It seems the live streaming world has been hit with one piece of dramatic news after another, and this wave of resignations appears unstoppable.
That's right, EAST BUY has seen yet another departure.
On June 10th, popular EAST BUY host Zhisheng posted a retrospective video on his social media, looking back at all his memorable live stream moments and behind-the-scenes daily life at the company. He set the video to the song "See You Again" by G.E.M. and captioned it, "The vacation is over, goodbye. This 'love letter' is sadder than sadness."
Zhisheng's relaxed hosting style and sense of humor won him a large following of middle-aged, easygoing fans and casual viewers, making him one of the core senior talents at EAST BUY, second only to the very top veterans.
He did not explain the reason for his departure, but his exit is not an isolated case.
As early as late April, EAST BUY's "F4" – Mingming, Tianquan, Zhongcan, and Linlin – four veteran hosts collectively announced their resignations.
Even earlier, first-generation top star Dong Yuhui left, followed by Dondon and Jingwen.
This wave of departures points directly to one reason: a change in CEO and a major management reshuffle.
After Dong Yuhui's departure, founder Yu Minhong's determination to prevent any single host from becoming the platform's sole identity was clear for all to see.
From his very first day in the role, newly appointed CEO Sun Jin implemented a series of reforms aimed at reducing reliance on top hosts.
Employees have爆料 revealed that even disinfectant wipes for cleaning the live stream rooms were rationed, and extra lights in the studios had to be turned off, leaving only one on.
More extreme measures included turning off office lights after 10 p.m., forcing hosts to find their way home using flashlight light after their shifts ended.
Cost-cutting to this extent has effectively cut the hosts themselves.
Furthermore, the company has fully adopted a commercialized traffic strategy, eliminating cultural content, compressing casual chat time, mandating higher sales KPIs, and strictly controlling host scripts, reducing hosts to mere assembly-line sales tools.
It's important to remember that EAST BUY's initial explosive growth was built on knowledge-infused sales, relaxed live streams, low-pressure tactics, and a non-manipulative style. The直播间 was a place to freely discuss literature and life, slowing the sales pitch, with the host being the core soul of the broadcast.
Back in 2021 when EAST BUY first gained popularity, its "knowledge-based sales" attracted countless fans. People weren't just buying a bag of rice or a children's book; they were buying into the warmth and atmosphere of listening to a teacher like Dong discuss poetry and literature while shopping.
There's nothing wrong with being a retail platform, and there's nothing wrong with cost-saving. The problem is that people are emotional, and hosts need to feel seen.
EAST BUY's early host salary structure leaned towards a traditional corporate model: a fixed wage plus a small performance bonus, with no traffic revenue sharing, GMV commission, or ownership rights over their personal accounts.
However, hosts were responsible for driving 80% of the直播间's traffic. Their personal charisma was crucial for attracting fans, retaining viewers, and driving conversions, yet all account ownership, traffic revenue, and brand equity belonged entirely to the company.
With no share in the success, coupled with reduced福利 and slashed team resources, who would want to stay?
The fact that this resignation wave has occurred without public complaints or撕逼 might be these veteran employees' final act of dignity.
On the same day news of Zhisheng's departure broke, EAST BUY's stock price saw a slight increase of 0.75%. However, compared to April, the overall share price has fallen by over 20%.
What does this contrast indicate? The market is not entirely confident about this company's future. While it may be profitable, its ability to retain人心 is another matter.
Following the news of Zhisheng's exit, many netizens expressed惋惜, stating that from Dong Yuhui to Zhisheng, all the old-timers leaving shows the company can't retain talent. Some long-time fans said that with the F4 all gone, an era has ended, and they will no longer watch EAST BUY直播.
Objectively speaking, management's desire for scale, reduced reliance on individual hosts, lower risk from绑定达人, and stable capital market performance is a natural choice for any commercial company.
However, for the veteran hosts who endured hardships with the company during its转型 and built it from scratch, this represents a complete崩塌 of their original理念, making their departure an inevitable outcome.
In the end, who do you think is responsible for this collective host exodus? Can EAST BUY make a comeback? Share your thoughts.
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