After college, Kelsey Krakora works full-time in steakhouses, bartending and meals.

She dabbled in selling clothes online, but only worked part-time.

But in 2021, Ms. Cracola, based in Cleveland, has changed.

She used to sell clothes on Whatnot and Poshmark instead – online marketplaces where people can also sell merchandise using live videos.

“My first live show with Poshmark was November 27, 2022. I sold zero in the first show…but that lasted a long time!”

Now she has about 100 items per show, worth about $1,000 in sales (£773).

Her show averages three hours, and she plays two to three games a week.

“These activities are inclusive and enthusiastic, and you can shop in PJ and you don’t have to go to the mall,” Ms. Krakora said.

On-site shopping is very popular in the Asia-Pacific region, and it has been a while since social networks such as Douyin in China often host on-site shopping traffic, but now European and American brands are trying this new product for sale.

On-site shopping is an intimate relationship with shopping channels such as QVC, urging viewers to call and buy products displayed by the host.

However, on-site shopping is a faster shortcut from buyers to products, especially in the era of one-click purchases, and is popular among online retailers such as Amazon.

Similarly, as younger generations increasingly cut chords and lack access to cable TV, shopping channels don’t have the same sameness as before.

It is estimated that the on-site shopping market has reached $32 billion, with the most active areas being fashion, cosmetics and collectibles.

A 2024 survey by digital commerce platform VTEX found that 45% of consumers in the U.S. have browsed or purchased from live shopping events over the past 12 months.

The CEO of Livemeup CEO Guillaume Faure (a live shopping video software) remembers when you are interested in shopping in real time.

“When Instagram launched the reels, when YouTube launched the shorts, we saw live shopping really take off.”

He noticed the popularity of tutorials and operational videos in live shopping events, such as how the host teaches shoppers how to apply a certain type of cosmetic, or arranges various flowers to provide the most evocative bouquet.

However, some analysts believe that the appeal of on-site shopping may be limited.

“Many companies have tried shopping in real time, but they didn’t scale at all,” said Sustarita Kodali, retail analyst at Forrester Research.

She added: “Maybe it works in China, in the United States, they don’t have the same store density as the ones we have in the United States, and here, it’s better for consumers to try something instead of looking at the host to try a piece of clothing.”

Jonathan Reynolds, academic director of Oxford School of Retail Management at Oxford University, also emphasized the difference in the Chinese market.

“In China, the so-called major public opinion leader (KOLS) like the so-called lipstick king Li Jiaqi has established good members,” he said.

“Lee has carefully built his personal brand to demonstrate his expertise and build consumer trust. Coles is also working in a more complex platform ecosystem,” Reynolds explained.

Even Ms. Krakora admits that not all products can be used in on-site shopping streams.

For example, she prefers to buy jeans in person. “I’m tall and I’m wearing jeans with specific jeans, and the styles and brands I like have tried and tested styles and brands,” she said.

Toronto-based retail analyst Bruce Winder also said that the convenience of on-site shopping may be too attractive for some shoppers.

He added: “Consumers may be addicted to shows or channels… and some may not stop watching and spending because they are in trouble right now.”

Despite these potential pitfalls, major brands and platforms have jumped on the on-site shopping trend.

Nordstrom, Kit Kat, Samsung and L’Oreal sold products in these streams in a way that showed off new or discounted products and joined Poshmark as hosts of these events are Amazon, eBay, Tiktok, YouTube, YouTube and Instagram.

“On-site shopping allows shoppers to have conversations with people who know the product they are selling, which has caused a lot of excitement,” said Manish Chandra, CEO and founder of Poshmark.

“It also creates a community where other shoppers are really a different experience compared to traditional shopping trips in the same show.”

For some brands, on-site shopping has been a game-changer.

High-end perfume brand The Amouage Home partnered with Nordstrom in late 2024 to bring their live shopping to the United States.

Oman-based Amouage follows up on the success they enjoyed in China. In 2023, they sold more than 3,000 of their 140 live broadcasts hosted by influencers in China on social platforms.

Renaud Salmon, the company’s chief creative officer, said it is helping the company understand what its customers want.

“In the past, we would have used customer satisfaction surveys, but with real-time shopping, we got feedback immediately and I brought it back to my team to help refine our products,” Mr Salmon said.