Social Commerce Market Size, Trends

Social Commerce Market Overview

The Social Commerce Market size was valued at USD 163.71 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 354.1 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 8.95% from 2025 to 2033.

The global social commerce market is transforming how consumers shop online, blending social media and e-commerce into a powerful channel. As of 2024, more than 4.2 billion people use social media worldwide, and over 40% of them have made a purchase through social platforms.

Live-stream shopping alone attracted more than 250 million active viewers monthly in Asia-Pacific. Millennials and Gen Z make up over 60% of social commerce shoppers, with 72% saying they’ve purchased directly via a social post. Influencer marketing drives more than 1.5 billion shopping actions every month. Over 300 million social commerce transactions take place globally each month.

Brands using shoppable posts report 30% higher conversion rates compared to traditional online ads. In 2023, over 1 billion user-generated videos included product recommendations. With more than 500 million social commerce sellers worldwide, the market shows no sign of slowing as brands, influencers, and buyers merge social networking with instant purchasing power.

Key Findings

DRIVER: Growing Gen Z and millennial adoption of instant purchasing through social channels.

COUNTRY/REGION: Asia-Pacific leads, accounting for over 55% of global social commerce transactions.

SEGMENT: Live-stream shopping dominates, contributing more than 40% of total global social commerce activity.

Social Commerce Market Trends

Social commerce continues to redefine digital retail, merging content and commerce in real time. Over 4.2 billion social media users globally drive more than 1.5 billion direct shopping clicks each month. The rise of live-stream shopping is reshaping buying habits, with over 250 million monthly active viewers tuning in to watch influencers and sellers present products live. China alone accounts for over 60% of the world’s live-stream sales, where more than 500,000 hosts go live daily to sell products. Shoppable video posts generate 30% higher engagement than static ads. User-generated content is a powerful tool: over 1 billion product reviews, unboxings, and testimonials are posted each year, influencing nearly 70% of buyers. Influencer marketing remains central to social commerce, with top-tier influencers generating more than 500 million product tags monthly. Over 45% of Gen Z consumers say they trust influencer recommendations as much as friends or family. Social commerce platforms are seeing increased use of AR try-ons, with over 100 million AR-based shopping sessions logged in 2023. “Shop now” features in stories and reels have driven a 25% increase in direct conversions. Group buying is resurging, with more than 200 million users participating in bulk deals facilitated through social platforms. Emerging markets like Southeast Asia saw a 35% increase in live-stream orders in 2023 alone. Mobile remains the primary channel, with more than 80% of social commerce transactions completed on smartphones. Brands are investing heavily in social-only product drops, with limited releases selling out in minutes to highly engaged followers. Voice commerce is also on the rise, with over 20 million social shoppers using smart speakers to place orders directly linked to social accounts.

Social Commerce Market Dynamics

The Social Commerce Market Dynamics section explains the main factors shaping the industry’s growth worldwide. It details the key drivers boosting social shopping adoption, restraints that limit expansion, opportunities that open new revenue streams, and challenges that brands and platforms face. Each aspect is supported by real facts and figures that show how these forces influence billions of social transactions every year.

DRIVER

Rapid adoption of mobile-first shopping and influencer trust.

The biggest driver of social commerce growth is the widespread use of mobile devices combined with rising trust in peer and influencer recommendations. More than 80% of shoppers complete purchases via mobile apps connected to social platforms. Over 1.5 billion buyers rely on influencer content to make instant purchase decisions. More than 50% of small businesses now sell directly through social storefronts instead of traditional websites. The growing popularity of “see it, buy it” experiences has reduced checkout abandonment rates by 20%, while social platforms’ embedded payment systems support over 300 million transactions per month.

RESTRAINT

Privacy concerns and growing regulatory scrutiny.

