The Next Frontier of Shopping Will Be Livestreamed

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Bloomberg Opinion will be running a series of features by our columnists that consider the long-term consequences of the crisis. This column is part of a package envisioning a new consumer economy. For more, see a Q&A on how consumers respond to crises, Andrea Felsted on the future landscape of retail and Tara Lachapelle on fixing the broken business model of streaming.

Years before Covid-19 reared its hideous head and gave the world an urgent reason to shop from home, retail influencers were livestreaming inside of boutiques, offering product closeups and even trying on clothes, shoes and jewelry for an online audience. In 2017, livestreaming marketplace ShopShops sold a viewer a second-hand Birkin bag for $14,500 — no returns accepted.