Brian Beitler, chief marketing officer of QVC U.S.A and HSN, believes that improved storytelling can bridge the gap between physical and virtual retailing. “What was so powerful about retail experiences was the relationships you built with the shopkeepers and the proprietors of those stores. And candidly, in many ways, shopping was as much about fulfilling a need as it was about passing time and enjoying recreation. What livestream does well, [though] it doesn’t have the physical environment, is it brings the connection of shopping with people into the experience,” he said.