How businesses can use shoppertainment to boost online sales

With so many advertisers competing for consumer attention, businesses today are turning to more entertaining and immersive experiences to stand out. This is where shoppertainment began to take shape, a strategy that combines engaging content with the shopping journey to keep audiences hooked, build real-time trust, and encourage them to take action.

Instead of relying solely on static product listings, brands are now using interactive formats that make customers stay, watch, and ultimately buy. Shoppertainment opens the door to stronger conversions by turning browsing into an enjoyable experience rather than just another digital task.

What is shoppertainment?

Shoppertainment is a fusion of “shopping” and “entertainment,” elevating retail experiences with interactive, engaging, and often real-time content. This e-commerce term first gained traction in 2020 when Lazada introduced it to reinvent online shopping through livestream events, in-app games, and interactive features.¹

Today, shoppertainment has expanded across multiple platforms and formats, including:

• Livestream selling on TikTok, LazLive, and Shopee Live
• Interactive product demonstrations that show real-world usage
• Gamified shopping experiences like quizzes, voucher rewards, and app-based games

Why leverage shoppertainment in the Philippines

1. Harnessing the talent of content creators to a global audience

Filipino content creators are uniquely positioned to engage global audiences. Known for their creativity, authenticity, and cultural relatability, many already maintain strong followings not only in the Philippines but also across the Filipino diaspora and international communities curious about local culture and products.

This gives Filipino businesses a strategic advantage. By collaborating with creators on platforms like TikTok Shop, which champions an “entertainment-first, commerce-second” model, brands can instantly tap into ready-made global audiences. Whether it’s promoting Filipino beauty products, fashion, snacks, or lifestyle items, content creators act as cultural bridges, opening doors to new markets and boosting cross-border visibility.

2. Leveraging cross-border e-commerce momentum

Shoppertainment also enables Filipino businesses to navigate international expansion without the traditional challenges of physical retail or overseas distribution. For example, e-commerce platforms, like Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop, already offer built-in cross-border logistics, secure payment systems, and regional fulfilment networks.

This means a brand implementing shoppertainment from any major city can sell to viewers in Indonesia, Malaysia, or even Vietnam without needing a physical presence in those markets. Successful livestreams and short-form video campaigns essentially become an omnichannel strategy designed for regional scalability.

With shoppertainment, even SMEs can join the global stage, often faster and more affordably than through traditional export methods.

3. Localization and cultural nuance for global success

One of shoppertainment’s biggest strengths is its ability to deliver highly localized experiences, even across borders. For Filipino businesses, this creates an opportunity to:

• Tailor messaging and visuals to fit regional preferences
• Highlight cultural relevance
• Build trust through real-time interaction
• Adapt quickly through live feedback, polls, and audience responses

Because livestreams offer instant, quantifiable insights, brands can refine their content, promotions, and even product assortments to meet the expectations of international audiences. This agility is crucial for global success, and shoppertainment makes it more accessible than ever.

How businesses can utilize shoppertainment effectively

Shoppertainment may look fun and spontaneous on the surface, but succeeding in it requires planning, strategy, and consistency. These are some of the ways Filipino businesses can leverage it effectively:

1. Understand your audience

Before launching a shoppertainment-driven campaign, especially one aimed at international expansion, businesses should identify who their target market is. What works for a Filipino audience may not necessarily resonate with buyers in Singapore, Malaysia, the US, or the Middle East.

But it’s not just about understanding a country’s culture; it’s also about staying aligned with their online culture specifically. According to Sprout Social, 93% of consumers expect brands to keep up with online trends, making digital culture awareness a critical component of global engagement.²

To effectively tailor shoppertainment for overseas expansion, brands should focus on:

• Cultural preferences and online shopping behaviours specific to each market
• Types of content that capture attention, whether short-form videos, live selling, or creator-led content
• Preferred price ranges, product aesthetics, and communication styles
• Choosing the right shoppertainment platforms for each country, ensuring your content meets users where they already are. For example, if you want to reach customers within Southeast Asia, you can use e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada. For countries outside of Southeast Asia, a combination of Instagram and TikTok can engage potential customers, directing them to your website for purchases or additional product information

With a clear understanding of your target audience, your shoppertainment efforts become more relevant, compelling, and effective at converting international viewers into customers.

2. Create interactive and authentic content

Authenticity is universal. Whether you’re selling to Filipino viewers or an international audience, customers want real interactions, not overly polished, hard-selling pitches. When your content feels real, relatable, and engaging, viewers are more compelled to add items to their cart and complete the purchase, even across borders.

