
This article from an issue of a newsletter titled "Uncover the Unknown! Keywords for Deep Understanding of Chinese IT" focuses on the rapidly evolving landscape of live commerce in China. The author, IT journalist Takefumi Makino, highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth of live commerce, with the market size in 2020 predicted to be equivalent to Japan's entire e-commerce market. A significant portion of the text contrasts the polished, celebrity-driven style of Japanese live commerce with the more authentic, merchant-driven, and often unrefined nature of its Chinese counterpart, which appeals to consumers as a digital equivalent of a busy street market. The article provides numerous examples of product expansion, including the sale of automobiles, real estate (via VR show-rooms), online courses, and even live crayfish and cloud travel experiences, noting that the channel is particularly popular in second-tier cities and beyond. Finally, the text suggests that while cultural differences exist, the successful examples in China offer valuable insights for the future development of live commerce in Japan.