THE SOCIAL COMMERCE REVOLUTION: HOT AIR OR HOT OPPORTUNITY? A close look at social commerce’s mass market potential based on current developments and the latest global Future Shopper survey. 1 2025 UPDATE
2 THE HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW 2. THE FUTURE LOOKS SOCIAL 62% of people intend to shop more through social platforms in the future. 93% of consumers in China plan to shop more via social. 5.22 billion people already use at least one social media platform and it’s set to increase. 3. IT’S A GLOBAL PHENOMENON 53% of US shoppers and 56% of UK shoppers said they have purchased through social media platforms in 2024. In China, 95% of shoppers purchased through social media platforms in 2024, up 5% from 2023. Facebook (24%) and Instagram (20%) lead the way in terms of social media platforms that people are most likely to purchase from. 4. IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT FACEBOOK In China, TikTok (47%) leads as the social platform consumers are most likely to purchase from, followed by WeChat (14%). 13% of consumers told us in 2024 that they would be most likely to purchase on TikTok, and 7% on YouTube. 5. AND IT’S NOT JUST FOR THE YOUNG 58% of 45-54-year-olds told us that they purchased an item through social media in 2024. 21% of shoppers aged 55+ intend to shop more through social platforms in the future. 6. WHAT’S GOING TO GET CONSUMERS SPENDING MORE? As in 2023, 2022 and 2021, the top four factors in 2024 remained exactly the same, with deals and discounts again coming out on top. 1. THE RISE AND RISE OF SOCIAL COMMERCE 73% of global shoppers said they bought through social media platforms in the last 12 months. 87% of 16-24-year-olds have purchased a product on social media in the last 12 months, with Instagram (30%) and Facebook (19%) leading the way. 7. INFLUENCERS ARE NOT THE MOST INFLUENTIAL Friends (19%) are more influential than social media influencers (17%) when it comes to influencing consumers about what to buy on social, with family members coming in third (16%). 8. SOCIAL COMMERCE - THE MARKETPLACE KILLER? IT and digital commerce leaders predict that social commerce is set to become the number one channel by 2029, overtaking marketplaces, brand sites and retailer sites.
3 METHODOLOGY 31,500 shoppers across 20 countries were surveyed. In order to qualify they had to have shopped at least once online in the preceding month. The surveys took place in: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, UAE, UK, and US, between the 05.22.2024 – 06.05.2024. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles and are members of The British Polling Council. INTRODUCTION Social commerce: The future of retail or just hype? For years, it’s been promised as the next big thing, yet mainstream, frequent adoption appears elusive. Despite this, the stats point to a channel of consistent – if not explosive – growth... In fact, almost three-quarters of consumers (73%) globally claim to have bought through social commerce in 2024, up from 67% in 2023, and 65% in 2022. As you might expect, the younger the consumer, the more likely they are to have purchased via social, going from 87% amongst 16-24-year-olds to 25% amongst the over-65s. Meta’s platforms (Facebook and Instagram) continue to lead the way, and we can’t ignore the elephant on the screen that is TikTok... which may still play a significantly influential role, potentially under new ownership. Belief in social’s commercial potential is persuasive too. In 2019, research we conducted with commerce leaders revealed their view that social commerce would be the number one sales channel within ten years. Our 2023 research reinforced the same finding. With the flurry of activity and focus on the space, VML wanted to take a closer look. This report dives deep into the most recent Future Shopper data, dissecting the opportunities, addressing the roadblocks, and outlining how we can help your brand finally capitalize on this still-untapped potential. Because social commerce is no longer a “nice-to-have” – it’s a necessity. CHLOE COX HEAD OF SOCIAL
[email protected] 4 GOING SOCIAL AROUND THE WORLD The data suggests that there is a huge interest, and an accompanying surge, in social commerce globally. But there are differences with adoption across geographies. China (95%) has now replaced the previous three-year leader Thailand (94%) as having the highest number of social commerce buyers. China’s numbers are up 5% from 2023. Peru (92%) comes in third, pushing 2023’s tied first Colombia (91%) into fourth place. It’s perhaps no surprise that APAC countries are leading the way in social commerce. Their markets enjoy among the fastest mobile internet speeds available, with consumers embracing digital retail experiences that have yet to land so powerfully in the West, such as livestream commerce. In the markets that have traditionally been viewed as “eCommerce mature”, 53% of US shoppers and 56% of UK shoppers said that they have purchased through social media platforms in 2024. Globally, 48% of shoppers told us they have purchased “on-platform” on social, while 36% of all shoppers have followed links off the platform. Taken at face value, this is great news, as over half of global consumers (59%) want to buy from within social apps and don’t want to be redirected elsewhere. But the truth is that buying “on-platform” is in its early stages and is not available across all countries, and so we should view this data with a degree of caution. Consumers in China (93%) take the number one spot when it comes to intending to shop more through social media in the in the future. French consumers appear the most reticent, with just 26% saying that they will shop more through social media in the future. 48% OF ALL SHOPPERS SAID THEY HAVE PURCHASED ‘’ON-PLATFORM’’ ON SOCIAL
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