Livestreaming gains traction abroad

"Viewers now have a lot of questions regarding not just products being introduced during shows, but on other related products. And they are so into technical details that I should really get myself prepared," said Mendaza, who normally promotes digital gadgets.

"Questions can be as detailed as: how many minutes can the watch stay in water without getting broken?" he said. "So specifications do matter. We as online hosts always need to have all the information at hand and have the products tested before."

According to both Mendaza and Romashko, compared with Chinese livestreaming shows, in which customers place orders almost instantaneously as livestreamers present goods, European buyers tend to have a longer decision-making cycle. That means online hosts should prepare themselves with follow-up questions and exhibit more patience for the online clicks to turn into profits.

Influencers and digital marketing agencies in China are busy grasping cultural nuances and masterminding differences between Chinese and foreign audiences.

For instance, the digital and social marketing unit under Chinese technology conglomerate Neusoft focuses on providing tailored services to meet local customer demand. The agency works regularly with 50 overseas key opinion leaders, most of whom are based in Russia, Ukraine, France and Spain.

According to Wang Zhihao, planning director of Digital Social Media Marketing Center at Neusoft, the major differences between overseas and Chinese influencers range from business models to types of shows they are engaged in.

"For instance, in China, the performance-based commission model has been widely accepted and adopted by a wide range of KOLs and sellers, whereas in overseas markets, KOLs are more accustomed to one-off payments due to the perceived longer purchase process," Wang said.

Also, the conventional length for an overseas livestreaming session is shorter (usually between one to two hours), with online hosts speaking less hastily compared with simultaneous sales-driven shows that are more commonly found in China.

Wang said his team members are sharing communication skills with foreign hosts to engage with viewers in a more lively manner, and are equipped with language talent conversant in Spanish, Russian, French and Arabic so that Wang's team understands in real time what messages are being delivered during the shows to ensure accuracy and security.

"Generally buyers from livestreaming shows overseas are more hesitant about purchasing goods priced over $30, so market education and trust building are important," he said.

Wang of AliExpress said training and knowledge-sharing constitute key ingredients to the AliExpress Connect project, and taking into consideration the cultural context is crucial.

"Although different markets may have different shopping habits, we believe social commerce is a global trend, and we are mindful of the importance of adopting local cultural practices and context when rolling this out around the world," he said.

Romashko said he was excited to be a witness of the changing attitudes toward Chinese products in the past three years as a livestreamer.

"Years ago, many people didn't trust Chinese products. Today the quality is rapidly rising, with Xiaomi, DJI and Huawei rising to become such prominent brands and smaller brands also making their names," he said. "I am happy about the changes because I know the quality (is good). I am also happy because I can now share such quality products with Western friends."