In 2021, social commerce accounted for **** percent of the total online retail sales in China, and the share was expected to grow to **** percent in 2025. In comparison, the social commerce penetration rate in the United States only ranged at *** percent in 2021.

The global user penetration in the 'Social Commerce' segment of the e-commerce market was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total *** percentage points. After the tenth consecutive increasing year, the user penetration is estimated to reach ***** percent and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the user penetration of the 'Social Commerce' segment of the e-commerce market was continuously increasing over the past years.Find further information concerning the number of users in the e-commerce market in China and the average revenue per user in the e-commerce market in Lithuania.The Statista Market Insights cover a broad range of additional markets.

In 2023, the social commerce industry in China saw a year-on-year growth of approximately **** percent, reaching a gross merchandise volume (GMV) of over ***** trillion yuan. China's social commerce sector has been proliferating over the past decade.

China and Thailand boast some of the highest percentages of social commerce buyers globally, with ** percent and ** percent of online shoppers making purchases through social media platforms in 2024. Peru closely followed with a ** percent adoption rate, trailed by Colombia and India. A new era of online shopping Social commerce has transformed the online retail landscape in recent years. Between 2018 and 2024, social media sales revenue increased nearly eightfold, reaching approximately *** billion U.S. dollars. By 2025, social commerce is projected to account for*** percent of global online sales. While this purchasing channel attracts consumers of all ages, millennials, followed by Gen Z, are the most prominent direct buyers on social media. China: social commerce pioneer China's social commerce has experienced rapid growth over the past decade. In 2014, the market's gross merchandise value (GMV) stood at ** billion yuan. By 2022, this figure had skyrocketed to over *** trillion yuan, showcasing the immense expansion in this sector. This exponential growth is partly attributed to the significant increase in the number of social commerce users. In 2022, China had about *** million social shoppers, more than double the number recorded in 2016.

Social commerce has become increasingly significant in the e-commerce sector. In 2025, sales through social networks accounted for an estimated ***** percent of total online sales. This figure is expected to continue growing in the coming years. Who has grown a liking for this channel? The term "social commerce" is gaining traction worldwide. In 2024, global revenues generated through social media platforms were forecast to reach nearly *** billion U.S. dollars, an increase of roughly ** percent compared to the previous year. However, some countries have embraced this sales channel more vigorously than others. Leading the way in social shopping are Thailand, Colombia, and China. In 2023, approximately **** out of ten internet users in these countries made purchases through social networks. The future of shopping is live Live commerce has grown in popularity in recent years. Its prevalence is only expected to increase as companies utilize livestreaming technologies more and more for promotional and marketing purposes. Digital shoppers benefit from live commerce because it offers attractive discounts as well as inspiration and ideas. In 2022, Facebook was the leading social network platform where internet users purchased products during live streaming events. As with social commerce, Asian countries have paved the way for this highly interactive shopping experience. In 2023, over ***** in ten consumers engaged in live shopping in China, India, Thailand, and United Arab Emirates.

Over the past few years, China's social commerce market has experienced rapid growth. Retail sales on Douyin, one of China's largest social commerce platforms, grew by ** percent in 2022. Comparatively, the traditional e-commerce giant Alibaba only experienced *** percent sales growth.

In 2024, ** percent of global consumers had purchased apparel and accessories three to seven times via social media, while ** percent reported buying in this category eight or more times. Meanwhile, groceries and food supplies topped the list as the most frequently purchased category, with ** percent indicating they had bought them eight or more times in the previous year. Growth and revenue potential The social commerce sector is experiencing rapid expansion, reflecting the increasing consumer comfort with making purchases through social media channels. In 2023, social commerce generated an estimated revenue of *** billion U.S. dollars worldwide. With a projected compound annual growth rate of **** percent from 2023 to 2028, the industry is poised to surpass the *** trillion dollar mark by 2028. This substantial growth underscores the importance of social media as a sales channel for businesses across various sectors. Platform preferences Facebook remains the frontrunner in delivering the best social commerce experience, with ** percent of global consumers favoring the platform in 2024. Instagram and TikTok followed, garnering ** percent and ** percent of consumer preference, respectively. On the other hand, when looking at the highest revenue generating social commerce platforms, Chinese social sites dominate. In 2024, Douyin ranked first, with nearly *** billion U.S. dollars in revenue, followed by Wechat at *** billion and Little Red Book at ** billion U.S. dollars. Facebook placed fourth, with a revenue of ** billion U.S. dollars.

