Home Shopping for the Next Gen

We’re publishing another installment on the future of retail. From brick-and-mortar stores to digitally native brands and back again, retailers are always trying new ways to reach new customers. Increasingly, it seems brands are turning to old methods and making them new. Direct mail campaigns were left for mattress companies and grocers until D2C brands made them cool again. Now, it’s home shopping's turn for a rebrand.
 

                                                  From Bambuser's live event from Ted Baker

The Leaders of Home Shopping
QVC is the first company that comes to mind, reminding me of previous bouts of insomnia, up at 3am watching blank-staring models displaying sparkly bracelets and Christmas decorations. But the real frontrunners in the resurgence of home shopping are in China. The industry is already valued at $137BN, utilizing today’s tech and home-shopping essentials like clever hosts and flash sales.

The Gen Z Effect
Gen Z is starting to earn disposable income as the generation hits its mid-twenties (the members in the cohort are between 10 and 25 years old), contributing to their $360BN spending power. For these kids who have grown up trusting their Youtube creators and TikTok stars like the cool older siblings they wish they had, reaching them by authentic, relatable sellers makes all the difference. The new home shopping is a mix of influencer sponcon, social media, and a dash of QVC.

Shopatainment
Whatnot is a leader in this space. The company has created a marketplace where anyone can become a seller, promote a launch, and live stream his or her inventory of vintage tees, playing cards, or NFTs. Bambuser was an innovator in the category and has been the brand choice for live shopping events. The Stockholm-based company went public in 2017.