Livestream shopping is fun and frictionless, but are there enough consumer safeguards?

Livestream commerce has boomed as an industry, which has raised the question of whether more safeguards should be put in place to protect consumer rights and better handle disputes between buyers and sellers.

For some shoppers, tuning in to a livestream by sellers has become as much about entertainment as it is about shopping. (Illustration: CNA/Clara Ho)

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These days, Ms Adelphia Lim, 32, winds down most nights by watching shopping livestreams.

She finds the on-screen interactions captivating, with the host animatedly showcasing a product while responding to viewers' questions in real time.

Every so often, the host sweetens the deal to push viewers to act, perhaps by issuing livestream-exclusive vouchers or announcing that stocks are limited.

In such exciting moments, Ms Lim, the founder of a social media marketing agency, sometimes finds herself adding an item to her cart even though she had not planned to shop.

The whole experience is fun and frictionless, she said.

Since she began shopping through livestreams this year, a whole range of items have been delivered to her doorstep, from vitamins and personal-care products to clothing, food and crystal bracelets.

"I can be lying in bed watching a livestream to wind down, discover something I didn't even know I wanted, use a voucher, check out in a few taps and then it just turns up at my door a few days later."

Communications executive Pamela Goh, 27, was drawn into livestream shopping about two years ago when she stumbled across a session by an influencer she recognised.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Since then, she has bought all kinds of goods this way, from clothes to toys and even sashimi. The competitive prices often offered by livestream hosts are part of the appeal, but Ms Goh has also come to appreciate other aspects of the format. She can watch a host try on an outfit rather than rely on the stock images typically used on e-commerce platforms, see a product being tested or eaten by the host, and get immediate answers to her questions without making a trip to a shop.

Since then, she has bought all kinds of goods this way, from clothes to toys and even sashimi.

The competitive prices often offered by livestream hosts are part of the appeal, but Ms Goh has also come to appreciate other aspects of the format.

She can watch a host try on an outfit rather than rely on the stock images typically used on e-commerce platforms, see a product being tested or eaten by the host, and get immediate answers to her questions without making a trip to a shop.

Ms Adelphia Lim, 32, founder of a social media marketing firm, wearing a dress she bought from a livestreamer, pictured on Sep 30, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Ili Mansor)

For 70-year-old homemaker Joyce Aw, she is drawn to the sense of community she has found through livestream shopping.

She first got into online shopping through e-commerce platform Qoo10. After the platform wound up in late 2024 , she turned to video-sharing platform TikTok, which she now uses every day.

She follows several livestreamers who sell items such as shoes, electrical goods and kitchenware.

Over time, Madam Aw began recognising the same viewers in the comments. Now, they chat with one another and with the sellers, who sometimes veer away from their sales pitches to banter with the regulars.

In short, livestream commerce has captured shoppers of all ages for many reasons even after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Livestream shopping is available across major e-commerce platforms in Singapore, including TikTok Shop, Shopee Live and Lazada's LazLive. Sellers also conduct livestreams through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Shopee declined to comment for this article, while Lazada said it did not have Singapore-specific data on LazLive's growth, viewership, purchasing behaviour or host adoption.

TikTok Shop told CNA that its TikTok Live viewership in Singapore grew 150 per cent between June 2025 and June 2026.

As of August this year, TikTok Live commerce accounted for more than 60 per cent of TikTok Shop Singapore's total gross merchandise value.

A surge in content has accompanied the growth in viewership and sales.

B etween January and June this year, the average daily number of "shoppable videos" posted on TikTok Shop increased by more than 2.5 times, it said.

A shoppable video lets viewers tap on product tags to see more details and buy items directly.

However, the rapid growth of livestream commerce has also brought problems , even though official complaint numbers remain small.

Between Jan 1, 2024 and Aug 31 this year, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) received 35 complaints involving livestream sales on e-commerce or social media platforms.

The complaints ranged from product quality and authenticity issues to misleading claims, delivery problems and disputes over exchanges or refunds.

Of these complaints, 13 were made between January and August this year, up from 10 in all of 2024 and 12 in 2025.

Singapore's existing consumer protection laws already apply to livestream commerce. But the very qualities that make livestream shopping attractive, such as its real-time interactivity, also create unique consumer risks when things go wrong, legal experts said.

A host can make numerous verbal claims within minutes, and the livestream itself might later disappear or become inaccessible, making it harder for a consumer to prove what was promised.

As livestream shopping grows and hosting becomes a profession, experts said that regulators may need to develop targeted safeguards for the sector, since it presents different challenges than conventional retail and e-commerce.

THE UNIQUE ALLURE OF LIVESTREAM SHOPPING

Livestream shopping can reach people by accident.

Online users do not need to actively search for a host or an item because livestreams can appear while they are scrolling through their social media feed. They may then stay to watch because they find the host entertaining or are curious about what is being sold.

Associate Professor Wang Pengji, who teaches marketing and management at the James Cook University Singapore Business School, said that compared with conventional e-commerce, livestream shopping can offer more than just a way to shop, serving as a source of entertainment, companionship, social connection and discovery.

Viewers might enjoy a host's personality, product demonstrations, humour or storytelling, and watch the livestream as a leisure activity, she added.

