Zara is reportedly bringing its live-shopping broadcasts — already popular in China — to the U.S.
Zara is exploring innovative strategies to attract shoppers as sales have slowed following a post-pandemic surge, according to a Reuters report on Monday (June 3).
The report cites data from retail analytics firm EDITED, highlighting that Zara’s weekly five-hour live shopping broadcasts in China, hosted on Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese counterpart), have significantly boosted sales since their launch in November.
“We plan to extend this to Western countries, where livestreaming is not as widespread… but we believe it holds potential from an entertainment standpoint, representing an evolution,” stated a Zara spokesperson. The project is anticipated to launch between August and October in the U.S., Europe, and the U.K.
Last month, PYMNTS explored the live shopping trend, noting that the blend of commerce and entertainment is increasingly common, with “high-intent consumers” still relying on brands’ and retailers’ websites for shoppable content.
Despite the popularity of commerce-integrated content like shoppable livestreams in China, Vincent Yang, co-founder and CEO of video commerce platform Firework, told PYMNTS that U.S. consumers prefer traditional online shopping experiences.
“Fifteen years ago, Shopify, WordPress, and Squarespace were prominent in the U.S.,” Yang explained. “In China, people often lacked laptops, which led to a direct leap to the mobile app age. In contrast, the extensive penetration of the website age in the U.S. makes it more challenging to transition to the fully mobile, fully immersive next generation.”
According to the PYMNTS Intelligence report “The Online Features Driving Consumers to Shop With Brands, Retailers or Marketplaces,” 76% of U.S. shoppers expressed high satisfaction with purchases made on retailers’ websites, and 72% reported similar satisfaction with brands’ websites.
In addition to bolstering its online presence, Zara is also focusing on physical stores. In March, Zara’s parent company, Inditex, announced plans to reopen several Zara stores in Ukraine, which had been closed since 2022 due to the Russian invasion.
Zara appears to be targeting the increasingly significant “Click-and-Mortar™” shopper segment. These consumers appreciate the benefits of both online and in-store shopping, utilizing digital features that bridge both realms for a more satisfying shopping experience.