China’s star saleswoman, Viya – a millionaire at 34, who rakes in more viewers than the Oscars – rules an $88 billion world of live online shopping. Her business model could spread to the West.
Livestreamer Huang Wei, known professionally as Viya, prepares to sample a bowl of food. In China livestream shopping is becoming a deeply embedded habit for consumers and an important tool for retailers. Bloomberg
Huang Wei can sell anything.
For instance: In April, Huang – known professionally as Viya – sold a rocket launch for about 40 million yuan ($8.3 million). The live, online shopping extravaganza the 34-year-old hosts most nights for her fans across China is part variety show, part infomercial, part group chat. Last month, she hit a record-high audience of more than 37 million – more than the Game of Thrones finale, the Oscars or Sunday Night Football in the US.
Bloomberg Businessweek
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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/world/asia/the-woman-who-can-sell-anything-20200615-p552nd
