With travel nearly ground to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic, travel brands have had to scramble to figure out how to keep consumers engaged from their homes.
But engagement alone is only one part of the equation: A question remains around how to get them to transact.
In the tours and activities space, many travel providers pivoted to virtual experiences, where people could participate in, say, a virtual tour of a museum or a cooking class.
Adding a commerce element – also known as “live shopping” – allows travel hosts or guides to sell items during the experience that consumers can buy on the spot and get shipped to their homes.
The trend, already popular in Asian, is one way to help local guides and artisans impacted by the pandemic make extra income.
Local Purse is pioneering the idea in the travel space, offering consumers a chance to participate in activities such as a Costa Rican Artisan Coffee or Marrakech Spice and Wellness experience via live video shopping.
Local Purse co-founder Lola Akinmade Åkerström joined us as part of PhocusWire Pulse: A New Age For Social Media to discuss how live video shopping works and why it’s “the future of retail.”
View the full interview with PhocusWire news editor Jill Menze below.
PhocusWire Pulse: A New Age For Social Media - Lola Akinmade Akerstrom of Local Purse
* Other replays from the event are available here.