YouTube to Host Holiday Stream & Shop Livestream Event

YouTube is going further with livestreaming this holiday shopping season with a new weeklong event.

The social media platform is hosting its first YouTube Holiday Stream & Shop livestream event starting on Nov. 15. The event features a list of creators who will each host their own day of livestreams to sell products from their own brands and offer exclusive deals across fashion, beauty, entertainment and more categories.

“The vision of shopping at YouTube is really around the idea of how can we create an entertaining shopping experience that is shopping, but really about the entertainment value,” said Bridget Dolan, YouTube’s managing director of shopping. “The secret sauce is in the creators that YouTube has that have a deep passion and experience with whatever their category is, so they already organically sell products.”

The YouTube Holiday Stream & Shop event’s lineup starts off on Nov. 15 with the Merrell Twins, whose livestream will include deals from Walmart, Samsung and Verizon. On Nov. 17, livestreams will be hosted by chef Gordon Ramsay and Donut Media. Beauty influencer Patrick Starrr will host his livestream on Nov. 18, offering deals and unveiling new products from his own beauty brand, One/Size. Fellow beauty influencer Jackie Aina will host the YouTube livestream on Nov. 19 and offer deals from her lifestyle brand, Forvr Mood, followed by beauty influencer Manny MUA on Nov. 21, who will showcase products from his beauty brand, Lunar Beauty. The livestream shopping event will end on Nov. 22 with MrBeast, whose livestream details are still under wraps.

“It was really about giving [the creators] the platform to take to the next level their ability to sell the products they’ve created based on their experience, expertise and building that fanbase at YouTube,” Dolan continued. “We thought, how can we give them a stage and a place to launch their hot new product for the holidays?”

Viewers will be able to purchase products directly through the livestreams. They can also interact with the creators by engaging in live polls and Q&As.

Throughout this year, YouTube has been testing out livestream shopping with a few of its creators. The platform has hosted shoppable livestreams with the likes of beauty influencer Hyram Yarbro, who launched his Selfless skin care brand this June, and Simply Nailogical, who launched her Holo Taco nail line during a YouTube livestream.

“Ultimately we will be creating more of a venue for brands and merchants to have the ability to sell product that they want in different ways,” Dolan said about YouTube’s commerce goals. “They can either sponsor creators or they can sell their own products and merchandise in live ways.”

The Holiday Stream & Shop event is YouTube’s latest push into livestreaming, which has become a medium growing in popularity in the beauty world as many are looking to livestreams for more educational and entertaining storytelling around a brand.

YouTube’s strategy for commerce content is three-pronged, with the platform focusing on promoting shoppable videos, personalized shopping and livestreams.

“YouTube is a fantastic experience for shopping because the viewers have that strong shopping intent already,” Dolan said. “It’s this combination of creator points of views and authentic word of mouth where they’re talking about a product they love, but also brands have a real opportunity to tell their brand story and bring things to life. It’s a mix of a really fantastic quality experience for users to come and make great purchase decisions.”

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