As consumer habits change the retail industry is facing new and emerging challenges while the e-commerce business is soaring. What about launching new collections or products? Brands are turning to new tech solutions to host unique launch events even during this challenging time.

Everyone is at home and is looking for content online to pass the time. This has started an online craze with live streams. As celebs and brands are doing live streams on Zoom, Instagram Live, and Youtube from concerts, tutorials, or interviews with fans.

One of those brands thinking about innovation is MAC cosmetics Israel, part of the Estee Lauder group a brand that originated in Canada. Last month due to the development of COVID 19 in Israel MAC cosmetics had to shut down all of its stores in malls across the country. Their new spring collection was set to launch in stores and online at the end of March 2020.

buywith is an Israeli startup with a technology that allows influencers and professionals to host live stream shopping sessions and events on any e-commerce site. Think of it as Instagram live combined with online shopping. With the smart screen share technology the influencer scrolls, the site, and shops as their viewers watch and can shop along with them. No app is needed to install and all this happens via one link bringing a new interactive experience to online shopping.

MAC decided to host an online live stream launch event with buywith for their new Spring Collection “Petal Power” hosted by their Senior Makeup Artist Netta Szekely. Netta showed off the products exclusively using the buywith technology and on herself as she took the viewers through a journey on the site. The viewers on the live stream were the first to shop the collection right after the launch on MAC’s website.

“Thanks to buywith’s technology, we were able to give our customers an extraordinary virtual experience and create a personal and unique connection with them. We were exposed to new customers and strengthened our relationship with existing customers״ said Lehe Peretz the Consumer Marketing Manager at MAC.

With online shopping in full demand right now and the live stream craze, the online launch event was a great success. The conversion rate for the session was 8 times higher than the regular conversion rate in the industry. The viewers bought 70% more items in order value than compared to the regular site. The engagement rate was very high as viewers could not stop commenting and interacting in the chat. The buywith shopping session had an engagement rate 10 times higher than regular Facebook live streams. Today buywith is starting to scale outside of Israel to the United States, Canada, and countries in Europe.

With the new technologies coming to e-commerce every day even when the world goes back to its old routine our online shopping experience will change. Social Shopping like buywith will help brands and retailers increase income and are here to stay.

For more information about the technology reach buywith at hello@buywith.com