Talent cultivation

Over the next three to five years, Baozun plans to continue deepening its investment in livestreaming e-commerce, with a focus on cultivating professional talent and creating innovative content, said Su, the chief operating officer of Baozun Location.

"We plan to develop top livestreaming talent for the industry through in-store livestreams and by nurturing local influencers, and expect to train nearly 100 professionals each year. At the same time, we are exploring content innovation, such as cinematic-style livestreams and sessions hosted by everyday users, to better convey brand value and build emotional connections with consumers.

"In terms of trends, content-driven sales will become mainstream. Users no longer just want product demonstrations and promotional pitches; they seek professional knowledge, lifestyle tips, and cultural content. Livestreaming e-commerce will increasingly integrate culture, entertainment, and education," Su said.

Li of Shanghai Oriental-pearl Intelligent Shopping said the livestreaming industry faces intense competition, "but we believe the key is to find a differentiated path for development".

"The current challenges mainly include the pressure to continuously innovate content and produce high-quality material, as well as the rapid pace of technological iteration, which requires ongoing investment in research and development," Li added.

Wei of Meione said: "With rapid technological advances and growing livestreaming e-commerce adoption, the sector has vast market potential and strong growth prospects. Content innovation and technology integration will drive the next phase of industry development."

Livestreaming will become an important way for people to access information, enjoy entertainment, and socialize, turning shopping into a deeply digital lifestyle experience, Wei said.

Despite the rosy outlook for the livestreaming economy, experts also noted fierce market competition may create problems.

"Livestreaming e-commerce sometimes faces a crisis of trust. For instance, when a host becomes embroiled in public controversy, consumers may doubt the authenticity or quality of the products they promote. Such trust issues pose a direct threat to the industry's sustainable growth," Lao said.

Wang from the Shanghai Livestreaming E-commerce Alliance said Shanghai is still at the forefront of the livestreaming economy, and its scale is the largest in the country.

"Since the release of Shanghai's three-year action plan, other provinces and cities have launched similar initiatives, looking to learn from Shanghai," she said.

"In other words, in building a national hub for livestreaming e-commerce, Shanghai is playing a leading and exemplary role," she added.

Lao said: "Behind the livestreaming economy lies the entire value chain. Livestreaming e-commerce is not just about the person on camera. … As traditional industries undergo transformation and upgrades, the livestreaming economy has also opened up a wide range of new job opportunities."

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security in July 2024 released information on new occupations and job types, including online hosts, livestreaming recruitment specialists, lifestyle experience assistants, and user growth operators — all closely linked to the livestreaming sector.

Chinese livestreaming and short video-sharing platform Kuaishou had created 43.2 million jobs and spawned 174 new occupations as of the end of 2024, according to public information.

Zhu Yiwen, better known online as "Wangwang", has been hailed by netizens as a model of how ordinary people can reach the peak of the livestreaming industry.

With 860,000 followers on lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, she started in the industry in February 2019 by joining Meione (Shanghai) Network Technology Co.

On Aug 18 the same year, Wangwang became an assistant to top livestreamer Li Jiaqi. She gradually, and literally, moved into the frame, first showing a shoulder, then taking over the livestream for a few seconds, and eventually, a few minutes.

On Nov 1, 2020, when Li had to step away from the livestream for more than 20 minutes Wangwang had to take over. It was her first time hosting on her own, and to her surprise, the session went well. That moment gave her confidence, and today, at 29, she is one of Meione's front-line livestreaming hosts.

On Oct 15, Wangwang joined the hectic annual Singles Day shopping festival, streaming for seven to eight hours a day, compared with her usual four to five hours.

Shanghai's booming e-commerce economy is inspiring many young people to pursue careers as livestream hosts.

Zhang Ying, known as Niannian, is 26 and originally from Anhui province. She began her livestreaming career at the end of 2021 after graduating from a university in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, and has now been in the industry for nearly four years.

Niannian started in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, covering the computer, communication and consumer electronics sector, then moved on to beauty products and women's fashion.

In September 2024, Niannian joined the Shanghai-based company Baozun, an e-commerce service provider for brands. Unlike many other young people, her day often begins as early as 4 am.

"A typical livestreaming day has a morning, noon, and evening session, and I mainly handle the morning slot. We arrive at the studio just after 6 am to prepare products, plan outfits, and arrange the display order before going live at 7 am. My session usually ends around noon, followed by a team meeting to review the broadcast," Niannian said.

Afternoons are her free time. She often goes shopping with friends to discover the latest products and trends, and has recently started taking Pilates classes to stay active and maintain a lighter posture. She typically goes to bed between 8 pm and 9 pm.

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