Store-led livestreaming drives revenue growth

A staff member of Suzhou Lingyun Craft Fan Factory sells fans during a livestream. (File photo)

As the digital economy and the real economy become more intertwined, livestreams held by brands or stores on their own online platforms have emerged as a dominant e-commerce model, providing businesses with new growth opportunities and demonstrating strong commercial and social value.

Unlike influencer or celebrity-led sales, these livestreams are typically conducted by store employees, professional hosts, or guest presenters who directly showcase, explain, and sell products to consumers.

From February 2024 to January 2025, the number of brands hosting livestreams on the short-video platform Douyin surged by 113 percent year on year. Among merchants generating revenue through livestreams, 69 percent relied on store-led sessions. More than 1,000 merchants achieved sales exceeding 100 million yuan (about $13.8 million), while 21,000 surpassed 10 million yuan.

In the first 11 months of 2024, livestreaming e-commerce in China generated 4.3 trillion yuan in sales, with store-led livestreams accounting for nearly 52 percent of the total.

Sheng Chun, a representative inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of fan making craft in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, founded Suzhou Lingyun Craft Fan Factory and the "Shengfengtang" brand with her husband in 1997. After more than 20 years of dedication, they now operate a production facility covering nearly 3,000 square meters, with a team of over 80 designers and artisans. In 2020, "Shengfengtang" entered the livestreaming market, and within three years, livestreaming on Douyin accounted for 90 percent of its total sales.

According to Douyin e-commerce data, in the past year, over 30,000 merchants surpassed 1 million yuan in their first-year livestreaming sales, while more than 162,000 merchants doubled their revenue.

In 2024, the number of agricultural merchants earning revenue through this model grew by 172 percent, with over 10,000 surpassing 1 million yuan in sales. Digital platforms have become a key channel for boosting sales of agricultural products.

"Store-led livestreams aren't just an extended sales channel—they are a bridge that fosters deeper connections between brands and consumers," said Wang Yixin, vice director of the China Association of Small and Medium Commercial Enterprises. Wang emphasized that e-commerce platforms play a vital role in driving economic flow and market vitality.

In 2024, livestreams held by stores on Douyin accounted for more than 30 percent of total livestreaming sales on the platform. For two consecutive years, store-led livestreaming has outperformed influencer-driven sales.

The rise of store-led livestreams has ignited new consumer demand. This model has not only lowered merchants’ operating costs but also created a direct communication bridge between brands, businesses, and younger consumer groups.