10 live shopping show ideas for October and November
Use October to build an audience with low-pressure shows like new arrivals, behind-the-scenes and gift previews, then use November for urgency-driven shows like Black Friday previews, live-only deals and gift-guide marathons.
The best October and November live shows build an audience first and sell hard second: start in October with relaxed, useful shows, then use November for Black Friday previews, live-only deals and gift shows. Below are ten ideas you can run on any LiveShoply plan.
Why start in October instead of on Black Friday?
Black Friday is the most crowded week of the year for shoppers' attention. If your first live show is that week, you're asking strangers to show up at a specific time while every other brand is emailing them. A few October shows give you a list of reminder subscribers, practice in front of the camera, and replays you can reuse.
By the time November arrives, your regulars already know when you go live, and you know which formats work for your store.
October: shows that build an audience
1. Fall new arrivals walkthrough
Show five to eight new products, one at a time, with honest notes on fit, materials or use. Pin each product as you talk about it. This is the simplest format and a good first show.
2. Behind the scenes: how it's made
Film the workshop, packing table or studio. Explain one step of how a product is made or sourced. Pin the products that come out of that process. People who feel they know your store are more likely to come back for the holiday shows.
3. Ask-me-anything with product polls
Open the floor to questions about sizing, care or ingredients, and use polls to let viewers vote on which product you demo next. Polls are on every plan and give you a quick read on what your audience cares about before you plan November.
4. Halloween or "cozy season" styling session
Build three looks, rooms or routines around a seasonal theme. This works for apparel, home goods, beauty and accessories. Keep it light; the goal is attendance and replay content.
5. Early gift guide preview
Late October is when organized shoppers start their lists. Do a short show of gift ideas grouped by recipient or price point, and tell viewers that the full gift show is coming in November. Ask them to sign up for the reminder.
November: shows that convert
6. Black Friday sneak peek
About a week before Black Friday, show what will be on offer without revealing every price. End with the exact date and time of your Black Friday show and a reminder sign-up. Our guide to promoting a live event covers how to fill that room.
7. Live-only deal hour
Run a show built around a live-only discount code. In LiveShoply these are real Shopify codes valid for 24 hours and once per customer, so they reward people for showing up without becoming a permanent discount. Price the deal carefully; see our guide to live deals.
8. Gift guide marathon
A longer show split into clear segments: "for her," "for him," "under $30," "stocking stuffers." Segments make the replay easy to skim, which matters because many viewers will watch it later.
9. Bundle builder
Put together ready-made gift bundles on camera and explain why the items go together. Shoppers who are short on ideas appreciate being told what to buy, and bundles can raise order value without deeper discounts.
10. Giveaway thank-you show
Run a keyword giveaway: viewers type a word in chat to enter. Use it to thank regulars and to give new viewers a reason to stay to the end. Read how to run a giveaway for rules and fairness tips, and check your local rules on giveaways.
How should you schedule these shows?
You don't need all ten. A realistic plan for a small team:
- Early October: new arrivals walkthrough.
- Mid October: behind the scenes or AMA with polls.
- Late October: early gift guide preview.
- Mid November: Black Friday sneak peek.
- Black Friday week: live-only deal hour or gift guide marathon.
Pick the same weekday and time each show if you can. Consistency is easier to remember than a perfect time slot. Check Insights after each show to see when viewers joined and which products got orders, then adjust.
Watch your viewer minutes as attendance grows. A show with 30 viewers watching for an hour is 1,800 viewer minutes, and replay viewing counts too. The Free plan includes 300 minutes a month, so if you're planning several shows plus replays, look at Starter or Growth. Shows are never cut off mid-stream when minutes run out.
What to prepare before each show
- A run sheet. A list of products in order, with one line on each. The show script template is a good starting point.
- Stock check. Make sure featured products have inventory for the spike.
- Reminders. Schedule the show early and promote the reminder sign-up. On Starter and above, email reminders and Klaviyo sync are included.
- Discount codes. Create live-only codes in advance so you're not setting them up on camera.
- A test stream. Check camera, sound and lighting, especially if you're streaming from a phone. See going live from your phone.
- A replay plan. Decide where the replay will go before you go live: live page, product pages and the next-day email.
If you have a little more time, write down one learning after each show: the product that got the most questions, the moment chat went quiet, the point where viewers joined. By November you will have a short list of what your audience responds to, which is more useful than any generic advice. Use it to choose which of the November formats above to run, and which hero products to lead with.
Start with one show in October, even a short one. The second show is always easier than the first, and you'll want that practice behind you before the busiest weeks of the year.