Taobao launched a new live-streaming service on Wednesday that features business executives looking to promote their companies through a format that has become a staple of online shopping in China. Taobao Live is providing CEOs with a “one-stop service” that covers all stages of production during a live stream – from product management to operations. In May, Alibaba announced a makeover for the Taobao website in what was the platform’s biggest update in seven years.
It simplifies the site’s layout with smoother performance as the company seeks to offer a better shopping experience. It also expanded web access of its live streams to include all sessions. Taobao Live has so far coaxed nearly 100 celebrities to start live-streaming for the 618 event, with most using the new one-stop service, according to data from Taobao and Tmall Group.
From May 20 to May 31, 38 live-streaming rooms on the platform – including one featuring China’s top beauty influencer Austin Li Jiaqi – each achieved a turnover of more than 100 million yuan (US$13.8 million), which the company said is a record for the period. For many, live-streaming rooms have become the new shopping channel, with consumers using them to learn more about products they want before hitting the buy button.
Michelle Feng, a woman living in the eastern city of Suzhou, said a purchase she made during Li’s session was the first she ever made through a live stream. Feng spent more than 100 yuan on cosmetics after ac.