Live Streaming Ecommerce
Live Streaming Ecommerce on Your Own Store
Show the product. Take the order. Keep the replay.
A WooCommerce store sells during a live stream by showcasing products beside the video player. Orders go through your own checkout, using a clear streaming plan and scheduled hours.
Thursday new-arrivals show
Streaming from Your Store WebsiteShow it live, sell it in your store
Add the player
Install the WpStream plugin and WooCommerce on your WordPress site. Create a live channel.
Place the player on a product page or use the Hello WpStream theme's demo. Activate "Record Live Stream" before going live.
Stream via browser or OBS
Use a webcam or phone in any modern browser. Alternatively, stream from OBS or Larix using your channel's server URL and stream key.
Orders in WooCommerce
Shoppers can view the product card next to the player. They can add items to their cart and pay at your checkout. Orders will appear in WooCommerce like any other.
Run live sales on your WordPress store and link featured products directly to your shop. Enable Lock to Website to keep the stream on your site.
Live Commerce, Defined
How does live commerce work on your own store?
Live commerce involves selling products during a live video. A host shows products while shoppers watch, ask questions, and buy. The video plays on your site, with products displayed alongside. All orders go through your WooCommerce cart and checkout.
Market Data: Grand View Research estimates the global live commerce market at USD 172.86 billion by 2025. A McKinsey study found that in 2021, apparel and fashion made up 36% of live shows, with beauty and food around 7% each.
Marketplaces and social apps host their own live shopping. For options, check our guide to live shopping and the best platforms.
| Route | What the shopper does | Where checkout happens | What you install |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route: Hello WpStream Live Shopping demo | What the shopper does: Watches the stream page, opens a product card in the Products list, adds it to the cart on the product page | Where checkout happens: Your WooCommerce cart page opens after Add to Cart, then your checkout | What you install: The Hello WpStream theme with its one-click demo import, WpStream plugin, Elementor, WooCommerce; Better Messages for chat |
| Route: Player on your own product or landing page | What the shopper does: Watches on that page, then uses its Add to Cart or the products you link | Where checkout happens: Your checkout, from that page's Add to Cart | What you install: WpStream plugin and WooCommerce; the WpStream Player block, Elementor element or shortcode |
| Route: Paid live access (a ticketed show or members-only sale) | What the shopper does: Buys the Live Channel product, then watches the show | Where checkout happens: Your checkout; the watch link arrives in the confirmation email and My Orders | What you install: WooCommerce for pay-per-view; WooCommerce Subscriptions for recurring access |
| Route: Replay page after the show | What the shopper does: Watches the recording beside the same products | Where checkout happens: Your checkout, from the same product pages as the live show | What you install: Record Live Stream turned on, then a free or pay-per-view video on demand |
What the Shopper Sees
The Live Player
The show plays on your store page. Enable "Display Viewer Count" to show the number of viewers.
Products Beside the Stream
The demo showcases a products list next to the player. Each card displays the product image, name, and price, linking to its product page.
Cart and Checkout
Shoppers can select a size or colour and add items to their cart. The demo links directly to your cart page, ensuring purchases happen in your store. Paid orders appear in WooCommerce.
Gear for a Store Studio
A phone or webcam is enough for your first sale show. With "Auto TURN ON," the encoder starts the channel automatically for your next live stream.
Phone or Webcam
Works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. Use the camera and microphone of your choice. Larix Broadcaster is available for iPhone and Android.
Soft Front Light
Position soft light slightly above eye level. This helps with lighting, especially for the selfie camera.
Clip-on Microphone
An external mic ensures clear audio, even when the host turns to grab products.
Product Close-up
Add a second camera for product details. Ensure both the host and product remain in frame.
OBS Scenes
Create scenes for the host, product close-up, and price card. Use Studio Mode to prepare scenes before they go live. Set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds.
Upload Check
Use the WpStream speed tester before the show. Keep audio and video bitrate below the lowest reading. OBS recommends around 160 kbps for audio.
Run a Sale Show from Promo to Replay
Two people manage a store show effectively. One hosts while the other switches scenes and answers chat. Add a moderator for busy chats.
Start with a test show featuring a low-selling product. Promote the show to your email list, on your site, and social media.
Before
Promote the show
Inform customers via email, banners, and social media. Answer these questions: What’s on the show? What’s in it for them? When do you go live?
Rehearse
Test with one product
Conduct a short test stream with a low-selling product. Check scenes, light, sound, and product links.
Live
Show, Point, Price, Stock
Keep both the host and product in view. Discuss quality, fit, and function. Announce the price and stock levels.
After
Publish the Replay
Create a replay page with the same products. Notify shoppers they can watch and shop again.
Orders and Stock
What happens to stock and orders during a drop?
Every sale from the show is a regular WooCommerce order. Payments trigger stock updates, just like any other day.
Enable stock management to automatically adjust items sold. Set each size or colour with its own stock.
The setting "Only show stock when low" displays lines such as "Only 2 left in stock", which the host can announce.
"Hold Stock" retains items for unpaid orders for a set time before releasing them.
After the Show
The replay stays on your store
Ensure "Record Live Stream" is enabled before starting the channel. After the show, the recording appears under WpStream, then Recordings, ready for conversion to video on demand.