Livestream host Sanofer Farzana Haron, 22, showing to viewers the clothes she is selling. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

For some consumers, the format has practical benefits.

Ms Jessica Ong, 43, who is based in Malaysia and working for a public relations firm, said that her 76-year-old mother shops online because of her limited mobility. But declining eyesight has made it increasingly difficult for her to read and compare different listings on conventional e-commerce sites.

With livestreams, "she doesn't have to read through pages of information to understand what she's buying", Ms Ong added.

Even for shoppers without such constraints, interacting with a host can provide useful information that is hard to glean from photographs and product descriptions alone.

For instance, a shopper considering a dress can ask about its material or sizing and see somebody try it on. A host selling food or personal care products can show the item's size, texture or packaging, or demonstrate its use.

Social commerce and content agency Confetti said that the format helps convert viewers into buyers partly by building "real-time trust and reassurance".

"The most effective conversion techniques we use are live product demos and answering very specific questions that customers cannot find elsewhere," its managing director Eugene Tham said.

Assoc Prof Wang said that the familiarity and trust built between viewers and livestreamers can even develop into a para-social relationship, with viewers forming a felt personal bond with a host.

"Compared with an influencer posting pre-made content, a livestream host can respond immediately. He or she can answer a question or greet a viewer by name. That can make the connection feel more personal."

Another major draw of livestream shopping is the prospect of getting a bargain.

Livestream-exclusive vouchers and promotions often encourage consumers to buy during the stream instead of waiting.

To create urgency, hosts may highlight limited stock or deals that are ending soon, while countdown timers signal when a promotion is about to expire.

At the same time, comments and notifications show other viewers snapping up the products.

Assoc Prof Wang said that such scarcity and urgency cues can shift a consumer's thinking from "Do I need this?" to "Will I miss out if I don't buy now?"

"Livestreaming can amplify this fear of missing out by combining the host's stock warnings, a ticking countdown and pop-up notifications suggesting that others are buying," she added.

"The crowd also provides social proof. Viewers may think, 'If so many people are buying, it must be worth buying'."

TikTok's recent Live Auction feature, for instance, lets viewers bid against one another for products within a limited window.

Such features effectively introduce gaming elements into shopping, Assoc Prof Wang said. Auctions encourage competition, while "fastest fingers first" creates a race.

She also said that they can shift shoppers' attention from questioning whether they need something to making an impulse purchase based on the thought, "Can I get it before someone else does?"

STANDING OUT IN A CROWDED SCENE

As more shoppers turn to livestreams, the business of selling to consumers has changed as well.

Having been involved in the trading card game (TCG) business for the past eight years, Mr Thomas Yeo, 28, said that back in the day, Pokemon enthusiasts would gather in Facebook groups, where sellers, of whom there were few, livestreamed themselves opening packs bought by viewers.

Mr Thomas Yeo interacting with his viewers on his phone while selling his Pokemon cards during a livestream session on Oct 1, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

Mr Thomas Yeo showing a trading card's condition to his viewers during a livestream session on Oct 1, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

A card is labelled for reference after it was sold during a livestream session conducted by Mr Thomas Yeo. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

The scene is much busier now.

Mr Yeo, a full-time livestream seller who sells only TCG-related items, said: "There are just too many TCG streamers around nowadays. Scroll through TikTok, and you can easily see multiple streamers selling the same products at the same time."

In an increasingly crowded field, Mr Yeo said that a host's personality and presentation have become vital for standing out, to attract and retain viewers.

Social commerce agency MajorForm's founder Amirul Shah agreed that personality is something he looks for when recruiting hosts.

However, being comfortable on camera is just one criterion.

"It's not enough to be able to talk for two hours," he said, adding that hosts also need sales skills, such as knowing when to draw viewers' attention to promotions during a stream.

The industry's rapid growth has gone hand in hand w ith efforts to professionalise livestream selling and train hosts in the skills needed for the job.

TikTok Shop launched its free Live Host Academy in early 2025 to train aspiring professional hosts in practical sales and livestreaming skills, while connecting them with sellers looking for such talent.

The platform is also working with partners such as the Singapore Retailers Association and Workforce Singapore to support retailers and workers who are building e-commerce capabilities.

It is aiming to support and train more than 3,000 creators by the end of 2026 and at least 1,000 sellers in Singapore by the end of 2027, it added.

Mr Alvin Teo, 29, who used to work in marketing, attended the academy before becoming a full-time host in March this year.

He said that the programme taught him the basics, from setting up a livestream to adding products and pinning vouchers.

"(These basics are) just 1 per cent of a livestream. The rest is really trial and error. There is no fixed playbook," he added.

Ms Chrystal Teo, 33, who is not related to Mr Teo and has also attended the academy, similarly said that much of the hard work happens off-screen, as hosts familiarise themselves with the products they have to sell.

"There's a lot you need to know, from having good product knowledge to understanding how the products compare with competing brands, what makes them unique, and remembering all the different promotional mechanics."

She has been livestreaming as a side hustle since June alongside her full-time job as a marketing executive.

