Live Shopping App Development Company

D2C brands and live commerce operators have the audience, the products, and the host talent. What they don't have is software that turns a live stream into a checkout. Generic video platforms drop viewers into a separate product page the moment they're ready to buy. Off-the-shelf live commerce tools cap out the moment your catalog, commission structure, or fulfillment workflow diverges from the template. We build the live shopping platform around your specific sales model.

  • Live video with in-stream checkout so viewers buy without leaving the broadcast

  • Product catalog overlays that surface the right item at the right moment in the stream

  • Influencer and creator commission tracking, automated from event to payout

  • Order management and fulfillment integration so inventory and orders stay in sync in real time

Recognition

Sound familiar?

  • Viewers drop off the moment your stream links out to a separate product page to complete the purchase?

  • Managing influencer commission payouts across dozens of creators on spreadsheets, reconciling manually after every event?

  • Running live events on a generic platform that can't handle your product catalog overlays or real-time inventory sync?

The short answer

RaftLabs builds custom live shopping app development solutions for D2C brands, live commerce platform operators, and influencer-led selling businesses. We ship live video infrastructure with in-stream checkout, product catalog overlays, viewer engagement tools, and influencer commission management, all connected to your existing order management and fulfillment systems. Most live commerce projects deliver in 12 to 18 weeks at a fixed cost.

What is live commerce software?

Live commerce software combines real-time video streaming with an in-stream product catalog and checkout so viewers can discover and buy products without leaving the broadcast. Live shopping app development covers the video delivery layer, interactive product overlays, the purchase and payment flow, and the back-end systems for inventory sync, order routing, and creator commission management.

01 Diagnosis

Problems we solve for live commerce businesses

  1. 01
    Problem

    Viewers leave the stream the moment they want to buy

    Solution

    The gap between a viewer's intent and a completed purchase is where live commerce revenue disappears. When clicking a product link navigates to a separate page, the stream is gone, the momentum is broken, and a significant share of buyers never come back. Generic video platforms were not built with a checkout layer. Third-party overlays bolted onto streaming tools create latency, visual inconsistency, and fragile integrations that break at scale.According to getstream.io's Livestream Shopping Statistics report, live shopping conversion rates run between 9% and 30%, compared with 2% to 3% for standard e-commerce. That lift only materialises when the checkout stays inside the stream. Every redirect cuts into it.An in-stream checkout built as a native layer in the video player keeps the viewer in the broadcast, the cart visible alongside the product presentation, and the payment flow inside the same screen. The host can call out a product, the overlay surfaces it, and the viewer checks out in under 30 seconds without the stream disappearing.

  2. 02
    Problem

    Influencer commission tracking runs on spreadsheets reconciled after every event

    Solution

    When a brand works with five creators a week, post-event commission reconciliation is a manageable task. When the program scales to 20 or 50 creators running events across multiple channels, the same spreadsheet process becomes a full-time job and an ongoing source of disputes. Manual attribution breaks when a viewer watches one creator's stream and completes the purchase 20 minutes later in another creator's session. The right creator doesn't get credited, payouts are contested, and the most productive creators lose confidence in the program.A commission engine built for live commerce tracks sales to the session and creator in real time during the event, handles split attribution when viewer journeys cross sessions, applies your configured rate structure by product category or creator tier, and generates a payout file at event close. Creators see their own earnings dashboard. Finance sees the reconciliation automatically.

  3. 03
    Problem

    Product catalog overlays are out of sync with live inventory

    Solution

    When a host presents a product that the overlay shows as available but the warehouse has already sold out, the order is placed, the fulfillment team cancels it, and the customer experience ends in a refund request. Live commerce operates at a speed that exposes every lag in inventory data. Batch-syncing product availability every 15 minutes, which is how most live tools connect to a commerce backend, is too slow when a popular SKU can sell out in 90 seconds.A live product catalog overlay connected to your commerce backend via a real-time webhook or streaming API surfaces live pricing, available stock, and variant options at the moment the host calls out the item. When stock hits zero, the overlay updates immediately. Orders placed in the stream flow into the same fulfillment queue as your website, with no parallel channel to reconcile.

  4. 04
    Problem

    No analytics to understand which moments in a stream drove purchases

    Solution

    Running live events without purchase-level analytics means repeating the same event format without knowing which product presentations converted, which host moments triggered add-to-cart spikes, or which viewer segments drop off before checkout. Most live shopping tools offer view counts and a total sales figure. That is not enough to improve the program. The product decision of whether to continue investing in live commerce depends on unit economics that generic analytics can't surface.A live commerce analytics layer captures viewer engagement, add-to-cart events, checkout initiations, and completed purchases at the timestamp level. You can see exactly which moment in a 40-minute stream drove the conversion spike, which products got presented but generated no cart activity, and how a specific creator's audience converts compared with your own brand channel.

