TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A survey showed that over 70% of internet users in Taiwan have engaged in real-time online shopping sessions amid a boom in livestreaming e-commerce.

The five most popular platforms for product selling events are Facebook (36.9%), YouTube (34.8%), Shopee (22.8%), Line (15.3%), and Instagram (10.5%), according to research by the Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC), a Taiwan-based think tank.

Among them, Facebook and YouTube are well-received among users of all age groups, while the other three appeal to specific communities. For example, over 20% of respondents aged 18 to 24 would watch Instagram livestreaming events, while only 6% of those aged 35 and above prefer the platform generally.

The top ten best performing categories in livestreaming commerce are dining and cuisine; personal finance; electronics; travel and accommodation; daily essentials; sales information; accessories, shoes, and bags; fruits, vegetables, and aquatic products; self-improvement; and cosmetics.

Markedly, personal finance replaced travel as the second best-faring topic, reflecting a shift of interest from tourism to investment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, about 26.4% of respondents said they would place orders through livestreaming events, higher than the 22% in 2020. Interactive activities and engagement tactics such as games and raffles appeared a plus for generating sales, the survey suggested.

The poll, conducted online in the three months ending June this year, obtained 1,200 valid samples with a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83 percentage points.