TalkShopLive bets on alcohol as the next frontier for livestream shopping

“Given the demand and the inbound requests that we had from so many talent to come on with their alcohol brands, we were, like, ‘We have an immediate opportunity for this,’” Moore told Modern Retail in an interview.  “There’s no other live shopping platform that allows the sale of alcohol.”

TalkShopLive’s platform already supports purchases across categories like books, beauty and home goods. Now, with alcohol added to the mix, the company is aiming to tap into one of the most explosive areas of celebrity-backed consumer products. By one estimate, there were more than 350 celebrity-affiliated alcohol brands in late 2022, up from fewer than 40 in 2018. Consumers often pay on average 73% more for celebrity-branded spirits compared to comparable products. 

To Moore, livestreaming offers a natural distribution channel for alcohol sales. “When you look at the scale of what talent can sell through TalkShopLive by distributing the content and meeting partners where they are, that’s why they want to come and launch alcohol,” Moore said. 

The company has already worked with celebrity clients including Kevin Hart, Jimmy Fallon and Cynthia Erivo on product launches. Moore said TalkShopLive’s new alcohol feature could be integrated into broader marketing campaigns, such as pairing wine launches with cookbook promotions or music drops. 

While Moore didn’t name the first brands launching on the platform, he said several are lined up to go live soon — and a “pretty significant” waitlist of brands and talent is already in place. Any licensed alcohol brand can participate, not just celebrities. 

The move comes as TalkShopLive’s business is gaining traction on multiple fronts. The company operates both a consumer-facing marketplace and an enterprise division that powers livestream shopping for major retailers like Walmart. Sales on the TalkShopLive Marketplace alone more than doubled year-over-year in the first quarter. Across the full business, total shoppable syndications grew 60% year-over-year, with Meta properties remaining the company’s top simulcast destinations. Moore said two new social platform partnerships will roll out later this year.

In 2024, TalkShopLive doubled its audience, with “Add to Cart” actions increasing by over 120%, the company previously told Modern Retail. TalkShopLive also achieved profitability for the first time in 2024.

Sobering sales

While TalkShopLive is leaning into the marketing power of celebrity liquor brands, its entry into alcohol comes at a tricky time for the industry. Overall U.S. alcohol consumption is falling. According to the Beer Institute, beer volumes dropped nearly 6% through May. Wine and spirits fared even worse, with volumes falling 9% and 5.6%, respectively, per the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America.

Younger adults, like Gen Z and younger millennials, are increasingly less likely to drink alcohol compared to previous generations. A growing number of consumers are viewing moderate drinking as harmful to their health. In January, the U.S. surgeon general issued a report warning that alcoholic drinks should carry cancer warning labels.

Selling alcohol online is also is legally complex. Online alcohol sales in the U.S. are projected to reach between $30 billion and $40 billion by 2028. But they’re governed by a web of federal, state and local regulations, which vary depending on where customers and sellers are based. 

To navigate that, TalkShopLive developed a built-in compliance framework that includes real-time age verification at checkout and again at delivery. “Alcohol products purchased through the TalkShopLive platform will be age verified at point of purchase and delivery to ensure compliance with all federal, state and local laws,” Moore said. 

Brands that want to sell alcohol on the platform must also become verified sellers. That includes submitting licensing documentation and agreeing to additional terms before they can go live. Once approved, sellers can list their alcohol products just like any other item, using the platform’s native checkout or its embeddable shoppable video player. TalkShopLive is also protected from any legal liability for improper sales, as the distributors are the merchant of record for alcohol products sold through the platform. 

Celebrity content

Founded in 2018, TalkShopLive has grown by inking deals with publishers and retailers, including Walmart, Amazon and NBCUniversal. The thrust of TalkShopLive’s pitch to retailers, platforms and creators stems from its embeddable video player, which allows content to be shared across multiple channels and platforms. A user can watch and buy products from a live feed on any site, whether it’s a retailer’s website or a celebrity’s social media, with no need to download a separate app. 

To Melissa Minkow, director of retail strategy at CI&T, alcohol sales present unique friction points that could complicate the live shopping experience.

“This won’t feel as seamless of a live shopping experience as other categories because of the regulation,” she said. “Obviously, you have to verify that you’re of a certain age. … You may even eventually just have to upload your ID.”

That could slow down impulse buys — one of livestream commerce’s key selling points. “I don’t really see alcoholic beverages as an impulsive purchase most of the time,” Minkow said. 

Still, Minkow said the pairing of celebrity content with product launches could overcome that. “If you like these artists or you like these celebrities, why wouldn’t you want more content from them? The content itself will be a big part of the appeal.”