Before going live, Ms Teo, who mainly sells lifestyle and beauty products but has also hosted livestreams featuring fashion and electronics, studies product information supplied by the merchant, conducts her own competitor analysis and prepares for potential questions from viewers.

Mr Teo noted that for newer hosts such as himself, simply getting viewers can be a challenge.

More established streamers already have loyal communities, while some sellers spend money advertising their streams. For newer hosts with smaller budgets, Mr Teo said that "traffic is quite a big issue".

And when viewers are scarce, the pressure to convert those who show an interest into buyers c an be considerable.

Imagine, Mr Teo said, being 90 minutes into a two-hour session without making a single sale. When someone finally seems genuinely interested, the temptation to do whatever it takes to close the sale is really strong. Yet, he resists.

"I'd rather gain the long-term trust of the buyer instead of getting that one-time sale ... If the b uyer uses the product and has a bad experience, then you lose that person forever."

Similarly, Ms Sanofer Farzana Haron, 22, said that being both a host and a livestream shopper has shaped the way she approaches selling.

She just graduated from polytechnic and has been a livestream host full-time for a few months.

Ms Sanofer Farzana Haron, 22, setting up her equipment – which includes her phone, tripod, table light and a laptop – for a livestream to sell clothes. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

Ms Sanofer Farzana Haron, 22, a livestream host, selling clothes during a TikTok livestreaming session. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

As a consumer, Ms Farzana realised that half the time, she did not need the things she bought from livestream shops.

"I realised that I was being pushed to buy something."

Now, when viewers tell her they are interested in the item but don't have enough money at the moment or would like time to consider, she will not pressure them into making the purchase immediately.

ROGUE SELLERS AND SCAMS

Not all sellers are so conscientious, and the sector's swift growth has inevitably attracted unscrupulous seller s.

Mr Jason Low, 50, a private-hire driver, spent more than S$2,000 in October last year on what he thought was gold jewellery from three TikTok livestream sellers, only to discover later that the pieces were fake.

He had believed they were authentic after the livestream sellers claimed that the items were made of "999 gold" and came with certificates of authenticity.

Mr Low said that he had also specifically asked whether the gold was real and was assured that it was.

He was further reassured after reading TikTok Shop's guidelines stating that counterfeit products were prohibited on the platform.

The "gold" jewellery that Mr Jason Low bought from a livestream host came with a certificate of authenticity. After taking the jewellery to a pawn shop, he discovered that it was fake. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)

Mr Jason Low holding one of the "gold" necklaces he bought from a TikTok livestream. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)

The "gold" jewellery that Mr Jason Low bought through a livestream has "999" engraved on it, which typically indicates 99.9 per cent pure gold. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)

After receiving some of the jewellery, Mr Low and a friend took the items to several pawnshops in Bedok to check whether they were indeed made of gold.

"At the pawnshops, they put (the jewellery) in a machine that can read whether the gold is authentic and how heavy it is," Mr Low said.

"I visited four pawnshops at Bedok Central. All four said they could not (buy) the gold. When I asked why, they said it's not gold at all."

He has made a police report over the incident and sworn off buying big-ticket items through livestreams.

As for Ms Vivian Lai, 31, her bad experience did not involve a significant amount of money, but was annoying nonetheless.

In April this year, she had bought a bracelet for about S$30 after believing the livestream host's claim that the jewellery was sturdy enough to be worn throughout the day, including during exercise and showers.

To Ms Lai's dismay, it broke within a month.

When she contacted the seller, she was told it could not be replaced. Instead, she was offered a "one-time 30 per cent discount" to buy a new bracelet, which Ms Lai rejected.

Other consumers said that they have been put off by some marketing tactics on livestreams, such as when hosts say that they have only a limited stock of an item.

Ms Goh the communications executive said that when she first started shopping via livestreams, she felt a great pressure to buy when the hosts made such claims.

Other times, the hosts would say they have to "call in a favour" with the merchant to get more stock.

Over time, Ms Goh noticed that other livestream hosts were selling the same items, usually at the same prices, and she realised that the supposed scarcity of these goods was simply a marketing tactic.

CASE said that the livestream-related complaints it has received involved a wide range of products, including clothing, jewellery and furniture.

"Common complaints include defective and counterfeit products, misleading and false claims, delayed delivery or non-delivery of orders, and failure of the business to honour exchange and refund policies," it added.

CNA understands that TikTok Shop takes enforcement action against sellers or creators who violate its policies, such as creating artificial urgency and making unsubstantiated product claims.

Its global data shows that between January and June 2025, it removed more than 700,000 sellers for violations, as well as 200,000 restricted or prohibited products.

More than 900,000 user reports from around the world concerning TikTok Shop videos or livestreams were reviewed in the same period, its 2025 safety report stated.

NEW PROBLEMS, NEW SOLUTIONS?

Some countries have taken steps to deal with the particular problems arising from the popularity of livestream commerce.

China, for example, introduced new rules in February this year, prohibiting livestreamers from engaging in false advertising and selling illegal products and services, among other things.

Singapore's existing consumer protection rules and marketplace safety measures already provide a sound foundation for dealing with livestream-related issues, experts in consumer protection and law said.

Still, there is room for more targeted measures to improve disclosures and record-keeping among sellers and hosts, they added.

