Livestreaming, still niche, grows as a tool for retailers

Amazon Live is a prominent example of how interactive video shopping, popularized by TV networks like QVC, has moved online. Matt Granite had been working for years as a consumer journalist filming segments that were syndicated on American television stations and sharing additional videos on his YouTube channel, The Deal Guy. In 2017, his style of homespun showmanship caught the attention of Amazon, and the company began flying him to New York every few months to record videos that would often run on its website around shopping events like back-to-school or Prime Day. He started experimenting with remote shows in 2019, so when the coronavirus pandemic hit he was somewhat ready to turn the basement of his home in Toronto into a studio. Read more…