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

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. 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. Between 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 SHOPPINGLivestream 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 SCENEAs 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. 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 with 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 can 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 buyer 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. 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 SCAMSNot all sellers are so conscientious, and the sector's swift growth has inevitably attracted unscrupulous sellers.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. 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. 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 session 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."