Associate Professor Sandra Booysen, the director of the Centre for Banking and Finance Law at the National University of Singapore (NUS), cautioned that over-regulation can stifle commercial activity and lead to unintended consequences.

"Intervention should, therefore, be limited to a demonstrated need to prevent harm, and only to the extent necessary to restore a balance between the legitimate interests of consumers and suppliers," she said.

Singapore's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry said existing regulations that safeguard consumers also apply to consumers buying through livestreams.

This includes the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, which safeguards business-to-consumer transactions such as false or misleading representations and undue pressure or influence.

"As consumer behaviour and business models evolve, the government will continue to monitor the developments closely to ensure that our existing consumer protection framework remains adequate to address emerging risks in consumer transactions, including in social commerce," the ministry told CNA.

It added that the Consumer Protection Review Panel, convened in March 2025, is reviewing key consumer issues, including in online commerce.

Based on the panel's recommendations, the government will see if further measures or safeguards are needed.

The panel is expected to submit its recommendations later this year.

Livestreaming can amplify this fear of missing out by combining the host's stock warnings, a ticking countdown and pop-up notifications suggesting that others are buying.

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) said livestream content that is considered social media advertising or marketing may fall under the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice and the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore's (ASAS) guidelines.

"CCS has taken enforcement action involving unfair practices in online commerce, including false or misleading representations and online features that create false impressions of urgency or demand," it added.

"Consumers who encounter suspected unfair practices are encouraged to first raise the matter directly with the business or platform involved. They may also seek assistance from CASE or take their claims to the Small Claims Tribunal ."

It encouraged consumers who come across potentially misleading or objectionable digital advertising to report it to ASAS.

As regulators study potential changes to the rules, some experts pointed out that keeping livestream content accessible after a broadcast could provide important evidence when disputes arise.

Dr Ben Chester Cheong, a law lecturer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), said that livestreaming platforms should be able to preserve evidence of problematic behaviour, given their ability to identify sellers and retain transaction information.

"Retaining commercial livestream recordings for a reasonable period could resolve complaints fairly for consumers and sellers alike," he added.

CCS noted that consumers can "help themselves by keeping records of the livestream, product listings and their purchases, as these will be useful if issues arise later".

Assoc Prof Booysen from NUS said that improving transparency in the relationship between a host and a product seller could further protect consumers.

She suggested that a livestream host should declare their relationship with a product's supplier, or whether they receive commissions for sales.

"A failure to be transparent could constitute an unfair practice on the basis that it is misleading conduct," she added.

Before a livestream, Ms Sanofer Farzana Haron digitally sorts the clothes that she intends to sell. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

Mr Thomas Yeo checking the prices of Pokemon cards online before he does a sale though livestream. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)

Dr Cheong from SUSS said that an industry code of conduct could provide guidance for livestream hosts and sellers.

"It could cover verifying product claims, explaining prices and stock accurately, disclosing incentives, treating viewers respectfully, correcting mistakes on air and handling complaints," he proposed.

He also suggested that livestreaming platforms, industry players and consumer bodies jointly develop such a code of conduct.

"It would help a growing retail profession without making every host navigate another elaborate licensing regime."

Even in the absence of targeted rules around livestreaming, some hosts have taken it upon themselves to help consumers resolve complaints.

After all, it makes business sense, full-time livestream host Aina Intizara said.

The 36-year-old, who mostly sells beauty and household products, noted that since livestreamers can either be business owners, employees, influencers or affiliates, it can be difficult for a buyer to identify who is ultimately responsible for a transaction.

"Viewers can sometimes come back to us when they have questions or run into an issue, because we are the person they interacted with during the live session," she added.

"When that happens, I try to understand what the issue is."

For example, she would refer buyers to the seller or TikTok Shop's customer support when deliveries, refunds, exchanges, or product problems surface, since these are not issues a livestream host can resolve directly.

If the problem persists, she would flag it to the relevant brand team for follow-up.

"Even when I can't personally resolve the issue, I don't think the right response is simply ignoring the viewer.

"If I can point them towards the right channel or help them understand what they should do next, I'm happy to do that," she said.

"I think that relationships with viewers continue beyond the live s ession itself. If people have trusted you enough to ask questions during the session, you want them to feel that you still care about their experience afterwards."

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直播电商行业蓬勃发展，这也引发了一个问题：是否应该采取更多保障措施来保护消费者权益，更好地处理买卖双方之间的纠纷。

对一些消费者来说，观看商家直播购物已不再仅仅是为了购物，而是一种娱乐方式。（插图：CNA/Clara Ho）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

如今，32岁的阿德尔菲亚·林女士大多数晚上都会通过观看购物直播来放松身心。

她觉得屏幕上的互动非常吸引人，主持人会生动地展示产品，并实时回答观众的问题。

主持人偶尔会加大力度，促使观众采取行动，例如发放直播专属优惠券或宣布库存有限。

在这样激动人心的时刻，身为社交媒体营销机构创始人的林女士有时会发现自己把一件商品添加到购物车中，即使她原本并没有购物计划。

她说，整个过程既有趣又顺畅。

自从她今年开始通过直播购物以来，各种各样的商品都被送到了她家门口，从维生素和个人护理用品到衣服、食品和水晶手镯。

“我可以躺在床上看直播放松一下，发现一些我之前甚至不知道自己想要的东西，用优惠券买东西，轻点几下就结账了，然后几天后东西就送到我家门口了。”

