Live shopping should have already taken over in the U.S.

We’ve got the platforms. We’ve got the creators. We’ve got the technology. And yet, we’re still waiting for the moment when it all clicks.  Yes, we can blame the TikTok hold up but I think the issue is much bigger.
In Asia, it’s already there. Live commerce is massive — in China alone, it’s a multi-hundred-billion-dollar industry. It’s not just shopping; it’s entertainment. It’s culture. It’s a community. People tune in not just to buy, but to watch, learn, laugh, and discover. The host matters as much as the product. Maybe more. That blend of personality and creativity, paired with smart algorithms and seamless checkout, has turned live selling into an everyday habit.

So why hasn’t it landed here?

I’d argue the legacy of HSN and QVC has a lot to do with it. Those networks were pioneers in their time — but they also created a perception problem. To many, live shopping feels dated, overly salesy, and uninspiring. It’s hard to detach from the image of someone yelling “but wait, there’s more!” on loop. And while QVC is trying to evolve — launching a TikTok Shop and seeing some early momentum with 74,000 creators posting about their products — sales still average around $50,000 a month. Not exactly transformative.
Part of the problem is that we’re stuck in a mindset where live shopping is either for big influencers or big brands. That’s just not true. The magic in Asia comes from the unexpected — the everyday seller who connects in a real way. It’s not about polish; it’s about presence. TikTok has made that kind of connection possible here too, thanks to its algorithm and frictionless, one-click shopping experience. But brands are still holding back. Agencies make it too expensive. Control becomes a barrier. And because the big players are cautious, the whole ecosystem moves slowly.

Ask around — I have.

Most people say they haven’t seen much live shopping they actually want to watch. They don’t know where to find it, and when they do, it feels off-brand or low-quality. It’s a discovery problem. It’s a content problem. It’s a product problem.  But mostly, it’s a courage problem.
The truth is, the influencer model is already showing cracks. Most influencers still don’t deliver measurable ROI. Agencies are charging sky-high fees on top of talent that may or may not convert. We’ve seen this before. In the early days of digital, it was banners and clicks. Then came performance marketing, and suddenly we had to prove value. Live selling could be the catalyst that finally brings that level of accountability to the influencer space — but only if we build it right.

That means rethinking what live selling is. It’s not just a stunt. It’s not just a feature. It’s a channel. A strategy. A new kind of storefront. And it only works when brands stop overthinking it and start experimenting. The ones that take the leap will be the ones that learn fast, iterate, and win. The rest will be left trying to catch up to a moment that’s already passed.
We’ve seen this play out before. Search. Social. Streaming. It always starts slow. Then suddenly, it’s everything.
Live selling is on that path — just waiting for the U.S. to stop looking backward and start leaning in.