we’re all losing market share: our time. That’s a challenge.”
To stay competitive, Kwong suggested that traditional platforms must pivot and embrace new technologies. Rather than relying on elaborate studio setups, brands can now use mobile devices to enable live, remote streaming, allowing for faster scalability and more authentic interactions.
AI’s Role in Shaping Live Shopping
AI can help tailor the shopping experience to individual preferences by analyzing consumer data.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to transform live shopping by making the experience more personalized and efficient. Kwong believes that AI can help tailor the shopping experience to individual preferences by analyzing consumer data. This allows sellers to present products that match a customer’s size, style, and buying history, leading to faster conversions and higher satisfaction.
AI also holds the potential to optimize live shopping sessions by offering insights directly to sellers. Rather than buyers asking if a product is available in their size, AI could prompt sellers with relevant data, streamlining the interaction.
The Key to Success in Live Commerce
Kwong highlighted Whatnot, a live shopping platform focused on collectibles, as a success story. Whatnot built a community-driven experience, offering genuine interactions between buyers and sellers. This community focus allowed it to stand out in a space dominated by larger platforms like eBay.
“The lesson here is to listen to your audiences. They’re spending money and deserve a lot more for what they’re buying.”
“The lesson here is to listen to your audiences,” Kwong emphasized. “They’re spending money and deserve a lot more for what they’re buying.” He underscored the need for platforms to stay current with emerging technologies and continuously innovate to engage customers.
Kwong’s takeaway for other platforms is clear: prioritize audience feedback and remain adaptable. “Innovate or die,” he said, stressing that ongoing innovation is essential for maintaining customer loyalty and competing in the live shopping space.
The Future of Content Creation and Engagement
“We are consuming so much content nowadays, but we don’t want professional content, we want user-generated content. And that’s where generative AI comes in.”
Looking ahead, Kwong is enthusiastic about the role of generative AI in content creation. He explained that AI-generated avatars and scripts will enable influencers to produce content more efficiently. “We are consuming so much content nowadays, but we don’t want professional content, we want user-generated content. And that’s where generative AI comes in,” Kwong said.
Agora is already collaborating with industry leaders to develop AI-powered solutions for real-time content delivery. “We are speaking to so many different industry leaders, innovative leaders, and founders right now to create AI products and help them deliver that to consumers. So we are super excited to see where the AI goes from here,” he added.
To learn more about Agora and their real-time engagement applications, visit their website.