This is why interactive content matters:

• Live Q&A sessions help shoppers get answers immediately, reducing hesitation
• Demonstrations build trust by showing the product in real-life scenarios
• Influencer or creator collaborations add credibility, especially abroad
• Real-time engagement encourages viewers to stay longer and buy faster

3. Invest in reliable logistics and fulfillment

Even the most successful shoppertainment campaign falls flat if fulfilment fails. For customers abroad, shipping speed, tracking visibility, and delivery reliability can impact their trust in your brand. 

That’s why partnering with experienced logistics providers in the Philippines like DHL Express helps businesses deliver on their promises, literally. With efficient global shipping, strong cross-border capabilities, and consistently fast delivery, businesses can confidently support the surge in orders generated from shoppertainment events.

Reliable international shipping and logistics become essential for:

• Ensuring fast, seamless delivery after livestream events
• Handling cross-border documentation and customs clearance
• Providing accurate end-to-end tracking to reassure customers
• Managing returns or exchanges smoothly

4. Leverage data and insights

One of shoppertainment’s biggest advantages is access to real-time data. Every view, comment, share, and purchase offers insights into what attracts customers and what doesn’t.

Platforms like TikTok Shop, Lazada, and Shopee offer detailed analytics that help businesses better understand consumers across Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, using website builders like Shopify or Wix alongside video-driven platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram for shoppertainment enables brands to expand beyond the region and gather broader insights into global audiences.

Key metrics businesses can track include:

• Which countries generate the highest engagement
• Peak times for livestream performance
• Customer demographics and purchasing behaviour
• Most-watched demo segments
• Conversion rates and cart abandonment patterns

Using these insights allows businesses to refine their content strategy for international markets. For instance, if overseas viewers respond more strongly to bundle deals, specific hosts, or particular product demos, brands can adjust future campaigns to match those preferences.

Data-driven optimisation ensures that every livestream, video, or campaign becomes more targeted, more relevant, and more effective, accelerating global growth.

The benefits of shoppertainment for Filipino businesses

1. Stronger customer engagement

Different forms of shoppertainment, like live chats, product demonstrations, shout-outs, and instant answers, build a sense of connection that static listings can’t achieve. When customers feel acknowledged and entertained, they tend to stay longer, ask more questions, and feel more confident about buying. 

2. Higher conversion rates

Livestreams and interactive content reduce uncertainty because customers can see products in action, ask for clarifications, and watch reviews unfold in real time. This creates a “try before you buy” atmosphere that significantly boosts conversion rates. 

3. Wider reach through social platforms

Shoppertainment leverages social media algorithms, helping Filipino brands expand their visibility not just locally but also across markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, the US, and the Middle East, all without heavy ad spending. Whether it’s livestream selling on TikTok, LazLive, or Shopee Live, engaging content tends to reach new audiences. 

4. Cost-effective marketing

Unlike traditional advertising, shoppertainment allows brands to generate high-impact content at a fraction of the cost. A single livestream can showcase dozens of products, answer questions, demonstrate features, and entertain viewers simultaneously. Brands can also repurpose clips into short-form videos for TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram, extending their reach while keeping costs low.

5. Stronger brand loyalty

Consistent and authentic shoppertainment experiences build a community around your brand. When customers regularly tune in to a host they enjoy, engage with your demos, or participate in gamified challenges, they develop a stronger emotional connection to your business.

Make shoppertainment your next growth engine

When done right, shoppertainment keeps your audience entertained, informed, and fully engaged, which can help drive higher sales, build stronger customer trust, and boost global competitiveness. For Filipino SMEs looking to scale beyond local borders, this form of marketing could create an avenue for international growth.

Brands that fully embrace shoppertainment gain a strategic edge. And with dependable logistics support from partners like DHL Express, fulfilling orders quickly and serving overseas customers becomes seamless. This reliability helps maintain consumer confidence through:

• Fast, reliable shipping
• Cross-border delivery capabilities
• End-to-end shipment visibility
• Smooth and transparent returns

If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce strategy, tap into the power of shoppertainment and strengthen it with logistics designed for global growth.

Partner with DHL Express to power your shoppertainment strategy with fast, reliable logistics support. Build stronger customer confidence and scale your online sales locally and worldwide. Open a business account with us today to get started.