{"id":129,"date":"2025-09-11T08:42:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T08:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ccsbinc.com\/?p=129"},"modified":"2025-09-11T16:02:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T16:02:58","slug":"must-have-ideas-how-we-launched-an-ai-powered-shopping-channel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.ccsbinc.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/11\/must-have-ideas-how-we-launched-an-ai-powered-shopping-channel\/","title":{"rendered":"Must Have Ideas: How We Launched An AI-Powered Shopping Channel"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Amy Knight, owner and Director of Must Have Ideas<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Launching our own TV shopping channel had always been an ambition of ours. As an e-commerce business reliant on visual content, with an older demographic, and having previously worked with teleshopping channels, it felt like the next natural step for us.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, the traditional costs and manpower needed to run a live, 24\/7 channel made it completely out of reach.\u00a0 But we weren\u2019t ready to give up on the idea.<\/p>\n

Infrastructure<\/b><\/p>\n

As a business we do everything in house: marketing, dispatch, customer service and content creation \u2013 we even have our own TV studio \u2013 so much of the infrastructure was already in place.<\/p>\n

With the help of AI and our custom-built software platform, Spark, we found a solution. Built because we were fed up with using technology that didn\u2019t work for us, Spark powers virtually every aspect of our business. So, we asked ourselves: what if we could create a shopping channel that feels<\/i> live, without actually being<\/i> live?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what Spark enables. It automatically stitches together and schedules pre-recorded product segments into seamless, hour-long shows.<\/p>\n

But the results speak for themselves. Spark intelligently creates programmes based on trending products, stock availability, seasonal demand and even the weather. The outcome is a channel that feels spontaneous, current, and engaging but is far more efficient to run.<\/p>\n

This didn\u2019t happen overnight. We spent months filming thousands of segments with different products, different presenters, and seasonal themes. It was a huge team effort. We still film fresh content several days a week, so we have a constant stream of fresh material.<\/p>\n

Discovering a New Audience<\/b><\/p>\n

When we launched the channel, we didn\u2019t know how viewers would respond. Would they embrace this new shopping experience? Would they notice it wasn\u2019t truly live? Would they care?<\/p>\n

The answer was clear: the channel \u2013 and Must Have Ideas, quickly found a new and enthusiastic audience. While our products were already popular on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, the channel unlocked an entirely new demographic: customers who don\u2019t scroll endlessly on their phones but love the simplicity of watching a presenter explain a product and deciding from the comfort of their living room.<\/p>\n

A Better Shopping Experience\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

From the viewer\u2019s perspective, the channel is a new yet familiar, engaging, and convenient way to shop. Many of our new customers are older or less digitally inclined \u2013 they may not enjoy navigating websites or apps, but they\u2019re entirely comfortable with TV and its unique ability to engage customers in a relaxed, in-depth way. For them, our channel provides a relaxed space to watch detailed demos, shop at their own pace and Discover Something New.<\/p>\n

TV also allows us to tell better stories. Our must-haves are unique and online ads have to be short and punchy. On TV, we can slow down, explain how a product works, and show the problems it solves. That depth of storytelling is a big part of what makes teleshopping so effective. It\u2019s a simple way to connect with our audience while staying true to our brand USPs: problem-solving products, presented in a warm, trustworthy, and practical way.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re primarily a family-run business with traditional values, but we\u2019re also extremely tech-driven. To follow our path, another business might need to rethink how they approach content creation, broadcasting, and customer engagement. Spark works so effectively for us because it was built specifically to solve our challenges. Every business has its own unique needs and a solution that works for us may not work for another business. While Spark helped us navigate the costs involved, it was the planning, creativity, hard work and long hours of a lot of dedicated people who brought our vision to life.<\/p>\n

Launching a channel is no small undertaking and like any successful project, requires meticulous planning. For us it was very much a risk, but by adhering strictly to our plan we were able to minimise the risk. Here\u2019s a brief outline of some of the key areas to consider when launching a TV channel:<\/p>\n