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Plans sized in broadcast, viewer and recording hours
Lite
Lite: $24/month or $190/year. Includes 100 broadcast and 500 viewer hours, 200 viewers, and 25 recording hours.
Plus
Plus: $59/month or $490/year. Includes 250 broadcast and 2,000 viewer hours, 1,000 viewers, and 100 recording hours.
The trial
Free trial offers 100 viewer, 20 broadcast, and 10 recording hours with full features.
Plan Hours
How many hours does a weekly sale show use?
Three metrics matter: broadcast hours (time live), viewer hours (total watch time), and recording hours (stored replays).
Example: One-hour show each Thursday, five shows in a busy month, and 60 viewers live. You’ll need to track viewer hours carefully.
| Meter | What the show uses | Lite includes | Fits? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meter: Broadcast hours | What the show uses: 5 shows + 5 tests of 15 minutes = 6.25 | Lite includes: 100 a month | Fits?: Yes |
| Meter: Viewer hours | What the show uses: 300 live + 100 replay = 400 | Lite includes: 500 a month | Fits?: Yes, the tightest meter |
| Meter: Simultaneous viewers | What the show uses: 60 at peak | Lite includes: 200 | Fits?: Yes |
| Meter: Recording hours | What the show uses: 5 more for each month of kept replays | Lite includes: 25 stored | Fits?: About 5 months, then delete old replays or move to Plus |
| Meter: Live channels | What the show uses: 1 | Lite includes: 5 | Fits?: Yes |
Nine Checks Before Your First Live Sale
Conduct a thorough check of your store and channel before the show. Each point references the specific setting for easy fixing.
Store checklist, nine points
01
Products are ready: prices, photos, sizes, and colours set as variations with their own stock.
02
Place the player on a product page or import the Live Shopping demo with the Hello WpStream theme.
03
Turn on Record Live Stream in Channel Settings before activating the channel.
05
Chat is set up: Better Messages is ready, shoppers must log in to post, and one person is assigned to respond.
06
Keep Low Latency off unless you need quick timing. It’s still in beta, and shoppers on weak connections may experience buffering.
07
Run a speed test at showtime. Ensure the bitrate is below the lowest reading and set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds.
08
Do a short test stream with a low-selling product. It uses broadcast hours, so keep it brief.
09
Invite shoppers: WpStream doesn’t bring them, so email your customers, post on social media, and add a site banner.
Your store, your checkout, your replay.
More on Live Shopping
The Phenomena of Live Shopping and Changing Online Buying Experience
Discover the live shopping format and where to run a show: a marketplace, a social app, or your own site.
Live Shopping Demo: Engage and Sell with the Hello WpStream Theme
Learn about the Live Shopping demo for the Hello WpStream theme, what it sets up, and how to install it.
Live Shopping for WooCommerce Stores
Understand why WooCommerce stores try live shopping and how a store show works from product to checkout.
Live streaming ecommerce questions, answered
Not in the video itself. With WpStream, products appear alongside the player as linked cards with an image, name, and price. Shoppers can open a product, add it to the cart, and pay via your WooCommerce checkout before returning to the stream page. Orders go into WooCommerce like any other sale.
A phone or webcam, a soft light in front of the host, and a clip-on microphone are enough to start. Go live from the browser, or use OBS or Larix with your WpStream channel’s server URL and stream key. You can add a second camera for close-ups later and run a speed test before each show. Our streaming equipment guide lists full kits.
Yes, live streaming e-commerce works on your own store. The WpStream player can go on any page of your WordPress site, with products alongside it. Orders go through WooCommerce like any other sale. For options between marketplaces, social apps, and your site, see live shopping. On Shopify, read how to add live video.
No, a store owner or staff member who is comfortable on camera can host. A second person can manage scenes and chat. If the host isn’t the site admin, WpStream allows you to choose user roles to broadcast, so staff can go live from their own login. Start with short shows at a regular time.
Usually not. A normal stream reaches shoppers about 20 seconds after the room. Low Latency (beta) reduces that to roughly 2 to 5 seconds, but shoppers on weak Wi-Fi or mobile data may experience buffering. For a drop, your stock settings protect the last items, not the delay.
If Record Live Stream was on before activating the channel, the recording will appear in your Recordings list. You can turn it into a free or pay-per-view video on demand and place it beside the same products. Each hour you keep uses one recording hour of your WpStream plan, capping the total length of stored video.
A one-hour show every Thursday with 60 live shoppers, a 15-minute test, and 40 shoppers watching half of each replay uses about 6.25 broadcast, 400 viewer, and 5 recording hours in a five-show month. This fits WpStream Lite, costing $24 a month or $190 a year as of September 2026. If you have over 80 live shoppers, you’ll need Plus. Try it first with the free trial.
Invite them yourself. WpStream isn’t a marketplace and doesn’t bring shoppers, so email your customers, post on social media, and add a banner on your shop. Mention which collection you will show, what’s in it for them, and when you go live. Maintain a regular slot, like Thursday evenings, so customers know when to return.
Ready when you are
Start your free trial
Try live broadcasting and replays on your website.