How Social is your Social Commerce?
Very insightful post from Ivy on her Substack “Calling the Shots 话语权时代” about why TikTok is struggling with live commerce in the West. It’s likely a cultural hurdle: We in the West just want people to buy from us. After conversion they can get lost.
In contrast, the dynamic is quite different in China:
„Livestreaming in China goes far beyond just hawking products. The early flash-sale era —think Li Jiaqi and where TikTok commerce in the US is in at the moment—has evolved into something much more community-centered. It’s now about building a brand’s identity and creating emotional connections with consumers.
Streamers are not just pushing products—they’re building relationships. It’s like tuning in to catch up with a friend. These streams create a sense of belonging, where followers feel like they’re part of a community.“
I can already hear the skeptics: “Sure, building relationships works in China. Here in the West? Who cares!”
However, I believe the need for relationships and belonging isn't unique to Asia; it’s human. We have just forgotten about it. The first brands / companies to figure out how to bring that back to the West will probably be wildly successful - especially in our current VUCA times!
But no, figuring that out won't involve sending out an endless stream of perfectly targeted newsletters from your Hubspot using noreply@cool-brand.com to reply to. And yes, it won’t be easy to scale. 🤷♂️
But still: without being genuinely social (and thinking that way), there won't be any real social commerce...
