E-COMMERCE  /  SME

By Salil Chari | First published: May 31, 2023   Updated: October 23, 2025

Shoppertainment is transforming how we shop, especially in Asia Pacific. We dive into why brands should embrace this trend and how you can get started.

• Shoppertainment is a powerful tool to drive sales – FedEx research reveals that 59% of APAC consumers feel that shoppertainment encourages them to buy from a brand. 
• Popular examples of shoppertainment include live streams, shoppable videos, and augmented reality filters.
• To make shoppertainment work for your business, it’s crucial to optimize every step of the customer experience – from choosing the right content creators to using flexible logistics solutions.

We all know the dopamine rush that comes with clicking ‘buy’ on a coveted item. Combine the thrill of shopping with the added delight of entertainment, and you have shoppertainment – an irresistible formula for brands to engage and win over consumers.

Shoppertainment is taking off in Asia Pacific (APAC), where more shoppers expect brands to connect with them on a personal level. FedEx’s white paper on APAC e-commerce trends revealed that 54% of consumers have engaged with shoppertainment while shopping online. Crucially, 59% also say shoppertainment actively encourages them to buy from a brand.

However, small businesses are still exploring the potential of shoppertainment to drive sales. Our research showed that only three in 10 SMEs currently use shoppertainment to engage customers – but nearly three in four plan to invest more in it in the future.

How can you get your e-commerce business started with shoppertainment? We’ve put together a few practical tips and examples to make your strategy a success.

What is shoppertainment?

Shoppertainment turns shopping into an immersive and interactive experience, typically through video or live streaming. By providing audiences with useful or entertaining content that’s tailored to their interests, brands can connect deeply with consumers and stand out from a sea of bland ads. When done right, shoppertainment is a powerful tool for building brand loyalty and boosting sales.

Imagine scrolling through TikTok and stumbling upon a live stream of an influencer demonstrating her skincare routine. She shares her tips for flawless skin, answers questions about her favorite products, and cracks jokes about how long she takes to get ready in the morning. It’s fun, authentic, interactive – and before you know it, you’re adding her recommended products to your cart.

Live commerce is just one example of shoppertainment. Another example is shoppable videos that allow customers to click on featured products. For instance, a specialty food business could showcase their products through engaging recipe videos.

The rise of augmented reality (AR) technology has also unlocked new possibilities for shoppertainment. Brands can create AR filters that enable customers to virtually try on clothing, visualize furniture in their house, test makeup shades, and more. This turns passive browsing into a dynamic and personalized experience.

How to grow your brand with shoppertainment

TikTok has predicted that shoppertainment could generate USD 1 trillion in market value for APAC brands by 2025. If your e-commerce business hasn’t tapped into this massive opportunity yet, it’s an opportune time to start.

While China’s brands and consumers are already adept at shoppertainment, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam are some of the region’s most important growth markets that offer valuable opportunities. Whether you’re entering new markets or expanding your reach, here are four strategies to make shoppertainment work for you.

1. Source the best talent for your target audience

The face of your shoppertainment content will represent your brand persona and needs the charisma to connect well with your customers. You may be lucky enough to have in-house content creators who can bridge this gap effectively. If not, you’ll need to source local content creators or influencers who understand your target market’s cultural nuances.

Test different presenters and evaluate how their performance impacts your sales and audience engagement. While the quality of delivery matters, it’s better to produce regular content than to spend too long crafting the perfect video. Consistent output enables you to build a following over time. Most importantly, avoid hardcore sales pitches – build content that offers real value to viewers, such as how-to videos with a focus on storytelling.

2. Consider your platform mix

Besides testing different content creators to find the right match, think about experimenting with various platforms and online marketplaces. Depending on what you’re selling, your audience composition may vary from channel to channel. These days, e-commerce merchants need a robust omnichannel sales strategy to tap multiple opportunities for consumer engagement.

Research the most popular channels in your target market – such as Instagram, YouTube, LINE, or Facebook – and test where your content performs best. You can also leverage channels where you have an existing following. For example, use your email newsletters to deploy video teasers. If you communicate with repeat customers through WhatsApp, try sending personalized messages with links to your latest content.

However, keep in mind that a single video format might not succeed across all platforms. Three-minute clips may work best on some social platforms, while longer-form content might better engage audiences on others. For your brand’s website, you can even consider a shoppable carousel of videos that are ultra-short and snappy.

3. Track your performance while monitoring market trends

Constant optimization enables you to deliver content that resonates. Set the metrics you want to track and use analytics data to refine your strategy. Audience feedback is also essential, so you should learn as much as you can about customer preferences. For example, you can gather opinions in the moment through live feedback, chats, and polls.

Besides tracking your performance, keeping up with the latest shoppertainment trends is key to staying relevant. Influencer promotions and live streaming currently dominate shoppertainment, but this may evolve as new trends emerge. Other forms of shoppertainment, such as virtual reality and gamification, are also gaining popularity. Stay ahead of these trends by monitoring what other brands in your industry are doing.

4. Tap into flexible logistics solutions

As your brand gets better at shoppertainment, there’s a good chance your next video or live stream could go viral. When that happens, you may find yourself facing a massive spike in orders.

While this influx calls for celebration, it also puts pressure on your fulfillment and shipping operations – especially if you’re a small business. Without the right logistics strategies, you risk delivery delays that could hurt your brand reputation.

In the age of shoppertainment, e-commerce businesses need the logistics flexibility to scale up swiftly when sudden demand hits. An experienced logistics provider like FedEx can work with you to choose shipping solutions that balance cost and speed.

E-commerce shipping services like FedEx International Connect Plus (FICP) make it cost-effective to ship worldwide within two to three business days. If you’re shipping in bulk, you can leverage FedEx’s last-minute discounts for heavy shipments weighing 21 kg and above.

On the administrative end, preparing shipments can be time-consuming when you’re managing an unexpected flood of orders. We’ve developed digital tools like FedEx Ship Manager to streamline shipping workflows. FedEx Ship Manager connects seamlessly to major e-commerce platforms, allowing you to automatically import orders, prefill shipment details, and create labels in bulk.

Shoppertainment is the future of e-commerce, offering SMEs and brands across APAC the opportunity to engage consumers in ways that conventional ads can’t. The key to success will lie in optimizing your content, utilizing the right channels, and ensuring the final stage of your customer experience – delivery – isn’t an afterthought.