27 岁的通讯主管 Pamela Goh 大约两年前偶然看到一位她认识的网红的直播购物，从此便迷上了直播购物。

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小谜题，脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 从那时起，她就通过这种方式购买了各种各样的商品，从衣服到玩具，甚至生鱼片。直播主播提供的极具竞争力的价格是吸引她的原因之一，但吴女士也开始欣赏这种形式的其他方面。她可以观看主播试穿衣服，而不是依赖电商平台上常用的库存图片；可以看到主播测试或品尝产品；而且无需亲自前往商店就能立即获得问题的答案。

从那以后，她就用这种方式购买各种商品，从衣服到玩具，甚至生鱼片。

直播主播提供的极具竞争力的价格是其吸引力的一部分，但吴女士也逐渐欣赏这种形式的其他方面。

她可以观看主持人试穿衣服，而不是依赖电子商务平台上常用的库存图片；可以看到主持人测试或品尝产品；并且无需亲自前往商店即可立即获得问题的答案。

32岁的社交媒体营销公司创始人阿德尔菲亚·林（Adelphia Lim）身穿从一位直播主那里购买的连衣裙，照片拍摄于2026年9月30日。（图片：CNA/Ili Mansor）

70岁的家庭主妇Joyce Aw被直播购物带来的社区感所吸引。

她最初是通过电商平台 Qoo10 开始网上购物的。该平台于 2024 年底关闭后，她转而使用短视频分享平台 TikTok，现在她每天都在使用。

她关注了好几位直播主播，这些主播销售鞋子、电器和厨具等商品。

随着时间的推移，Aw女士开始在评论区认出一些熟悉的观众。现在，他们不仅彼此聊天，还会和卖家互动，卖家有时也会放下推销工作，和这些常客闲聊几句。

简而言之，即使在 COVID-19 疫情之后，直播电商仍然凭借多种原因吸引了各个年龄段的购物者。

新加坡各大电商平台均提供直播购物服务，包括TikTok Shop、Shopee Live和Lazada的LazLive。卖家也会通过Facebook和Instagram等社交媒体平台进行直播。

Shopee拒绝就本文发表评论，而Lazada表示，它没有关于LazLive在新加坡的增长、观看人数、购买行为或主播采用情况的具体数据。

TikTok Shop 告诉 CNA，其在新加坡的 TikTok Live 观看人数在 2025 年 6 月至 2026 年 6 月期间增长了 150%。

截至今年 8 月，TikTok Live 电商占 TikTok 新加坡商城商品交易总额的 60% 以上。

随着收视率和销量的增长，内容也出现了激增。

报告称，今年1月至6月期间，TikTok Shop上发布的“可购物视频”的日均数量增加了2.5倍以上。

可购物视频允许观众点击产品标签查看更多详情并直接购买商品。

然而，直播电商的快速发展也带来了一些问题，尽管官方投诉数量仍然很少。

2024 年 1 月 1 日至今年 8 月 31 日期间，新加坡消费者协会 (CASE) 收到 35 起涉及电子商务或社交媒体平台上直播销售的投诉。

投诉内容涵盖产品质量和真伪问题、误导性宣传、配送问题以及换货或退款纠纷等。

在这些投诉中，今年 1 月至 8 月共收到 13 起，而 2024 年全年只有 10 起，2025 年也只有 12 起。

新加坡现行的消费者保护法已适用于直播电商。但法律专家指出，直播购物的吸引力恰恰在于其实时互动性等特点，而这些特点也可能导致消费者在遇到问题时面临独特的风险。

主持人可以在几分钟内做出许多口头承诺，而直播本身之后可能会消失或无法访问，这使得消费者更难证明所承诺的内容。

随着直播购物的发展和主播职业的兴起，专家表示，监管机构可能需要为该行业制定有针对性的保障措施，因为它面临的挑战与传统零售和电子商务不同。

直播购物的独特魅力

直播购物可能会意外地触达用户。

网络用户无需主动搜索主播或商品，因为直播内容会在他们浏览社交媒体信息流时自动出现。他们可能会因为觉得主播风趣幽默或对所售商品感兴趣而驻足观看。

新加坡詹姆斯库克大学商学院市场营销与管理学副教授王鹏吉表示，与传统的电子商务相比，直播购物不仅可以提供一种购物方式，还可以作为一种娱乐、陪伴、社交联系和发现的途径。

她补充说，观众可能会喜欢主持人的个性、产品演示、幽默或讲故事的方式，并将观看直播作为一种休闲活动。

22岁的直播主播萨诺弗·法尔扎纳·哈伦正在向观众展示她正在出售的衣服。（图片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

对于某些消费者而言，这种形式具有实际的好处。

现年43岁的Jessica Ong女士居住在马来西亚，就职于一家公关公司。她说，她76岁的母亲由于行动不便，经常网购。但随着视力下降，她越来越难以阅读和比较传统电商网站上的不同商品信息。