02 What we ship

Live commerce software we build

  1. Live video with in-stream checkout

    We build the full video delivery and checkout stack as one integrated system. Video is delivered via WebRTC for ultra-low latency or HLS for scale, depending on whether your use case requires sub-second interactivity or the ability to serve tens of thousands of concurrent viewers. The in-stream checkout lives as a native overlay inside the player: a product card surfaces, the viewer taps to expand, selects variants, and completes payment without the video pausing or the page changing.

    Payment processing integrates with Stripe, PayPal, or your existing payment gateway. Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported for one-tap checkout on mobile. The cart persists across the session so viewers can add multiple items before checking out at the end of the stream.

    Built for D2C brands replacing the "link in bio" to external product pages, live commerce operators building a branded channel, and social commerce businesses that need owned checkout rather than platform-dependent buying flows.

  2. Product catalog overlays and tagging

    Product overlays are the bridge between what the host is presenting and what the viewer can buy. We build the overlay system as a tool the producer or host controls in real time: queue a product, trigger the overlay at the right moment, and it appears on screen for viewers across all surfaces simultaneously. Each overlay card shows the product image, name, price, and available variants pulled live from your catalog.

    Inventory status updates in real time via webhook integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, or your custom commerce backend. When a SKU sells out, the overlay reflects it within seconds. Hosts can feature multiple products simultaneously using a carousel overlay format, or spotlight one item with a full-screen takeover card.

    Built for fashion and beauty brands where product presentation timing is part of the sales technique, home goods operators who demo multiple items per session, and electronics retailers where spec comparison in the overlay drives conversion.

  3. Influencer and creator commission management

    Commission management for live commerce is more complex than affiliate tracking because the attribution window and the multi-host scenarios require event-level logic, not simple UTM parameters. We build commission engines that track every sale to the specific session and creator who drove it, handle co-host attribution splits where two creators appear in the same event, and apply configurable rate structures by product category, creator tier, or promotional period.

    Creators access a dashboard showing their per-event earnings, total payouts, and performance trends across sessions. Payout processing integrates with Stripe Connect for automated disbursements or generates payout files compatible with your payroll system. Disputed attributions are resolved by the audit trail built into every session record.

    Built for brands running influencer-led live programs with 5 or more active creators, live commerce marketplaces connecting multiple sellers to creator hosts, and social commerce agencies managing creator performance across a client portfolio.

  4. Viewer engagement and interactive tools

    Engagement during a live event is the mechanism that holds viewers in the stream until checkout. A passive viewer watching a product presentation is less likely to buy than one who has asked a question, responded to a poll, or claimed a limited-offer code. We build the engagement layer that keeps the broadcast interactive: live chat with moderation tools, viewer polls and Q&A queues surfaced to the host, flash sales and countdown timers that create urgency, and virtual reactions that give the host a real-time read of viewer sentiment.

    Gamification features such as early-access product reveals for viewers who have watched more than 10 minutes, loyalty point accrual for purchases made during a live event, and referral mechanics that reward viewers who share the stream to a friend are available as optional modules.

    Built for beauty and wellness brands whose hosts build audience relationships over multiple sessions, consumer electronics operators who use Q&A to address pre-purchase objections live, and loyalty program operators who want to reward their most engaged live shopping audience.

  5. Order management and fulfillment integration

    Orders placed during a live event need to enter the same fulfillment workflow as every other order in your operation. A parallel order system for live commerce creates a reconciliation burden and a support gap: the customer who placed an order during a stream but can't find it in their account history is a high-friction support ticket. We connect the live commerce checkout directly to your existing order management system so live orders are indistinguishable from web orders in your fulfillment queue.

    Integration covers Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and custom OMS platforms. 3PL and warehouse management system connections are available for operators running their own logistics. Post-purchase flows, including order confirmation emails, shipping notifications via SendGrid or Klaviyo, and return workflows, are handled by your existing systems without configuration changes.

    Built for D2C operators who run live events as a sales channel alongside their website, multi-brand marketplace operators where each seller has their own fulfillment setup, and brands using third-party logistics where warehouse instructions must arrive in a specific format.

  6. Live commerce analytics and reporting

    The unit economics of live commerce are only legible if you can see revenue by session, by creator, by product, and by the moment in the stream when conversion spiked. We build analytics dashboards that capture viewer count over time, add-to-cart events at the timestamp level, checkout initiation and completion rates, revenue per product featured, and creator-level performance metrics across multiple events.

    Session replay with purchase event annotation lets you review a past broadcast and see exactly when viewer engagement peaked and which host actions triggered cart activity. Cohort analysis shows whether viewers who attend live events have higher lifetime value than those who only buy on the website. Data exports integrate with your existing BI tools or Google Looker Studio for reporting to stakeholders who don't log into the platform directly.

    Built for live commerce operators making program investment decisions based on ROI, brands evaluating which creators drive the highest-value customers, and marketplace operators who need per-seller live commerce performance data for their merchant reports.