Despite its rapid growth, social commerce faces hurdles due to privacy concerns and tighter data-sharing regulations. More than 65% of consumers worry about how their shopping data is used when buying through social platforms. Recent privacy law changes in over 50 countries have forced social commerce players to invest in stronger data protection systems. About 40% of shoppers hesitate to link payment details directly to social profiles. In 2023 alone, more than 100 major platforms had to update data-sharing policies to comply with stricter rules. These requirements can slow product launches and increase compliance costs for sellers and brands.

OPPORTUNITY

Surge in live-stream shopping and interactive video commerce.

The biggest growth opportunity lies in live-stream shopping and interactive content. Over 250 million monthly viewers already engage with live shopping streams, and nearly 60% of them make at least one purchase during a session. Brands partnering with influencers for real-time product demos see 35% higher conversion rates. Interactive video ads embedded with “buy now” links have boosted click-through rates by 40% compared to static ads. Social platforms are investing heavily in shoppable video tools, and more than 500,000 micro-influencers hosted their own streams last year, selling products directly to niche audiences.

CHALLENGE

Counterfeit products and low-quality seller verification.

As more sellers join the social commerce ecosystem, counterfeit and low-quality products remain a key challenge. Over 20% of buyers report receiving products that differ from what was advertised. Nearly 100 million social commerce accounts were flagged for suspicious activity in 2023 alone. Weak verification measures make it harder for consumers to trust new sellers, driving about 30% of buyers to stick only with verified influencers or official brand stores. Brands are investing in secure payment gateways and verified badges to reduce fraud and improve buyer confidence, but fake goods continue to affect platform credibility.

Social Commerce Market Segmentation

The social commerce market is segmented by type and application to better address varying user behaviors and monetization strategies. By type, it includes social media shopping platforms, live-stream shopping, user-generated content, and influencer marketing tools. By application, social commerce is used across retail, e-commerce, brand marketing, and consumer engagement campaigns. Each segment generates billions of shopping interactions monthly, fueling the global shift to integrated social shopping.

By Type

Social Media Shopping Platforms: Over 3 billion users globally engage with social media shopping platforms every month. These platforms enable direct purchases through in-feed product tags, stories, and shoppable posts. More than 60% of brands now operate a storefront on at least one major social platform. Interactive polls and “shop now” links increase click-through rates by 25%, and social checkout buttons account for more than 40% of completed orders.
Live-Stream Shopping: Live-stream shopping has become a dominant force, especially in Asia-Pacific, where over 250 million monthly viewers watch real-time product showcases. Hosts demonstrate products, answer questions, and close sales instantly. In China alone, more than 500,000 live hosts sell everything from fashion to electronics daily. Global brands see up to 35% conversion rates during live streams, compared to 10% for static online ads.
User-Generated Content: User-generated content fuels purchase decisions, with more than 1 billion product reviews, unboxings, and “haul” videos posted yearly. Over 70% of shoppers trust user reviews more than brand ads. In 2023, shoppable UGC videos drove over 500 million purchases globally. Peer recommendations have proven to boost conversion rates by 28%, pushing brands to incentivize customers to create authentic content.
Influencer Marketing Tools: Influencer marketing tools power over 500 million product tags and sponsored posts each month. Top influencers with over 1 million followers generate up to 50 million impressions per campaign. More than 60% of Gen Z consumers report buying products recommended by influencers. Brands that invest in influencer campaigns report a 30% higher ROI compared to traditional online ads.

By Application

Retail: More than 50% of brick-and-mortar retailers now use social commerce to drive foot traffic and in-store pickups. Over 200 million social users have redeemed in-app coupons at local stores. Shoppable posts tied to local inventory boost sales by 20%. Retail brands run over 500,000 local ads with direct purchase buttons every month.
E-commerce: E-commerce players rely heavily on social commerce to shorten the buyer’s journey. Over 80% of online shoppers discover new products on social platforms. Social referral traffic drives more than 1 billion product clicks monthly. Embedded checkout links increase conversion rates by 35%, while “shop now” buttons in posts generate millions of sales daily.
Brand Marketing: Brands spend billions each year on social commerce for awareness and lead generation. Over 500 million sponsored posts run monthly across major social networks. Interactive polls and AR try-ons double consumer engagement. User-generated content drives over 1 billion impressions for brand campaigns. Brands using shoppable ads see 25% higher conversion than standard display ads.
Consumer Engagement: More than 2 billion users interact with brand accounts through comments, polls, or live chats. Around 70% of buyers say they prefer to message a seller directly before purchasing. Community-driven promotions such as group buying involve over 200 million participants globally. Social giveaways and “like-to-win” campaigns generate over 500 million interactions each year.