Ong女士补充说，有了直播，“她不必阅读大量信息就能了解自己买的是什么”。

即使对于没有此类限制的购物者来说，与店员互动也能提供仅凭照片和产品描述难以获取的有用信息。

例如，顾客在选购连衣裙时可以询问面料或尺码，并观看试穿。销售食品或个人护理产品的店员可以展示商品的尺寸、质地或包装，或者演示其使用方法。

社交电商和内容机构 Confetti 表示，这种形式有助于将观众转化为买家，部分原因是它能建立“实时信任和保证”。

“我们最有效的转化技巧是现场产品演示和回答客户在其他地方找不到的非常具体的问题，”其总经理尤金·谭表示。

王副教授表示，观众和直播主播之间建立的熟悉感和信任感甚至可以发展成一种准社会关系，观众会与主播建立起一种真切的个人联系。

“与发布预先制作好的内容的网红相比，直播主播可以立即做出回应。他/她可以回答问题，或者叫出观众的名字问候他们。这会让彼此之间的联系感觉更加亲切。”

直播购物的另一个主要吸引力在于可以买到物美价廉的商品。

直播专属优惠券和促销活动通常会鼓励消费者在直播期间购买，而不是等待。

为了营造紧迫感，主持人可能会重点介绍库存有限或即将结束的优惠活动，同时倒计时器会提示促销活动即将结束。

与此同时，评论和通知显示其他观众正在抢购这些产品。

王副教授表示，这种稀缺性和紧迫性信号可以将消费者的想法从“我需要这个吗？”转变为“如果我现在不买，我会错过吗？”

她补充说：“直播可以通过结合主播的股票预警、倒计时和弹出通知（暗示其他人正在买入）来放大这种害怕错过机会的恐惧。”

“人群也提供了社会认同。观众可能会想，‘如果这么多人买，那肯定值得买’。”

例如，TikTok 最近推出的实时拍卖功能，允许观众在限定时间内竞价购买商品。

王副教授表示，这些功能有效地将游戏元素引入了购物体验。拍卖鼓励竞争，而“手速最快者得”则营造了一种竞赛氛围。

她还表示，这些措施可能会让购物者的注意力从质疑自己是否需要某样东西转移到基于“我能赶在别人之前买到它吗？”的想法而进行冲动购买。

在人群中脱颖而出

随着越来越多的消费者转向直播购物，面向消费者的销售模式也发生了变化。

28 岁的 Thomas Yeo 先生从事集换式卡牌游戏 (TCG) 行业已有八年，他表示，以前，宝可梦爱好者会聚集在 Facebook 群组中，卖家（当时数量不多）会直播自己打开观众购买的卡包。

2026年10月1日，Thomas Yeo先生在直播中一边用手机与观众互动，一边出售他的宝可梦卡牌。（图片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

2026年10月1日，Thomas Yeo先生在直播中向观众展示一张交易卡的品相。（图片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

一张卡片在杨先生的直播售卖结束后，被贴上了标签以供参考。（图片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

现在现场热闹多了。

全职直播卖家叶先生只卖集换式卡牌游戏（TCG）相关商品，他说：“现在TCG主播太多了。随便翻翻TikTok，就能看到好几个主播同时卖同样的商品。”

叶先生表示，在竞争日益激烈的行业中，主持人的个性和表现力对于脱颖而出、吸引和留住观众至关重要。

社交电商机构 MajorForm 的创始人 Amirul Shah 也认为，个性是他招募主持人时会考虑的因素之一。

然而，在镜头前表现自在只是其中一个标准。

“光能连续讲两个小时是不够的，”他说道，并补充说，主持人还需要销售技巧，例如知道何时在直播过程中引导观众关注促销活动。

该行业的快速发展与直播销售的专业化以及对主播进行工作所需技能的培训密不可分。

TikTok Shop 于 2025 年初推出了免费的直播主播学院，旨在培训有志成为专业主播的人士掌握实用的销售和直播技巧，同时将他们与正在寻找此类人才的卖家联系起来。

该平台还与新加坡零售商协会和新加坡劳动力发展局等合作伙伴携手，为正在构建电子商务能力的零售商和员工提供支持。

该机构补充说，其目标是在 2026 年底前支持和培训 3000 多名创作者，并在 2027 年底前在新加坡支持和培训至少 1000 名卖家。

29 岁的 Alvin Teo 先生曾从事市场营销工作，他参加了该学院的培训，并于今年 3 月成为一名全职主持人。

他说，该节目教会了他一些基本知识，从设置直播到添加产品和发布优惠券。

“（这些基本要素）只占直播的1%。其余部分真的需要反复试验。没有固定的模式，”他补充道。

33岁的Chrystal Teo女士与Teo先生并无亲属关系，她也曾就读于该学院。她同样表示，很多辛苦的工作都是在镜头之外完成的，因为主持人需要熟悉他们要推销的产品。

“你需要了解很多东西，从具备良好的产品知识到了解产品与竞争品牌的比较情况，了解产品的独特之处，还要记住所有不同的促销机制。”