03 How we work

How we build live commerce software

  1. 01

    Discovery

    We map your event format, sales model, and the integrations that matter most: commerce backend, payment processor, fulfillment system, and any existing creator management tools. We identify where your current setup creates friction for viewers, hosts, and operations, and agree on a scope that delivers a live commerce platform built around your specific program rather than a generic video commerce template. A fixed-price specification is produced before development begins.
  2. 02

    Architecture and integrations

    We design the video delivery architecture for your expected concurrent viewer counts and latency requirements, the real-time product catalog sync with your commerce backend, and the checkout flow that keeps the purchase inside the stream. Third-party integrations with Stripe, Shopify, or your OMS are prototyped in the first sprint because they carry the most integration risk. Commission logic and attribution rules are agreed and documented before the first line of commission code is written.
  3. 03

    Build

    Two-week sprints with working software at each checkpoint. The live video player with in-stream checkout ships first so you can test the core buying experience early. Product overlays, commission tracking, and engagement tools follow in subsequent sprints. You review working software at each checkpoint, not wireframes. The broadcast producer tools and creator dashboard are built in parallel with the viewer-facing experience.
  4. 04

    Event testing and launch

    Before go-live, we run a private test event with real video, real products, and a live payment flow so your team can rehearse the producer workflow and confirm the checkout performs under load. Load testing confirms the infrastructure handles your peak concurrent viewer estimate. Post-launch support covers the first three live events with a direct escalation path so any production issues are resolved before they affect the audience.

Companies we've built for

Vodafone
Nike
Microsoft
Cisco
T-Mobile
Aldi
Heineken
GE

04 Track record

What live commerce businesses get when they work with us

Week delivery for live commerce platforms
12-18
Software products shipped across commerce and consumer categories
100+
Live shopping conversion rates vs 2-3% for standard e-commerce
9-30%
Cost delivery, agreed before development starts
Fixed

06 Client voices

What our clients say

Three-year average engagement. Founders and operators describing the work in their own words. No marketing varnish.

D
Daniel Reeves
USA flagUSA
CEO

RaftLabs nailed what other agencies couldn't — they started with our business problem and worked backwards to the right product. We were live in 14 weeks.

07 Why us

Why choose us?

  1. 01

    We've seen your problem before

    The industry changes. The broken process usually looks the same. Across 14+ industries and 100+ products, we recognise your problem fast, and we frame the fix around your margin and your operations.

  2. 02

    We own the number, not the ticket

    We measure success the way you do: hours saved, revenue earned, margin recovered. We stay through launch and growth, so the result is ours to own.

  3. 03

    Serious businesses trust us

    Vodafone, T-Mobile, Cisco, Energia, Aldi, Nike. Six years, 100+ products in production, 4.9 on Clutch. Serious businesses keep coming back because we stay accountable long after launch.

08 Questions

Frequently asked questions

Yes. We build live commerce infrastructure that delivers simultaneous streams to web (embedded player), iOS, and Android from a single broadcast session. The in-stream checkout experience is consistent across surfaces. Product overlays, viewer comments, and cart interactions sync in real time regardless of which surface the viewer is on.

In-stream checkout keeps the purchase flow inside the video player using an overlay drawer or slide-in panel. The viewer taps a product card, selects size or variant, and completes payment without the stream pausing or the page changing. Payment is processed via Stripe or your existing payment gateway. The cart and order confirmation all sit within the player UI.

Yes. We build commission engines that track sales attributable to each creator or host in real time during the event, apply your configured commission rates by product category or creator tier, and generate payout summaries at event close. Integration with Stripe Connect or a payroll API handles the actual disbursement. The creator dashboard shows earnings per event with a full attribution audit trail.

A focused live shopping build covering video streaming, in-stream checkout, product overlays, and order integration typically delivers in 12 to 18 weeks. Cost depends on the number of surfaces (web only vs. web plus iOS and Android), the complexity of the commission model, and the number of third-party systems needing integration. Most projects fall in the $40,000 to $120,000 range. Fixed cost is agreed before development starts.

Yes. Integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, and custom commerce backends is standard. We connect the live commerce layer to your product catalog so overlays pull live pricing and inventory, and orders placed during a stream flow into your existing fulfillment workflow. No parallel order management system is needed.

Yes. Multi-host streaming where a brand and one or more creators appear together, plus co-streaming to simultaneous destinations such as your owned app and a social channel, are features we build into custom live commerce platforms. Each host gets their own commission attribution within the same event.

We build on proven infrastructure: WebRTC for ultra-low latency interactive streams and HLS via AWS CloudFront or Mux for high-concurrency broadcasts. The architecture is load-tested against your peak audience estimate before launch. For operators expecting 10,000 or more concurrent viewers, we design the delivery layer for that scale from the start rather than retrofitting capacity later.

Ready to build your live commerce and live shopping software solution?

Tell us what you are building and we will scope it out together.

  • Scope and cost agreed before work starts. No surprises. No obligation.
  • Working prototype within 3 weeks of kickoff.
  • Pay by milestone. You see progress before each invoice.
  • 60-day post-launch warranty. Bug fixes, UI tweaks, and deployment support. No retainer.
  • All conversations are NDA-protected.