Host: Tuke
Guest: Aiyo, TikTok streamer, founder of a cross-border e-commerce team

With the booming development of cross-border e-commerce, TikTok live streaming sales, as an emerging form of e-commerce, has attracted the attention of countless brands and creators. Aiyo, a cross-border e-commerce practitioner with 8 years of living experience in the United States, started with independent websites after returning to China and successfully transformed into a TikTok streamer, leading her team to gradually open up the global e-commerce track.

Today, we invite Aiyo to share her journey in cross-border e-commerce and how to seize new opportunities in global e-commerce through TikTok live streaming sales.

TikTok streamer Aiyo

The following is a transcript of the guest interview:

“From Independent Websites to TikTok Live Streaming”

Tuke: Aiyo, first of all, thank you for accepting our interview! We know you were a host in the US and hosted many events. How did you start with independent websites after returning to China and then shift to TikTok live streaming? Can you share with us the opportunity for this transformation?

Aiyo:Thank you, Tuke! Actually, it was precisely because I lived in the US for 8 years that I know the US e-commerce market is relatively lagging behind compared to China. Even though there is already a large platform like Amazon, the market space is still huge, which is a great opportunity. So after I returned to China, I decided to do cross-border e-commerce.

At first, we had no experience, so we started with independent websites. After doing it for a while, we found that although there was some success, as market competition became more intense, the survival difficulty of independent websites also increased. Especially in the US, the cost of acquiring customers is very high, and competition is fierce. Simply relying on independent websites makes it really hard to break through.

Later, TikTok live streaming e-commerce gradually emerged in the US, and I saw an opportunity. For Americans, this way of live shopping is actually not unfamiliar. As early as the 60s and 70s, the US already had TV shopping, and now live shopping is just moving from TV to mobile phones, so Americans’ acceptance is actually very high.

Moreover, TikTok not only has a huge user base but also has strong social communication capabilities, similar to Douyin in China. So I brought my team to Shenzhen and transformed to do TikTok live streaming, leveraging the traffic and interactivity of this emerging platform to help brands achieve rapid growth.

Aiyo preparing for TikTok live streaming

“Hands-on: Deep Understanding of ‘People, Goods, and Venue’”

Tuke: You mentioned personally participating in live streaming instead of just doing agency operations. Why do you think hands-on involvement is so important for you and your team?

Aiyo:Actually, the most important thing in agency operations is a deep understanding of the platform and live streaming sales. Only by personally doing live streaming can you truly understand the needs of the audience, the ways of interaction, and the key elements in live streaming.

By practicing as a streamer, I can better experience how to optimize live content, how to interact with fans, and how to improve conversion rates through product explanations. Also, personally doing live streaming helps me communicate better with clients, understand their needs, and provide more precise agency services.

In TikTok live streaming, I pay special attention to the combination of“people, goods, and venue”. Live streaming is not just about selling products, but a complete experience process. The streamer, product, and live environment need to work closely together. For example, the streamer’s image, the design of the live room, and the product matching all directly affect the audience’s purchasing decisions.

Live room scene planning

“Success Factors for TikTok Live Streaming: Dual Innovation in Content and Product”

Tuke: The “people, goods, and venue” you mentioned reminds me of the core elements of live streaming. On the TikTok platform, which do you think is more important, content creation or product selection? Can you talk specifically about how to combine the two?

Aiyo:In TikTok live streaming, both content and products are crucial, but they need to work closely together.

First,content creation is key to attracting viewers. TikTok is a highly interactive and entertaining platform, so live content needs to be creative, fun, and interactive to capture viewers’ attention and generate a sense of participation and desire to buy. For example, I introduce products through storytelling or interact based on viewers’ questions to increase their motivation to purchase.

Second,product selection is also key to success. If the product is reasonably priced and meets consumer needs, its competitiveness will be reflected. On TikTok, viewers are not just there to buy things; they are more inclined to buy products that evoke emotional resonance. Therefore, when selecting products, we must ensure that the products closely match the interests, needs, and lifestyles of the audience. For example, during Christmas, I recommend discounted Christmas trees and other seasonal products. The cost-effectiveness and timeliness of the products are important factors influencing purchasing decisions.

