Internet-based shopping has moved to social media, with various platforms now allowing customers to shop and make purchases directly in-app. That is the kind of experience that you get from social commerce. It simplifies the entire journey of making purchases by eliminating extra steps, making it more likely for a customer to complete his or her purchase. That signals social commerce could be the key to success when it comes to using social media for business.
This article takes a deep dive into what social commerce is, exploring the top statistics, trends and tips to make the most of it. It also offers successful social commerce examples to inspire you in building your own strategy.
What is Social Commerce?
Social commerce refers to the process of buying and selling items directly within social media platforms. It takes social media beyond its conventional role in the discovery process, allowing users to complete the entire purchase journey within the same app. That means you can quickly move from discovering products and services to purchasing them without leaving your preferred apps.
Social commerce empowers you to browse products, shop and seek direct customer support on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and others seamlessly. It is a great way for brands and marketers to reach potential customers, develop relationships with them and convert them into loyal followers.
Major social media platforms today offer dedicated tools for social commerce to retailers. Using those tools can help them create digital storefronts right inside their respective platforms. That means people can discover and buy products without having to visit other websites.
How Social Commerce Differs from E-Commerce
Most people tend to view social commerce and e-commerce as the same thing. However, they are quite different. E-commerce broadly covers the process of buying and selling products online. It entails selling through various digital channels including online marketplaces, dedicated retail apps and websites.
Social commerce involves selling directly through social media platforms. Thus, it is a subset of e-commerce but, not the same thing.
Top Social Commerce Statistics Every Marketer Should Know
The following are some of the top social commerce stats that marketers should know. They highlight the key milestones and what the future holds for social commerce.
- Facebook is the most popular social commerce platform. Recent projections show about 64.8% of Facebook users will become social commerce buyers by 2025.
- Instagram is the second most popular social commerce app. In 2023, an estimated 46.8 million people made purchases on the app.
- TikTok holds the third position, with about 35.3 million users purchasing items on the platform. In 2023, it attracted more shoppers than the net increase of buyers on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram combined.
- Statista forecasts social commerce revenues will skyrocket, exceeding one trillion US dollars by 2028. That is a significant growth from about $570 billion in 2023.
- Asian markets are the most enthusiastic about social shopping, with about nine out of ten online consumers in China and Thailand actively engaged as social buyers.
- Social commerce has gained significant traction among all age groups but, younger consumers exhibit more prominent usage. Gen Zs are more prone to social media shopping.
- Social commerce is expected to generate a global revenue of $700 billion between 2018 and 2028.
- The highest revenue-generating platforms in social commerce globally as of 2024 were Douyin, Wechat, Little Red Book, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest.
The Best Social Shopping Platforms in 2025
While social commerce is rapidly taking shape across multiple platforms, not all can deliver the best results for your brand and business. The following are the best social commerce platforms to consider if you want to get in on this potential revenue channel.
Facebook is one of the top destinations for social commerce. Its tool, Facebook Shop, has very low requirements for entry. They are free to set up and readily accessible within your Facebook profile. It allows you automatically sync your entire inventory list if you are using a partner platform. That makes it easier to upload product information using a spreadsheet.
The Facebook Shop tab accessible on the mobile app showcases products based on user preferences. That helps with encouraging the discovery of your brand organically. Once customers find the items that they need, they can easily complete the purchases in-app or on your website.
Besides the discovery of products and making of purchases in-app, Facebook Shop also offers convenient tools for customer service. For example, you can use the Messenger feature to communicate with customers by responding to their queries and offer support.
TikTok
Today, it has become much easier for retailers to make money on TikTok. The platform has dedicated social commerce capabilities that allow businesses to set up a TikTok Shop to showcase their products and complete purchases directly in-app. The feature enables you to create catchy video content to market your products and services. It also allows viewers to shop directly via your TikTok Live broadcasts.
Instagram Shop allows you a direct link to your Facebook Shop. Setting it up is easy; you must link your Instagram business account to your Facebook business profile. As soon as the process is complete, you can upload existing product catalogs or create new ones to start selling on IG.
Sellers can use the Instagram Product Tags to make their content shoppable and products easier to discover. The tags allow you to highlight products from your catalog directly in your posts and videos. Customers can tap on a tag and find out more about the product immediately.
Instagram’s ‘’View Shop’’ button allows users to browse your other listings and enjoy a seamless shopping experience. Similar to Facebook, purchases made on Instagram occur within the platform or on your business website.
