Canada-based live shopping solution Livescale has raised $2.5m in an equity financing round led by Luge Capital and Granicus Group, with participation from Inovia Capital, Panache Ventures, Real Ventures, French Founders and strategic angel investors.
The funding is intended to help Livescale expand into new markets and invest in product development.
Launched in 2016, Livescale is a live shopping platform that allows merchants and brands to host live e-commerce shopping events on desktop, tablet and mobile devices. The service integrates directly with payment processors which allow shoppers to checkout and pay without leaving the livestream. Some 300 brands, including Lancôme (L’Oréal), have used Livescale.
The company’s technology platform is integrated with Shopify and Salesforce Commerce Cloud and gives merchants control over the look and feel of their live shopping events. Customers can interact with the livestream by asking questions, adding comments, chatting and buying within the Livescale platform.
Livescale can integrate directly with a merchant’s e-commerce and the Canadian company claims that its flexible model has provided clients with a higher conversion and customer acquisition rate compared to competitors.
The company says it has seen business accelerate as the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted consumers online and brands look to maintain engagement amid lockdowns and quarantines.
Luge Capital general partner Karim Gillani said live shopping generated an estimated $242bn in sales for 2020 across Asian markets and is projected to reach $474bn in 2023.
Livescale will share insights on selling through livestreaming during a panel at the virtual Beauty Tech Live event, which will take place from April 12-16. The panel – How To Sell Through Livestreaming – it will be held on April 15 at 16:30pm CET.
Register for Beauty Tech Live here and register for the Livescale panel here