Social commerce has become increasingly significant in the e-commerce sector. In 2025, sales through social networks accounted for an estimated 17.11 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 700 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of roughly 23 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 nine 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 seven in ten consumers engaged in live shopping in China, India, Thailand, and United Arab Emirates.

In the first half of 2024, roughly 6.2 percent of online sales in beauty came from social commerce in North America. Of this, TikTok Shop contributed to the largest market share with around 2.6 percent, followed by Temu and eBay with 1.5 and 1.2 percent respectively.

An October 2020 survey among e-commerce decision makers in North America and Europe revealed that only 12 percent of e-commerce companies planned to introduce direct sales through social media platforms in 2021. Up to 30 percent of these businesses were already selling via social media at that time, while another 33 percent of respondents said they were still evaluating whether to adopt this strategy or not.

In a 2024 survey, nearly a quarter (23 percent) of global consumers rated Facebook as the social media platform delivering the best experience for social commerce. Instagram ranked second, with 19 percent, followed by TikTok at seven percent.

According to a 2024 study, Facebook ranks as the top social network for shopping in the United States, with 46 percent of digital buyers using it for this purpose. TikTok Shop follows with 26 percent of U.S. shoppers, while Instagram holds its own with 21 percent. TikTok and the boom that won’t stop The rise of TikTok Shop in the United States represents a significant shift in social commerce dynamics. By tapping into its predominantly young user base and their engagement with short-form video content, TikTok is leveraging its platform to facilitate direct sales. The success of health and beauty products, which make most of purchases, underscores the platform's potential as an influential marketplace. Growing users, expanding influence Forecasts suggest that by 2029, the number of U.S. social media users will exceed 340 million, showing the growing influence of these platforms on consumer behavior and brand involvement. In 2023 alone, social commerce revenues in the North American country were estimated at nearly 76 billion U.S. dollars, and this figure is expected to nearly double by 2028, reflecting the rapidly expanding role of social media in the e-commerce landscape.

In the United States, the revenue per social media platform is forecast to increase significantly in all social commerce sites. This reflects the overall trend throughout the entire forecast period from 2018 to 2029. In this regard, Facebook is estimated to achieve the highest value of 52.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2029.

More than half of consumers belonging to Generation Z bought something on social media platforms, according to a survey in 2024. Almost a third of overall consumers bought on social media platforms. The consumer experience In a 2023 survey, Facebook and Instagram were the social media platforms offering the best shopping experience. To gain deeper insights into the elements constituting a satisfactory social commerce shopping journey from the user's viewpoint, key factors shaping consumers' heightened engagement with social commerce included, but were not limited to, deals and discounts, seamless purchasing processes, exclusive offers, and increased availability of customer reviews. Social shopping destinations Facebook is the leading social commerce platform globally, except among Gen Z, who favor Instagram and TikTok. However, the types of social media accounts that shoppers followed and purchased from varied by age group. Gen Z and Millennials predominantly bought from brand accounts, with Gen Z also showing a preference for social media influencers. Conversely, Gen X and Boomers preferred purchasing from trusted retailer accounts.

Social commerce revenue in the United Kingdom is poised for significant growth, with Facebook leading the charge. By 2029, Facebook's social commerce revenue is projected to reach 7 billion U.S. dollars, showcasing the platform's dominance in the evolving digital marketplace. This trend reflects the increasing integration of shopping experiences within social media platforms, transforming how consumers discover and purchase products online.

China and Thailand boast some of the highest percentages of social commerce buyers globally, with 95 percent and 94 percent of online shoppers making purchases through social media platforms in 2024. Peru closely followed with a 92 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 700 billion U.S. dollars. By 2025, social commerce is projected to account for 20 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 95 billion yuan. By 2022, this figure had skyrocketed to over 2.7 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 880 million social shoppers, more than double the number recorded in 2016.

When asked which social network they were most likely to shop on, 24 percent of global online shoppers named Facebook in 2024. Also operated by Meta (formerly Facebook, Inc.), Instagram ranked second, with 20 percent of respondents choosing it as the most likely to be used for this type of activity.

In 2020, almost 69 percent of e-commerce enterprises in Brazil were present on social media, down from over 80 percent of online shops in 2018. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter had the highest market share among social media websites in Brazil.

In 2024, 44 percent of global consumers had purchased apparel and accessories three to seven times via social media, while 24 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 26 percent indicating they had bought them eight or more times in the previous year.

This statistic illustrates the result of a survey about the effectiveness of social networks according to e-commerce companies in Italy in 2020. According to data provided by Casaleggio Associati, Facebook is still considered by far the most effective social network: 53 percent of the companies interviewed agreed on that. Instagram came second in terms of perceived effectiveness (40 percent), followed by YouTube (24 percent).

Facebook ranked as the leading social media platform driving personal care brand shoppers to retailers in the United Kingdom in 2024. Facebook accounted for around 88 percent of the share of purchase intent clicks. TikTok ranked second, with a 7.9 percent share of clicks. Purchase intent clicks refer to the amount of times a consumer has clicked through to a minimum of one retailer during one session.

According to a 2023 survey, the most popular social media platforms for buying products worldwide were Facebook and Instagram. Both networks belong to parent company Meta. Among the selected countries, Czechia (64 percent) and the United States (62 percent) used Facebook the most to shop for products. Meanwhile, Spain and Portugal had the most social shoppers on Instagram (each 57 percent).

According to a survey conducted by Rakuten Insight in 2023 on social commerce in Malaysia, approximately 57 percent of the respondents answered that they have used Facebook for purchases during the last 12 months. Instagram and TikTok followed after with 44 percent of the respondents said they have used these social media platforms.

According to a survey on social media and e-commerce conducted by Casaleggio Associati, companies implement different strategies in order to increase their customer base and, therefore, sales through social media. One in three companies surveyed said that they emphasize their products' characteristics along with the quality of service provided. Similarly, 29 percent of respondents carried out campaigns to involve users in brand value.

In the year 2022, the estimated market size of social commerce in India is seven billion U.S. dollars. The market size of social commerce is likely to increase to 84 billion U.S. dollars in the year 2030. Social commerce is an e-commerce type that involves the online selling and buying of products through social media and online media.

VKontakte, where most of the businesses had their public page in Russia, was the leading network for social commerce among all age groups surveyed in 2018. Over one fifth of the polled also used Instagram for online shopping on average, with the youngest age group reporting the largest share of over 30 percent. Odnoklassniki (OK.ru) was significantly popular among users aged between 30 and 45 years.

One in two Italian e-commerce companies intended to increase investment on social media, a 2023 survey revealed. Some 37 percent of surveyed e-commerce professionals stated their companies planned to allocate the same resources, whereas six percent of Italian online retailers planned no investment at all.