Zheng Xiang Xiang, a Chinese live streamer, has stunned social media influencers globally by generating sales of 100 million yuan (approximately Dh51.8 million) in just a week. This incredible achievement was accomplished in the first week of November, marking a new milestone in the world of e-commerce live streaming.
Xiang Xiang’s approach, which has now gone viral, involves showcasing various products for a mere three seconds each in her live videos on Douyin, China’s counterpart to TikTok. Her unique strategy features her wearing a black halter dress reminiscent of the one worn by Chinese actress Gina Jin in the 2023 film ‘No More Bet’. The streamer is known for her deadpan expression and rapid presentation style.
The setting of her videos is a room filled with orange boxes, which bear a striking resemblance to the iconic Hermès packaging. In a succinct and no-frills manner, Xiang Xiang unboxes each product, briefly displays it, states its price, and then moves on to the next item, all within a matter of seconds.
Contrary to the luxury appearance suggested by the packaging, the products showcased are surprisingly affordable, with each priced below 10 yuan (around Dh5.18). The sheer volume of sales, estimated to be around ten million units within a week, is what led to her staggering earnings.
Xiang Xiang’s success is not overnight. She has been active in the live stream domain since 2017, but her follower count only recently surpassed the one million mark, establishing her as a significant figure in the Douyin e-commerce industry.
E-commerce live streaming, a phenomenon that began in China in 2016, has now become a major avenue for online shopping. According to data from statista.com, e-commerce is the most popular type of live streaming in China, engaging about 526 million users as of June 2023. This accounts for nearly 48.8% of the country’s internet population, with major platforms like Taobao, Douyin, and Kuaishou leading the market.
China’s dominance in the global e-commerce market is further underscored by a report from GlobalData.com, predicting the market to reach 15.2 trillion yuan (approximately Dh7.8 trillion) in 2023. This growth is largely attributed to the shift in consumer preferences from offline to online shopping, a trend that Xiang Xiang and other live streamers are capitalizing on with innovative strategies.