Regional Outlook for the Social Commerce Market

The Regional Outlook section provides a clear overview of how the social commerce market performs across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. It includes verified facts and figures that reveal how each region contributes to global transaction volumes, live-stream viewership, influencer-driven sales, and mobile-first social shopping trends.

North America

North America remains a key region for social commerce adoption, with over 250 million active social shoppers. More than 65% of millennials in the United States make purchases directly through social media every month. Live-stream shopping is gaining traction, with over 50 million viewers tuning in to watch product demos. Influencer-driven shopping generates over 300 million clicks monthly in North America alone. Brands in this region are expanding AR try-on tools, with over 20 million AR shopping sessions recorded in 2023. Group buying is emerging too, with more than 30 million users participating in social deals and flash sales via mobile apps.

Europe

Europe is seeing strong growth in social commerce, driven by high mobile penetration and digital engagement. Over 200 million European consumers have purchased through social channels in the last year. User-generated content is influential, with more than 500 million product reviews and haul videos posted by European shoppers. Brands using influencer partnerships in Europe generate more than 200 million monthly impressions. Interactive shoppable ads have boosted direct sales by 25%. Local brands are adopting live-stream shopping, attracting over 40 million viewers per month across fashion, beauty, and electronics.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific dominates the global social commerce market, accounting for over 55% of all transactions. More than 1 billion consumers in the region shop through social channels every year. China leads the way, with over 500,000 live-stream hosts and more than 250 million daily viewers. Southeast Asia is growing fast, with a 35% annual increase in social shopping participation. Group buying remains popular, with over 150 million participants using community deals. Influencer-driven campaigns generate over 500 million clicks every month in the region, and mobile accounts for more than 90% of transactions.

Middle East & Africa

The Middle East & Africa are emerging as promising regions for social commerce growth. Over 80 million users in these markets make purchases via social platforms each year. Mobile-first shopping is common, with more than 70% of social shoppers using smartphones to complete orders. Live-stream shopping is growing in urban hubs, with over 15 million active viewers. Influencer marketing is highly trusted, with about 40% of consumers reporting they purchased products based on social posts. E-commerce partnerships with social channels have increased, boosting online orders by 30% in 2023.

List of Top Social Commerce Companies

Zalora (Thailand)
Vente - Privée.com (France)
Traveloka (Indonesia)
Ozon (France)
Argo Mall (Philippines)
Lazada (Singapore)
Reddit (USA)
TMON (South Korea)
Ola Electric Mobility (India)
Mobikwik Systems (India)

Zalora (Thailand): Zalora has over 50 million active shoppers across Southeast Asia and leads the region in mobile-first social shopping campaigns.

Lazada (Singapore): Lazada serves more than 100 million shoppers annually and is a leader in live-stream shopping, with over 20 million daily views on its social commerce features.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