自六月以来，她一直在从事直播工作，作为她全职市场营销主管工作的副业。

在直播开始前，主要销售生活方式和美容产品的张女士（但也曾主持过以时尚和电子产品为主题的直播）会研究商家提供的产品信息，进行自己的竞争对手分析，并准备回答观众可能提出的问题。

张先生指出，对于像他这样的新主持人来说，仅仅是获得观众就是一个挑战。

一些资深主播已经拥有忠实的粉丝群体，而一些主播则会花钱宣传自己的直播。对于预算较少的新手主播来说，Teo先生表示，“流量是一个相当大的问题”。

当观众稀少时，将那些表现出兴趣的人转化为买家的压力可能会相当大。

张先生说，想象一下，两个小时的销售会议已经进行了90分钟，却还没成交一笔生意。当终于有人表现出真正的兴趣时，那种不惜一切代价促成交易的诱惑力非常强烈。然而，他克制住了这种冲动。

“我宁愿赢得买家的长期信任，而不是只追求一次性销售……如果买家使用产品后体验不好，那么你就永远失去这个人了。”

同样，22 岁的 Sanofer Farzana Haron 女士表示，既是主持人又是直播购物者的经历塑造了她的销售方式。

她刚从理工学院毕业，几个月来一直从事全职直播工作。

22岁的萨诺弗·法尔扎纳·哈伦女士正在架设设备，包括手机、三脚架、台灯和笔记本电脑，准备进行直播售卖服装。（图片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

22 岁的赛诺弗·法扎娜·哈伦 (Sanofer Farzana Haron) 女士是一名直播主持人，她在 TikTok 直播期间卖衣服。 （照片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

作为一名消费者，法尔扎纳女士意识到，她从直播商店购买的商品有一半时间都是她并不需要的。

“我意识到有人在催促我买东西。”

现在，当观众告诉她他们对某件商品感兴趣，但目前资金不足或希望有时间考虑时，她不会强迫他们立即购买。

无良卖家和骗局

并非所有卖家都如此尽责，该行业的快速发展也必然吸引了一些不择手段的卖家。

50岁的网约车司机Jason Low先生去年10月花费超过2000新元，从三位TikTok直播卖家那里购买了他以为是黄金首饰的东西，但后来发现这些首饰都是假的。

他相信这些商品是真的，因为直播卖家声称这些商品是由“999金”制成的，并且附有真品证书。

刘先生表示，他还特意询问过黄金是否是真的，并得到了肯定的答复。

在阅读了TikTok商店的指导方针后，他更加放心了，该方针指出平台禁止销售假冒产品。

Jason Low先生从一位直播主播那里购买的“黄金”首饰附带了真品证书。然而，当他把首饰拿到当铺鉴定后，却发现是假货。（图片：CNA/Raydza Rahman）

Jason Low先生手持一条他从TikTok直播中购买的“金”项链。（图片：CNA/Raydza Rahman）

Jason Low先生通过直播购买的“黄金”首饰上刻有“999”字样，通常表示纯度为99.9%的黄金。（图片：CNA/Raydza Rahman）

收到部分珠宝后，罗先生和一位朋友带着这些珠宝到勿洛的几家当铺去鉴定它们是否真的是黄金制成的。

“在当铺里，他们会把（珠宝）放进一台机器里，这台机器可以读取黄金是否是真品以及它的重量，”罗先生说。

“我去了勿洛中心的四家当铺。四家都说他们不能（收购）那块黄金。当我问为什么时，他们说那根本不是黄金。”

