Unconventional Douyin livestreams are gripping young audiences

The "2024 Douyin E-commerce Influencer Growth Report," released in July, reveals that over the past year, 5.28 million new influencers joined Douyin E-commerce, a 74% increase from the previous year. Surprisingly, 81% of influencers with annual sales between ¥500,000 - ¥5 million ($70K-$700K) have fewer than 100,000 followers.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security recently officially recognized "online streamers" as one of 19 new professions, giving them official state recognition. Livestreaming has given ordinary workers a new way to showcase their value. The quirky, and sometimes even whacky, livestreams and short videos have drawn significant attention, becoming essential tools for everyday people to sell on Douyin. These videos may lack flashy editing, polished scripts, and can even be a bit rough around the edges, but they still rack up millions of likes and sales, making many people envious.

Ostrich Feather Duster Sales

A streamer captured viewers' attention by livestreaming an ostrich eagerly munching on cabbage. The stark contrast between the her calm demeanor and the ostrich’s frantic eating was like young people who seem composed on the outside while secretly teetering on the edge of a breakdown. This seemingly absurd content turned out to be a perfect stress-reliever. By cleverly using this quirky video style, the streamer managed to sell over ten thousand ostrich feather dusters.

Ostrich feather duster seller account with over 690,000 followers on Douyin . Image: Douyin @鸵飞飞 (顺通鸵鸟)

An amusing but stress-relieving short video promoting ostrich feather duster. Video: Douyin @鸵飞飞 (顺通鸵鸟)

Umbrella factory owner Lei Penglin

Lei Penglin’s umbrella factory was struggling under significant debt, so he turned to Douyin to sell his umbrellas. But unlike other sellers, he took a "crazy" approach to showcasing his umbrellas' wind resistance, quick-dry features, and UV protection. This funny and attention-grabbing style typically featured a serious-looking middle-aged man standing in an unfinished room, shaking an umbrella vigorously while a few strands of his hair flapped in the wind. Responding to viewers' quirky requests, Lei started designing and producing all sorts of "odd umbrellas," catering to the personalized tastes of young consumers. Thanks to his "anything-goes" attitude and wildly creative designs, his sales quadrupled in a year.

Umbrella factory owner Lei Penglin account with 2.18 million followers on Douyin. Image: Douyin @ 飞恋伞厂

Umbrella factory owner Lei Penglin promoting his products in an amusing way. Video: Douyin @飞恋伞厂

Umbrella factory owner Lei Penglin is very "receptive to suggestions." He has turned many creative umbrella ideas from his followers into reality, such as a glow-in-the-dark umbrella for night walks, a full-coverage umbrella you can wear on your head, and various umbrellas featuring cartoon characters.Image: Douyin @ 飞恋伞厂

Yang Guomin selling the sheep manure fertilizer

Believe it or not, you can now buy sheep manure fertilizer on Douyin. Yang Guomin was once a programmer, but he returned to his hometown in Inner Mongolia to take over his family’s sheep manure fertilizer business. Using the Douyin platform, he transformed what was once a bulk product for B2B clients into small, consumer-friendly packages. He also improved the factory equipment to ensure that the packaged sheep manure is virtually odourless. He shared livestreams and short videos demonstrating how to use the fertilizer and even took up gardening himself to better understand his customers' needs. This approach led to a fivefold increase in sales for his factory.

Sheep manure fertilizer seller account with 304,000 followers on Douyin. Image: Douyin @小羊厂长-纯羊粪发酵有机化肥

In his short videos and livestreams, he patiently educates viewers about his pure sheep manure organic fertilizer and compares it with similar products. It’s said that he even managed to "win over" a hater, who eventually became one of his employees. Image: Douyin @小羊厂长-纯羊粪发酵有机化肥

Electrician Wang Jiansheng

Wang Jiansheng, an electrician from Heze, Shandong, built a large following on Douyin by sharing his repair experiences and tips. His videos often show him tackling complex electrical problems. His content not only attracts viewers interested in practical home repair skills but also helps fellow professionals learn new techniques. Thanks to Wang’s efforts, ordinary and somehow outdated hardware items—things you’d usually pass by a hundred times at the local store without a second thought—have sold over 1.5 million units.

Electrician Wang Jiansheng account with over 9 million followers on Douyin. His videos record his daily repair routines, filled with suspense, twists, and unexpected endings. The engaging storytelling keeps viewers hooked, even if they don't have any background in electrical world. Image: Douyin @ 城阳电工电路