While many people use social media to keep up with news, entertain themselves, and stay in touch with others, a huge portion of Gen Z and Millennial consumers are also using it to shop. Nearly as many of them are using it as they are actual brand and retailer websites, signalling a major shift in the retail space.
In addition to shopping, these consumers are also using social media for research and discovery, and social commerce itself is growing in popularity as it gives a very different (and more engaging) experience than traditional ecommerce.
TikTok Shop Nearly as Popular as Brand and Retailer Websites For Young Consumers
TikTok Shop has had a massive rise recently, and shopping on the platform is now nearly as popular as on traditional brand and retailer websites. According to a recent survey of over 1,000 UK shoppers done by Savvy, a UK marketing agency, 47% of Millennial and Gen Z shoppers have used TikTok Shop to buy or browse for products in the last three months.
This is more than double the 21% of all shoppers who’ve done so. While brand and retailer websites are still at the top (54% of Millennial and Gen Z shoppers and 52% of all shoppers), TikTok Shop is gaining steam and may one day take the top spot, at least for younger shoppers.
The platform, which was once mainly used by smaller brands and individual sellers, is quickly becoming more popular among major brands, too. While TikTok Shop is one of the biggest names, it’s far from the only platform pushing the sector forward.
In fact, social commerce in general is massive, and as of 2025, there are over 100 million social shoppers in the USA alone, who shop on a variety of different platforms and networks.
Social Media Playing a Massive Pre-Purchase Role for Consumers
In addition to buying through social media, these platforms also play a huge role in helping consumers make pre-purchase decisions. For example, 64% of Millennial and Gen Z shoppers have watched product reviews or recommendations on social media at some point in the last month.
Another 49% have clicked links to view items that were highlighted in posts or videos, and 36% saved or bookmarked products to look at in the future.
While social shopping in general has mainly been associated with things like fashion and beauty products, people now consider buying a variety of different categories through social channels, such as electronics, food, cleaning products, household items, and more.
Live Shopping is a Major Driver of Social Commerce Growth
One of the biggest drivers of social commerce is live shopping. Savvy found that 57% of Millennial and Gen Z shoppers enjoy watching live shopping streams or events, and 66% of them say that seeing products go viral or sell out makes them more likely to buy an item.
According to Savvy, this is because of the psychology behind live shopping, such as the fear of missing out, social proof, and repeatedly being exposed to items through reviews, creators, and other content. Social commerce also mirrors how buyers often build confidence before buying something, such as seeing products get demonstrated or hearing past buyers talk about them.
While there are many challenges of live commerce that sellers need to be aware of, it remains a great way to offer your buyers a new shopping experience and help them feel more confident about what they’re buying.
Our Take
The Importance of Getting Social Commerce Right
By now, it’s clear that social commerce is more than a trend, but a true and lucrative reality in the retail space. While companies don’t need to be told that selling via social media and/or live streams is worthwhile, they need to do it the right way.
First, if it’s an option on the platform you’re selling on, make sure to implement native checkout within the app. This shortens the path to purchase and ensures it’s as easy as possible for people to buy your items without leaving the app.
You should also make sure your products are easy to demonstrate in a short-form video, live stream, or series of images. Social shopping is all about keeping people engaged and showing off your item to the masses who are scrolling through their feeds, so make sure you can get their attention and quickly show off what your item is and what it does.
Finally, make sure to lean into social search, as many people will use social media platforms like search engines to find things they’re curious about. As a result, ensure your product titles, descriptions, and tags are optimized and have relevant keywords that your potential customers may search for.