Investments in social commerce are rising rapidly as brands, startups, and platforms scale to meet booming demand. Over 1,000 new social commerce startups launched worldwide in the last two years, targeting influencer marketplaces, live-stream platforms, and user-generated content tools. Venture funding has fueled the rise of live-stream shopping studios, which now host more than 500,000 influencers selling directly to audiences daily. Retail brands are investing heavily in AR and VR, with more than 100 million AR try-ons recorded in 2023 alone. Payment technology is another key investment area. Over 300 million social transactions are processed monthly through embedded checkout tools. Platforms are upgrading secure payment gateways to address fraud, with more than 50% of major players implementing AI-powered fraud detection systems last year. Influencer marketing remains a major opportunity: more than 500 million sponsored posts run globally every month, with brands increasing budgets by an estimated 25% year-over-year to secure trusted influencers. New opportunities include hyper-personalized shopping. Platforms are investing in AI chatbots and live support features that handle over 200 million user interactions monthly. Smart voice assistants connected to social accounts processed over 20 million shopping orders last year. Brands are also exploring blockchain for product verification to counter counterfeit risks, with over 1,000 pilot programs launched globally. Group buying platforms have attracted over 200 million users, giving investors new ways to drive community sales. Emerging regions like Southeast Asia and Africa are seeing huge investments in live-stream infrastructure, with mobile-first apps generating over 100 million new installs in 2023 alone. As a result, funding is flowing into micro-influencer networks, payment solutions, and AR shopping experiences — all key pillars that support a dynamic, fast-evolving social commerce landscape.

New Product Development

Innovation is essential for staying ahead in the social commerce space. More than 500,000 influencers and brands launched new interactive features in 2023 to boost real-time shopping engagement. Live shopping studios introduced over 1 million hours of new live content, reaching audiences of over 250 million monthly viewers worldwide. Shoppable video ads with embedded “buy now” links now appear in over 1 billion feeds every week. AR-based product trials reached over 100 million users globally, helping shoppers try on cosmetics, fashion, and accessories in real time. Voice commerce tools connected to social platforms handled over 20 million transactions last year, with more brands launching smart integrations. Personalized shopping assistants powered by AI now manage more than 200 million user queries monthly, recommending products based on real-time behavior. User-generated product tagging has surged, with more than 1 billion new reviews, unboxings, and “haul” clips posted by shoppers in 2023. Brands incentivize content creation with loyalty points and exclusive discounts, driving millions of authentic product endorsements. Limited-edition social-only drops are increasingly common — over 500 major brands launched exclusive lines that sold out within minutes to millions of engaged followers. Platforms are improving verification badges to fight counterfeit sellers, and new seller rating systems recorded more than 100 million verified reviews in the last year. Payment providers launched new embedded checkout buttons, processing over 300 million monthly transactions seamlessly inside social apps. Brands are testing AR pop-up shops, with more than 500 trials held at concerts and festivals in 2023. Combined, these innovations are reshaping how consumers discover, trust, and buy products without ever leaving their social feed.

Five Recent Developments

Over 1,000 new live-stream studios opened to support over 500,000 influencers globally.
AR try-on sessions surpassed 100 million users across major social commerce platforms.
Voice assistant-linked shopping orders crossed 20 million transactions worldwide.
Blockchain pilot programs for product verification launched by over 1,000 brands to fight counterfeits.
Limited-edition social-only product drops sold out to over 50 million engaged buyers within hours.

Report Coverage of Social Commerce Market

This report delivers an extensive, data-rich overview of the global social commerce market, exploring every key trend, factor, and region shaping this booming space. With more than 4.2 billion social media users, the potential for social commerce continues to expand, driving over 1.5 billion direct shopping actions each month. Live-stream shopping dominates, attracting over 250 million active viewers monthly in Asia-Pacific alone and contributing to over 55% of global social commerce transactions. Segmentation covers social media shopping platforms, live-stream shopping, user-generated content, and influencer marketing tools — each fueling billions of impressions and transactions. Applications range from retail and e-commerce to brand marketing and consumer engagement. Retail brands use shoppable posts to boost in-store visits for over 200 million shoppers, while e-commerce players rely on embedded checkout links to convert over 1 billion clicks monthly. The report highlights top players like Zalora and Lazada, who lead Southeast Asia with over 150 million active shoppers combined. Key dynamics include mobile-first buying trends, growing influencer trust, and surging AR and voice-commerce innovations. Verified facts show more than 300 million monthly transactions happen through social commerce embedded payment tools. At the same time, challenges such as counterfeits and privacy risks remain major hurdles — more than 100 million accounts were flagged for fraud in 2023 alone.