The UK is home to a great many private sector businesses. Figures from the government point to there being over 4.7 million in England in 2024, and Wales boasts some 220,000 from a much smaller total pool. From there, ONS figures showed that there were over 106,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in operation in Wales in 2021.
SMBs are integral to local and national economies, and have a distinct advantage even over their larger private sector peers. The smaller firms can be much more nimble, especially when it comes to leveraging new technologies to get a competitive edge. Looking to 2026, for stores in the sales business, one tech looks to be increasingly vital.
Going Live to Become the Norm
While it used to just be the home of sports and other major entertainment events, live streaming has become the go-to way to enjoy all sorts of entertainment. A huge proponent of this ongoing trend has been the dedicated platform Twitch. According to 2025 figures from WPR, over 13 million UK residents use Twitch.
Because it’s free to stream on Twitch and offers a mostly passive viewing experience, it provides an easy and accessible way to enjoy hours of entertainment. However, live tech has been deployed in much more interactive ways in other corners of the internet. With a dedicated host and the ability to play in real time, live casino gaming has established itself as a key part of the online gaming landscape in the UK.
The “Best of Casino” section at one of the leading bingo sites online is all about these live games. Whether it’s Live Football Roulette or Grand Baccarat, the players tune in for the live stream, see the action unfold in real time, and get to bet as the hosts run through the game.
Live shopping leans much more into the use of the tech in live casino gaming than streaming on Twitch. The host sets up a show, presents items, and the program lets viewers buy those items in real time while also asking questions of the host. The goal is to make online shopping more personable, immersive, and interactive.
Live Shopping on the Climb in the UK
Live shopping was identified years ago as the next key emerging tech in eCommerce. That was greatly because of its dominance in China. However, it has regularly struggled to land in Western markets like the UK. Even those who have grown an audience in live shopping haven’t quite managed to hit the mainstream here.
Still, it’s an emerging path that’s tipped to change the path to purchase for many customers. The key is to tap into this desire to be entertained and offer desirable products. To hit those notes, the more successful live shopping streamers have leaned into the promise of a stream having exclusive discounts, limited-time products, and the like.
Both the fear of missing out and the suspense offered by what could be revealed and sold combine for a potent draw to online shoppers. Given the accessibility of the tech and the reach offered by social media, for example, SMBs can certainly get in on this burgeoning trend early and leverage it to create a key selling point.
Live streaming has the chance to be a transformative tech for online shopping overall, and Welsh SMBs are in the best position to work out the way that can unlock its potential in the UK.