Thanks to Pinterest Shopping, retailers can now sell on Pinterest with so much ease and convenience. The platform allows you to upload your product catalog to your Pinterest business page. Then, you can tag products in your Pins so that whenever people click on them, they can instantly find out information about each.
However, you should keep in mind those Product Pins are not tools for social commerce. Customers will still be re-directed to product-specific landing pages to complete purchases. Nonetheless, it simplifies the purchasing journey by allowing people to find product information right on Pinterest.
Social Commerce Trends to Watch Out For
Social commerce is no longer an option for businesses in this digital age. It is a critical step towards leveling up and building a future-ready strategy for your business and brand. The following are the upcoming trends to watch out for in social shopping.
Augmented Reality (AR) Shopping
As of 2021, more than 100 million consumers were shopping with Augmented Reality online and in stores, according to a study by Deloitte Digital. AR adoption is booming and that trend is expected to rise in the coming years.
Many customers are already enjoying this immersive shopping experience, mainly through try-before-you-buy and personalized recommendations. However, the next breed of consumers expects AR to deliver virtual visualization features such as in-house placement for furniture and dressing rooms for clothing brands.
Retail grocery shopping will likely get smarter with AR powered labels for nutritional data and allergy alerts. We can also expect in-store navigation with AR maps for hybrid shopping experiences.
NFT Integration
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique digital assets stored on blockchains. They allow users to own specific items, often in art collectibles and fashion. NFTs certify authenticity and transfer with more accuracy.
Many fashion and retail brands have adopted NFTs since they went mainstream in 2021. They use them to offer limited edition accessories and clothing. A good example is the American candy brand, Laffy Taffy that created 120 unique NFTs, allowing their users to own the brand’s jokes digitally.
NFTs can help businesses to drive customer engagement. In case you are looking to boost your presence and engagements on social media, Superior Social Boost offers the ultimate solutions. We help brands and businesses to increase their reach and increase engagement organically on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube and Google Business.
Voice Commerce
Today, smart speakers and voice assistants have become household staples. They are also swiftly becoming trusted shopping companions for many consumers. More than 27% of US customers had gone hands-free to make online payments through voice commands by mid-2022. Voice commerce is also disability friendly, making it quite an incredible addition to your strategy. Companies providing social commerce should consider ways to make this feature more widespread and adoptable by their target audiences.
Sustainable and Ethical Shopping
Global consumers, especially the younger generations are increasingly prioritizing sustainability in their purchasing decisions. Brands that are openly speaking about their eco-consciousness are reaping big. A recent study established 67% of customers are more likely to support influencers and marketers who advocate for sustainable products and practices.
One of the best ways to leverage this trend is by providing sustainability certifications for your products. You could also give detailed information about the product’s environmental impact, offering transparency to assist consumers in making informed decisions.
Successful Social Commerce Examples
The following are some of the successful social commerce examples for inspiration in building an ideal strategy for your brand.
The Tiny Tassel
The Tiny Tassel is a retail brand that specializes in handmade jewelry. They use Facebook Shop features to deliver informative, native product pages. Every listing showcases detailed product descriptions, customization options and shipping information.
Businesses can follow this brand’s lead by posting listings that provide value to customers. That helps to build trust with potential buyers who are unfamiliar with your brand, encouraging them to make their debut purchase.
Target
Setting up a catalog can be time-intensive if your e-commerce platform does not partner with Facebook. Instead of listing all its products, Target focuses on the items that align with its Instagram content strategy. That creates a better browsing experience for its loyal IG followers and fans.
Lululemon
The premium Canadian athleisure brand, Lululemon makes healthy living look fashionable. It boasts over 5 million loyal followers on Instagram that is actively engaged with its exquisite campaigns, innovative product launches and User Generated Content. For example, Lululemon’s #TheSweatLife campaign has already attracted more than 1.5 million followers passionate about healthy living.
Made by Mitchel
The makeup brand, Made by Mitchel unveiled a product exclusively available on TikTok Shop. It took advantage of its TikTok LIVE shopping feature for the initial launch. Made by Mitchel partnered with TikTok creator, Melissa Jade for the launch, with a duel livestream on both their accounts.
The launch attracted 50,000 LIVE views combined and up to 2.4 million product views. The livestream was even 100% sold out. Brands should use this example to leverage TikTok’s LIVE shopping feature for real time customer engagements. Partnering with influential content creators can significantly maximize your reach.
This article has laid out in detail the top stats and trends in social commerce. It has also offered tips with examples of social commerce in action to enable you develop an ideal strategy for success. Do not hesitate to engage Superior Social Boost for more insights on how to drive social growth.