Livestreaming offers new outlet for participants

Sale by livestreaming has become a unique and spectacular phenomenon among Chinese consumers during the pandemic, insiders said. Exhibitors at the 129th China Import and Export Fair have been a prime beneficiary from the method.

Live marketing that targets businesses instead of consumers brings foreign trade companies different experiences, they said.

Shen Ting, general manager at Shanghai Charmkey Textile, said: “Livestreaming to consumers encourages them to directly place orders if the price and style is appropriate. Yet in live broadcasting to businesses, clients will learn more about factories, study products, inquire about prices and ask to be sent samples.”

The whole process for a deal is longer in live broadcasting to businesses, Shen said. After the pandemic gripped the world, Shanghai Charmkey, which had never done a live broadcast, first tried the method on the Alibaba platform.  

The company felt confident enough to later do it at the fair.

Face-to-face sales could previously only display products, while live marketing allows clients to learn more about companies. The latter option enhances clients’ sense of trust, Shen said.

Guangdong Jinyuan Lighting Technology has participated in the online version of the fair three times.

Guo Zewei, the company’s marketing manager, said they did one or two live broadcasts at the 127th fair and but did not prepare their livestreaming equipment very well and had little idea about related skills.

“At this session, our live marketing has improved and we can do it better,” Guo said. The company is fully equipped with live broadcast facilities and has arranged its customer service staff to respond to clients’ requests in real time.

His company offers 3D demonstrations of each product online. Clients can click to rotate through pictures of products and even lighten lamp pictures to see the illumination effects.

Guo said considering some clients cannot access developed networks in their regions, the company takes measures such as reducing pixels to offer them better experiences.

The online fairs brought companies new opportunities, insiders said. Shanghai Charmkey received an Ethiopian client at the fair in 2020 and its first business deal surpassed $100,000.

“The client might not have otherwise gone to the fair had it not been held online,” Shen said. “Thanks to the online edition, we established contact and made a deal.”

Shen has high expectations for the Canton Fair. “Last year, our transaction volume totaled $300,000 and this year, the amount has already reached $200,000,” Shen said, adding the company would have more orders later. Due to the time difference with its South American clients, Guangdong Jinyuan chooses to live broadcast between 8 pm and 10 pm every day.

“After the broadcast, I usually receive inquiry information in the later hours and then distribute it to salespersons in different regions,” Guo said. He added that the company has participated in other specific trade shows but did not benefit as much as during the more-comprehensive China Import and Export Fair.