Courier company sees chance to increase business from live selling online
Singapore-based Ninja Van is moving to grab a bigger share of deliveries from merchants who frequently use young female models to sell low-end products live online in its six key markets in Southeast Asia.
The company released a report saying live selling has become one of the most popular e-commerce trends in the countries where it offers courier services: Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
The report – "Live Selling in Southeast Asia (SEA)" – says it uses data gleaned from more than 1,000 of its e-commerce customers in the six countries.
Winston Seow, the company’s chief marketing officer, described live selling as “an intriguing marketing tactic” in a press release on Thursday.
"It's the only tactic that can fast-track shoppers' purchase journeys from awareness straight to conversion,” Seow explained. “Live selling also enables e-commerce sellers to build large-scale relationships with their customers, both new and old," he added, without elaborating.
One in three of its e-commerce clients surveyed is now using up to six hours a week of live selling to boost sales.
Most early adopters of live selling sold clothing, beauty and personal care products, food and beverages and things for use at home, the report says.
According to the survey of 1,000 or so clients of Ninja Van, three online platforms are the most popular in the region: Shopee (27.0%), Facebook (25.5%), and TikTok (22.5%).
Seow said it was possible that e-commerce sellers might use two channels for live selling to expand their reach.
In Thailand, Facebook is the most popular social media platform for live sellers, with 37.9%, followed by TikTok, with 26.9%, and Shopee, with 19.8%, according to the report.
Fashion and beauty products dominate live sales in Thailand, the report said.
The report says that online merchants can benefit from live selling, but they also face hurdles that Ninja Van can help solve.