Aiyo’s team setting up the live room

“Globalization Trend of Cross-border E-commerce: From the US to the World”

Tuke: You mentioned the potential of TikTok e-commerce, but competition in the US market is also very fierce. Do you think the opportunity for cross-border e-commerce going overseas is limited to the US market? If you want to do cross-border e-commerce, should you consider other markets?

Aiyo:The overseas market is far more than just the US. Although the US market is a huge opportunity for many brands, in fact, the global market has broad potential. Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East are all emerging markets for cross-border e-commerce. For example, the Southeast Asian market has less competition than the US market but huge growth potential, and many brands and sellers are targeting this market.

For cross-border e-commerce, we should not only focus on the size of the market but also understand local consumption habits and cultural differences. TikTok, as a global platform, allows you to promote in multiple markets at the same time. As long as you capture users’ interests, you can easily open up overseas markets.

Aiyo sharing her experience

“Localization Strategy: How to Adjust Live Streaming Style According to Different Cultures”

Tuke: As a streamer with overseas living experience, how do you think consumers in different countries accept live shopping? How should streamers adjust their style in live streaming under different cultural backgrounds?

Aiyo:Consumers in different countries and cultures do have different levels of acceptance of live streaming. In the US, consumers prefer interactive and entertaining live streams, so my style is more relaxed, humorous, and interactive. I connect with viewers through humorous language and a friendly attitude, avoiding overly aggressive sales pitches.

In other regions, such as Southeast Asia or the Middle East, cultural backgrounds and consumption habits also vary. For example, when selling beauty products, if the target audience is white women and black women, we need to adjust the live content according to their different aesthetics and needs. White women may prefer simple and elegant styles, while black women may prefer bright colors and unique designs. Therefore, the live streaming style and product recommendation methods need to be localized according to the cultural background of the target market.

Aiyo in the live room

“Opportunities for New Sellers: How to Break Through with TikTok Live Streaming”

Tuke: So, for those new sellers who are just entering cross-border e-commerce or TikTok live streaming sales, do you have any specific advice? How can they break market limitations from scratch?

Aiyo:Actually, for many new sellers, the most common concerns are: where to find products? How to make money? Because entering the industry is definitely for making money.

But TikTok live streaming is not an overnight success. Many people think, I’ve already invested so much time, why is there no result yet? Some even compare themselves to brands and try to learn from them. But we must first understand that the way brands and generic sellers do live streaming is different.

Brands already have their own reputation and have laid a lot of groundwork in the early stage. Live streaming may just be a move to awaken the memory of people who have seen the brand’s videos or product recommendations online and prompt them to make a purchase.

Just like during Black Friday, ourgeneric live room broke $10,000 GMV in 3 days, with the highest single live stream reaching $8,000. This is very good for a new account. Because all the Black Friday traffic went to the big links, small and medium links actually got very little traffic.

So for small and medium new sellers, the most important thing is to first do good market research, clarify the target group you want to focus on, and understand their needs and interests. Second, product selection must be targeted, and the price and quality of the products must be competitive, especially tailored to the needs of the target market.

In addition, sellers need to accumulate fans through continuous content optimization and interaction. At the beginning, there may not be large sales, but by constantly adjusting live content and strategies, gradually increasing audience participation and desire to buy, you will eventually achieve good sales results.

Aiyo’s single live stream data for generic accounts

Conclusion:

Thank you to Aiyo for her wonderful sharing today! Her experience not only gave us a clearer understanding of the success factors of TikTok live streaming sales, but also provided valuable strategic guidance for brands and sellers who intend to enter the field of cross-border e-commerce. Whether it’s the combination of “people, goods, and venue” or how to localize in different markets, Aiyo has provided specific operational advice. We believe that inspired by her, more sellers will be able to seize the opportunity of TikTok live streaming sales and realize their global e-commerce dreams.