他已就此事向警方报案，并发誓不再通过直播购买高价商品。

至于 31 岁的 Vivian Lai 女士，她的糟糕经历虽然没有涉及巨额金钱损失，但仍然令人恼火。

今年四月，她相信直播主播的说法，认为这款手镯非常结实耐用，可以全天佩戴，包括运动和淋浴时，于是花了大约 30 新元买了一条手镯。

令赖女士失望的是，不到一个月它就坏了。

当她联系卖家时，对方告知无法更换。卖家提出给她一次性七折优惠，让她购买一条新手链，但赖女士拒绝了。

其他消费者表示，直播中的一些营销手段让他们感到反感，例如主播声称某种商品库存有限。

通讯主管吴女士表示，她最初通过直播购物时，主播们做出这样的承诺让她感到巨大的购买压力。

有时，主持人会说他们不得不“请商家帮忙”才能进到更多货。

随着时间的推移，吴女士注意到其他直播主播也在销售同样的商品，通常价格也相同，她意识到这些商品所谓的稀缺性只不过是一种营销策略。

CASE表示，他们收到的与直播相关的投诉涉及范围很广的产品，包括服装、珠宝和家具。

“常见投诉包括产品有缺陷或为假冒产品、误导性和虚假声明、订单延迟交付或未交付，以及企业未能履行换货和退款政策，”报告补充道。

CNA了解到，TikTok Shop会对违反其政策的卖家或创作者采取强制措施，例如人为制造紧迫感和做出未经证实的产品声明。

其全球数据显示，2025 年 1 月至 6 月期间，该平台因违规行为移除了 70 多万个卖家，以及 20 万种受限或违禁产品。

TikTok 在其 2025 年安全报告中指出，同期审查了来自世界各地超过 90 万份与 TikTok Shop 视频或直播相关的用户报告。

新问题，新解决方案？

一些国家已经采取措施应对直播电商普及所带来的特殊问题。

例如，中国今年2月出台了新规，禁止直播主播进行虚假广告宣传、销售非法产品和服务等行为。

消费者保护和法律专家表示，新加坡现有的消费者保护规则和市场安全措施已经为处理与直播相关的问题提供了良好的基础。

他们补充说，不过，仍有空间采取更有针对性的措施来改善卖家和房东的信息披露和记录保存。

新加坡国立大学银行与金融法中心主任、副教授桑德拉·布伊森警告说，过度监管会扼杀商业活动，并导致意想不到的后果。

“因此，干预应仅限于为防止损害而确有必要的情况，并且仅限于恢复消费者和供应商合法利益之间平衡所必需的程度，”她说道。

新加坡能源、贸易和工业部表示，现有的保护消费者的法规也适用于通过直播购物的消费者。

这其中包括《消费者保护（公平交易）法》，该法旨在保护企业与消费者之间的交易，防止虚假或误导性陈述以及不正当的压力或影响。

“随着消费者行为和商业模式的演变，政府将继续密切关注事态发展，以确保我们现有的消费者保护框架仍然足以应对消费者交易中出现的新风险，包括社交电商领域的风险，”该部门告诉亚洲新闻台。

声明还补充说，消费者保护审查小组将于 2025 年 3 月召开会议，审查包括在线商务在内的关键消费者问题。

根据专家组的建议，政府将考虑是否需要采取进一步措施或保障措施。

预计专家组将于今年晚些时候提交建议。

直播可以通过结合主播的股票预警、倒计时和弹出通知（暗示其他人正在买入）来放大这种害怕错过机会的心理。

新加坡竞争与消费者委员会 (CCS) 表示，被视为社交媒体广告或营销的直播内容可能受新加坡广告实践准则和新加坡广告标准局 (ASAS) 指南的约束。

“CCS已对在线商业中的不公平行为采取了执法行动，包括虚假或误导性陈述以及制造虚假紧迫感或需求感的在线功能，”该机构补充道。

“我们鼓励消费者如果遇到疑似不公平交易行为，首先直接与相关商家或平台沟通。他们也可以向消费者权益保护协会（CASE）寻求帮助，或向小额索偿法庭提起诉讼。”

它鼓励遇到可能具有误导性或令人反感的数字广告的消费者向ASAS举报。

监管机构正在研究规则的潜在变化，一些专家指出，直播结束后保留​​直播内容的访问权限，可以在发生纠纷时提供重要的证据。

新加坡社会科学大学 (SUSS) 法律讲师张本杰博士表示，鉴于直播平台能够识别卖家并保留交易信息，因此应该能够保存问题行为的证据。

他补充说：“将商业直播录像保留一段合理的时间，可以公平地解决消费者和卖家双方的投诉。”

CCS指出，消费者可以“通过保留直播、产品列表和购买记录来帮助自己，因为如果以后出现问题，这些记录将很有用”。

新加坡国立大学副教授布伊森表示，提高房东和产品卖家之间关系的透明度可以进一步保护消费者。

她建议直播主播应该声明他们与产品供应商的关系，或者他们是否从销售中获得佣金。

她补充说：“缺乏透明度可能构成不公平做法，因为它是一种误导性行为。”

直播前，萨诺弗·法尔扎纳·哈伦女士正在用电脑整理她准备出售的衣物。（图片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

Thomas Yeo先生在直播售卖宝可梦卡牌前，先在网上查看卡牌价格。（图片：CNA/Syamil Sapari）

新跃社科大学张博士表示，行业行为准则可以为直播主播和卖家提供指导。

他提议：“这可能包括核实产品声明、准确解释价格和库存、披露激励措施、尊重观众、纠正节目中的错误以及处理投诉。”

他还建议直播平台、行业参与者和消费者团体共同制定此类行为准则。

“这将有助于零售业的发展，而无需让每位店员都去应对另一套复杂的许可制度。”

即使没有针对直播的专项规定，一些主播也主动帮助消费者解决投诉。

全职直播主播艾娜·因蒂扎拉表示，毕竟，这符合商业逻辑。

这位 36 岁的主播主要销售美容和家居用品，他指出，由于直播主播可能是企业主、员工、网红或联盟营销人员，买家很难确定最终由谁负责交易。

她补充说：“观众有时会在遇到问题或疑问时向我们寻求帮助，因为我们是他们在直播过程中互动的人。”

“当这种情况发生时，我会努力弄清楚问题出在哪里。”

例如，当出现发货、退款、换货或产品问题时，她会将买家转介给卖家或TikTok商店的客户支持，因为这些问题不是直播主播可以直接解决的。

如果问题持续存在，她会将问题反馈给相关品牌团队进行跟进。

“即使我个人无法解决问题，我认为正确的做法也不是简单地忽略观众。

“如果我能引导他们找到正确的途径，或者帮助他们了解下一步该怎么做，我很乐意这样做，”她说。

我认为与观众的关系会延续到直播结束后。如果人们足够信任你，在直播过程中提问，你肯定希望他们在直播结束后仍然感受到你对他们体验的关心。

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