Livestreaming has become a new way for clothing retailers at the Qingdao Jimo Clothing Market to boost apparel sales and stimulate domestic demand.

Presenters showcase products while responding to feedback from viewers online. The links embed real-time broadcasts and allow viewers to place orders immediately.

A retailer sells clothes via a livestream in Jimo district, Qingdao. [Photo/guanhai.com.cn]

"Today is the 20th day since I started livestreaming sales. I never thought that selling clothes online could have such a huge effect," said Li Qian, a 36-year-old clothing merchant.

"During the two-hour-long livestream, I can sell 800 to 1,000 articles of clothing, which would have been unthinkable before," she said.

Before the livestream, her clothing store usually sold only about 20 pieces a day.

Clothing shop owners in Jimo boost sales through livestreaming. [Photo/guanhai.com.cn]

"Livestreaming sales are like upgraded television shopping, but with lower demands placed on the equipment. Lights and cameras are all you need," said Li.  

More merchants at the Jimo Clothing Market have been promoting clothing sales via livestreaming like Li.

"Now we host a livestream every day and our daily sales are around 1,000 articles of clothing worth 100,000 yuan ($15,300)," said Wang Jing, a shoe store owner.

A training base for internet influencers in Jimo [Photo/guanhai.com.cn]

In recent years, Jimo district has been ramping up efforts to promote livestreaming e-commerce in order to boost its retail sector.

It has taken many measures to facilitate new shopping and consumption models, such as introducing multi-channel network (MCN) institutions, opening online sales channels for offline businesses, and providing livestreaming e-commerce training courses in order to offer "digital transformation" solutions for more enterprises.

A merchant sells shoes through a livestream. [Photo/guanhai.com.cn]