As of March 2021, around 45.6 percent of Chinese e-commerce users were willing to purchase snacks in live streaming e-commerce. Meanwhile, respectively 33.9 percent and 28.9 percent of live commerce shoppers preferred to buy skin care and makeup products.

In the first quarter of 2022, Chinese e-commerce platform Pinduoduo had approximately 751.3 million monthly active users, reached a four percent year-on-year growth.

The miraculous rise of Pinduoduo 

Distinguished from traditional mobile shopping, Pinduoduo adapted to a so-called social commerce business model. To secure a better price, users must invite their friends to join in team purchases. The combination of socialization and online shopping was undoubtedly attractive for the young generation. More than 90 percent of Pinduoduo users born in the 2000s said that they had participated in a team purchase before.

As of 2021, Pinduoduo's monthly app active users surpassed the e-commerce giant JD.com. More than 60 percent of them were from the third and fourth-tier cities in China. The massive potential of the sinking market (a Chinese term refering to the market of the third-tier cities or below) was a key factor of the triumph of Pinduoduo.

In 2019, the number of people employed in the social commerce sector in China grew by ** percent compared to the previous year. The annual growth is expected to remain at about ** percent in 2020. Social commerce allows individuals and businesses to sell on social media platforms.

During a January 2024 global survey among marketers, nearly 60 percent reported plans to increase their organic use of YouTube for marketing purposes in the following 12 months. LinkedIn and Instagram followed, respectively, mentioned by 57 and 56 percent of the respondents intending to use them more. According to the same survey, Facebook was the most important social media platform for marketers worldwide.

In 2018, the gross merchandise volume (GMV) of social commerce in China increased by almost *** percent compared to the previous year. The share of social commerce in the general online retail market in China grew from *** percent to almost ***** percent in only three years since 2015.

Asia leads the ranking of biggest e-commerce markets worldwide. The total revenue of online retail in Asian countries added up to nearly * trillion U.S. dollars in 2025. This was approximately *** billion U.S. dollars higher than the e-commerce revenue reached in the Americas. Australia, Oceania, and Africa were estimated to achieve far lower e-commerce revenues in 2025, with values below ** billion U.S. dollars. Asia’s leading position can mostly be ascribed to China, which achieved a revenue of over ************ U.S. dollars in 2024. How dominant is Asia in e-commerce? The e-commerce market is highly developed on the Asian continent, and will continue to grow. For instance, India is among the countries with the highest Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for its e-commerce market. Between 2025 and 2029, the market value is forecast to grow with over ** percent annually. The Latin-American e-commerce market is also forecast to grow quickly in the coming years. Large Asian e-commerce markets have a strong influence over the rest of the world. A concrete example of an Asian e-commerce channel that is being adopted in the West is the TikTok Shop, connecting social media and e-commerce to form social commerce.

As of October 2021, the penetration rate of horizontal e-commerce apps among senior active internet users in China reached **** percent. Also, about *** percent of seniors above 50 years old were active users of social commerce apps.

How does technology change the life of the Chinese elderly?

With the rapid development of internet infrastructure and the affordability of smart devices, an increasing number of elderly Chinese have become tech-savvy. According to a survey in 2021, nearly ** percent of middle-aged and elderly in China spent at least **** hours online. Thanks to modern technology, the elderly of today have better access to information, goods, and services without relying on their families. This also meant convenient access to essential services like finances and health care.

How do senior internet users change China’s e-commerce landscape?

China's senior consumers have become prominent players in the country's e-commerce landscape. On the one hand, the elderly accounted for a large part of the growth in China’s new e-commerce users. Almost half of the new Taobao e-commerce customers during the Singles' Day sales in 2021 were born before 1970. Additionally, senior consumers are often more patient than their ascenders in finding a cheaper deal, thereby encouraging the development of apps that compare prices and offer discounts.

