Amazon tries to build ‘Live-Streaming Commerce’

A new Amazon program could help boost a fresh form of online and mobile retail —one that’s been growing during the pandemic and could attract younger consumers once it subsides. Amazon in recent days has opened its door wider to “live-streaming commerce” by letting its Amazon Influencers create live video streams on the Amazon platform and earn commissions from product sales (akin to affiliate and social media marketing, which are themselves just updated versions of word-of-mouth selling). Amazon launched its influencer program in 2017 and had previously allowed participants to earn money via the sales of Amazon products on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Now, Amazon’s live-streaming influencers can even gain what amounts to their own Amazon storefronts via the new program. Read more…