Entertainment, Community, Trust: Palmstreet’s Playbook for Livestream Commerce

Palmstreet is building what they call the world’s online “Main Street”—and the engagement is wild. In this episode, Chen Li (Founder & CEO, Palmstreet) joins Renee and Chris to unpack the metrics behind their growth: shoppers spend an average of 2.5 hours per day on the app, first-year buyers make ~50–55 purchases, and a $26,000 plant sold live shows how trust plus logistics unlock high-ticket conversions.

 

We dig into the formula—entertainment + community + trust + operations—and how Palmstreet productized the “unsexy” bits (shipping, weather checks, protection) to turn livestreams into a dependable channel. Chen also shares which categories win, why repeat purchase frequency matters, and what’s next (hint: beauty is heating up).

Highlights

• 2.5 hours/day average time spent per shopper

• ~50–55 purchases in year one (per shopper)

• 95% shipped / 5% local; typical U.S. shipping $8–$18

• Platform trust & logistics: even weather checks pre-ship

• $26,000 plant sold live—proof that confidence converts

• Category patterns: uniqueness, repeat purchase, and showmanship

• Why brands think livestream “doesn’t work” (and how to fix it)

Topics we cover

• The origin story: from plant ID app to live shopping marketplace

• “Shop for the drop, stay for the vibes”: community as a growth engine

• What actually entertains in a live: hosts, education, and the hunt

• The operations layer that makes live shopping repeatable

• Winning categories now (plants, handmade, vintage) and next (beauty)

• Building trust fast if you’re a new brand (and when to borrow it via creators)

• The TikTok question: coexistence vs. competition

• Shipping reality in North America—and how it shapes category fit

Pull quotes

• “On average, a shopper spends two and a half hours a day on Palmstreet.”

• “Our users make 50–55 purchases in their first year.”

• “We sold a $26,000 plant live.”

• “Live is entertainment first—but operations make it scalable.”

About Palmstreet

Palmstreet is the online Main Street for plants, handmade, vintage, and unique goods, connecting passionate buyers with charismatic sellers through live shopping.

Guest

Chen Li — Founder & CEO, Palmstreet

Hosts

Renee Hartmann & Chris Baker, Commerce Beyond Borders