The number of users in the e-commerce market in China was forecast to continuously increase between 2025 and 2029 by in total *** million users (+***** percent). After the tenth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach *** billion users and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the number of users of the e-commerce market was continuously increasing over the past years.Find further information concerning the user penetration in the 'Social Commerce' segment of the e-commerce market in the world and the average revenue per user in the e-commerce market in Latvia. The Statista Market Insights cover a broad range of additional markets.

In 2024, global retail e-commerce sales reached an estimated ************ U.S. dollars. Projections indicate a ** percent growth in this figure over the coming years, with expectations to come close to ************** dollars by 2028. World players Among the key players on the world stage, the American marketplace giant Amazon holds the title of the largest e-commerce player globally, with a gross merchandise value of nearly *********** U.S. dollars in 2024. Amazon was also the most valuable retail brand globally, followed by mostly American competitors such as Walmart and the Home Depot. Leading e-tailing regions E-commerce is a dormant channel globally, but nowhere has it been as successful as in Asia. In 2024, the e-commerce revenue in that continent alone was measured at nearly ************ U.S. dollars, outperforming the Americas and Europe. That year, the up-and-coming e-commerce markets also centered around Asia. The Philippines and India stood out as the swiftest-growing e-commerce markets based on online sales, anticipating a growth rate surpassing ** percent.

In 2024, overall e-commerce transactions approached ***** trillion yuan, decreasing from around ***** trillion yuan the year before. E-commerce development in ChinaChina's e-commerce industry has enjoyed above-average growth in the last few years. In 2023, gross merchandise volume on online shopping amounted to about ***** trillion yuan, while around ** trillion yuan was generated by physical goods. According to the CNNIC, the number of online shoppers in China have surpassed the ***********-mark in 2023. An important target group of China's booming e-commerce sector is the mobile user segment. As of 2022, around ** percent of the e-commerce transactions in China were conducted via mobile devices, and the share is expected to grow to ** percent by 2026. For many Chinese consumers, smartphones have became their primary choice in making online shopping. Another factor rapidly utilized by the Chinese e-commerce industry is social media presence. Chinese consumers rely heavily on friends and peer groups for shopping information. Therefore social media has gained a lot of relevance for e-commerce endeavors. As of the first quarter of 2022, the social commerce website Pinduoduo had more than *** million monthly active users.

According to a survey on digital usage in China, around 91.8 percent of respondents had used WeChat as of the third quarter of 2023. The short video app Douyin, the social commerce site Xiaohongshu, and the Twitter-like site Weibo, were among the most popular social media platforms in China. How successful is WeChat in China? The country’s most popular messaging app, WeChat, boasts over one billion monthly active users. For many Chinese consumers, WeChat is part of daily life, helping them to organize tasks such as paying bills, ordering food delivery, and calling a taxi. On average, WeChat users spent about an hour and 20 minutes per day on the app. Large user base with high engagement The social media scene in China is huge and mobile-centric. In 2023, the social media penetration rate amounted to 74 percent in China, slightly higher than in countries like the United States and Japan. While the user number has shown signs of reaching a saturation point, Chinese consumers have been spending more time online, with a considerable daily usage of social media.

In 2023, China had the highest e-commerce penetration in retail in the Asia-Pacific region, with a share of about ** percent. In comparison, India had an e-commerce share in total retail sales of approximately **** percent in 2023. The rise of e-commerce The Asia-Pacific region showed high penetration rates of e-commerce in the past few years. The region appears to be heading in the direction of a cashless society, with cash on delivery being one of the least used e-commerce payment methods. Furthermore, digital wallet usage was by far higher than credit or debit card usages for e-commerce payments. Unsurprisingly, e-wallet usage was forecasted to increase by 2027, which would further tighten e-commerce’s grip on the Asia Pacific retail sector. New ways of commerce The global pandemic had a monumental impact on e-commerce throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Although many industries were negatively affected, it was the shift in the e-commerce industry. Many consumers in the region prefer shopping online over physical stores, as there are more benefits and it is comfortable. As online shopping gained more traction, the industry shifted to different ways of commerce, such as social or live commerce, to continue to keep consumers on the hook.

This statistic displays the results of a survey on the perception of merchants on the adoption of social commerce amongst non-users in the Asia Pacific region in 2017, by country or region. During the survey period, about ** percent of the respondents in China stated that they are likely to engage in social commerce.