AWS for Industries

Experience immersive commerce at NRF 2023

Attending NRF 2023: Retail’s Big Show? Be sure to check out Amazon IVS at AWS Booth 6138

Retail customers are evolving, engaging with retailers when, where, and how they want, whether it be in stores, on the web, or on mobile or social channels. In response to this evolution, retailers are building first-class shopping experiences by using innovative Amazon Web Services (AWS) technologies across every channel and expanding their reach to shoppers globally.

At NRF 2023, Amazon and AWS have curated a showcase of some of the most innovative technologies elevating online shopping experiences. Attendees can engage with a compelling vignette of a consumer’s digital commerce journey with breakthrough technologies like Amazon Interactive Video Service (Amazon IVS), a managed live streaming solution designed to provide quick and easy setup to help users build interactive video experiences.

McKinsey & Company estimates that live streaming commerce sales could account for as much as 20 percent of all ecommerce by 2026. Meanwhile, other sources say that ecommerce is on track to make up nearly 25 percent of global total retail sales by 2025, and that, in 2022, it’s likely to top $1 trillion in yearly sales for the first time in the United States.

Visit our immersive commerce demonstrations area showcase at NRF 2023 to discover powerful new technologies delivering exceptional immersive experiences. And learn how fast and easy it is to get started with live streaming shopping.

Amazon IVS at NRF 2023

Immersive commerce | Understand the evolution of digital customer experience

Powerful innovations, powered by Amazon IVS

Using Amazon IVS, retailers have integrated technologies from companies like VTEX, eStreamly, and StreamShop to attract and convert millions of customers, and the results speak for themselves:

  • A large global electronics manufacturer sold more than $1 million in merchandising value with VTEX Live Shopping and engaged with nearly 12,000 viewers during a product launch live event in Mexico.
  • With eStreamly, retailers average around 17 percent in ecommerce customer conversion, and they’ve seen up to 47 percent, compared to typical customer conversion, which is about 3 percent.
  • In 2021, StreamShop logged nearly two million unique users on the platform, with a peak audience of 200,000 concurrent streams for a Black Friday shopping event.

“Amazon IVS was initially attractive because it facilitates live streaming sessions from mobile devices, and those streams are delivered with high quality and low latency,” says StreamShop CEO and founder Marcio Machado. “Scalability and stability are also key for us, as well as great support, which has made Amazon IVS a great fit.”

Content + scalability = retail success

Content is king in live video, and one way for retailers to keep their crown is to use the content and reach of influencers, who have immense power in commerce. With shoppers caring deeply about what brands and products their favorite personalities use and promote, influencers create cultivated audiences with preexisting interest in content. This is something retailers can use to their advantage, like using email and social media marketing channels to not only expand these cultivated audiences but also promote their live streams.

Along with attracting an audience, retailers that are building a live streaming commerce experience must also consider how to support audience expansion and moderation—not to mention the scalability of their tech stack. Buffering or lag can mar the customer experience, disrupting viewer engagement and impacting sales. By using a managed service like Amazon IVS, retailers can focus on connecting with their customers rather than expending resources to maintain complex global infrastructure.

After those foundations are in place, optimization can drive continued growth. Engaging viewers with interesting content and interactive features will foster a stronger connection with the creator and increase the likelihood of watching, engaging, and purchasing.

To learn more about building new retail experiences with live video for retail, visit the Amazon IVS website.

For more information about all AWS activities at NRF, go here. See you at the Javits!