People buy on social media – yes or yes? Of course they do, and depending on the social media network and your target audience, their buying behaviors should be heavily influencing your marketing and sales strategies.
Let’s take a closer look at how exactly online shoppers buy on social media, shall we?
What’s the difference between social commerce and ecommerce?
First of all, social commerce is really a form of ecommerce. It’s just specific to social media platforms, and you can look at it as ecommerce integrated with social media.
But, as it often happens with marketing and sales terminology, both are now used to mean something slightly different.
We usually talk about social commerce when we talk about shopping via online stores and marketplaces. Customers browse products, add items to a shopping cart, and complete purchases through a checkout process. Marketers and business owners mainly focus on driving traffic to the store through SEO, online ads, and email campaigns.
Social commerce, on the other hand, happens directly and entirely on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest, usually without leaving the app. Think social media checkouts and storefronts, livestream sales, etc. The focus for brands here is building an engaged community, integrating social interactions, influencers, and user-generated content into the shopping experience.
Social commerce and ecommerce are two sides of the same coin, helping brands cater to different customer behaviors. Social commerce is perfect for impulse purchases and viral marketing, while ecommerce often involves more structured browsing, buyer intent, and product comparison.
Social media is also often an important part of traditional ecommerce – a source of inspiration and discovery. Statista cites a 2023 survey in which social media platforms helped 60% social media users find new products and brands. So, with the popularity of social media in the customer journey, the lines between social commerce and ecommerce can blur a little bit.
Top social commerce statistics
Speaking of social media shopping and numbers, the latest NapoleonCat and Norstat consumer study conducted in the UK brings some really interesting statistics.
Overall, according to Statista, in 2023, social commerce sales worldwide accounted for an estimated 18.5 percent of total online sales.
But when we look at the UK market in this study, the numbers are even more compelling. Perhaps the most important one is the fact that, undoubtedly, social media is an important part of the buying process. When it comes to how customers reach out to brands, it’s second only to email.
Customers use social media to different degrees before they buy, during the purchase, and post purchase.
And when we look at what we could call specifically social commerce – buying on social media – here’s what that looks like.
As you can see, social media’s most prevalent pre-purchase, but almost 40% of respondents said they also used it to actually buy products, with most using Facebook (42%), Instagram (34%), and TikTok (28%).
And what do they use those platforms for exactly? Well, at this stage of the buying process, they:
- Buy products directly on the platform
- Click social media ads to buy
- Use in-app checkouts
- Send direct messages to companies with questions/comments
- Click affiliate links in influencer content
There are differences, though, when you look at the different social media platforms.
- Direct shopping is most likely to happen on Instagram, followed by Facebook.
- Ads with links to complete the purchase are most frequently used on Facebook and YouTube.
- Shopping via in-app checkouts happens mainly on Instagram and TikTok.
- Direct messages during the purchase happen most on TikTok, and so do sales during live streams.
- And most sales via affiliate links take place on TikTok and YouTube.
Younger customers are more likely to buy on social media
When we look at the demographics, using social media to buy is the most popular among younger generations. Half of consumers aged 25-34 and 18-24 do it. And there’s a clear slump for people over 45 years old.
This is consistent with the overall social media usage, so no surprises there. There are also some expected differences when it comes to individual social media platforms, with Facebook more popular among older age groups, and Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube less popular as people age.
What might be surprising is that more younger people are using LinkedIn to purchase products than older age groups.
Women and men buy on social media almost equally
When you look at the diagram above, you’ll see there’s little difference between genders when it comes to social commerce, with subtle differences in specific social media platforms. For example, men buy more often on YouTube, LinkedIn, or Pinterest in general.
What’s also interesting is that men are also more active during livestream sales on social media, and they send more messages to brands as well.
So, what are the best social commerce platforms?
Now, this is an interesting question. I’ll be looking at the study from NapoleonCat and Norstat, but of course, this will be different across countries, where different social media platforms are more popular than others.
In the study, Facebook is clearly the most used social media platform to buy products, with 42% of UK consumers using it.
Instagram is next at 34%, and TikTok is third at 28%, preceding YouTube by just 1%.
Facebook’s dominance in that respect seems to be global, too. According to Statista, 24% of global online shoppers are most likely to shop there, and Instagram comes second at 20%, so social media shopping trends are pretty much universal.
Though the use of Facebook might be declining among certain age groups, its social commerce tools and advertising network still make the most impact and are the most prevalent across social media.
Having said that, I have a different answer: The best social commerce platforms are the ones where your target audience is and is willing to buy from you. Because that’s the only guarantee Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest is going to work specifically in your case.
One thing’s for sure – don’t neglect social media
Whether that’s post-purchase customer service, building an engaged community, or actually selling your products, it’s one of the key channels you should be focusing on these days.
Yes, the more marketing and sales channels you have to manage, the more complicated it gets. But may I remind you that there are tools like NapoleonCat that make it infinitely easier by helping you (among others):
- Easily moderate many social media profiles in one Social Inbox, including comments on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ads (ever wondered what impact unanswered conversations, negative comments, and spam under your ads have on your campaign results and sales numbers?)
- Automatically reply to product questions or remove spam from your organic posts and ads using Auto-moderation.
And if you want to know more details about social media’s impact on the different stages of the buying journey, download the report here.
FAQs
What is the rise of social media shopping features?
Social media platforms have long been integrating ecommerce features to let brands sell directly on social media (and let consumers directly buy there, without having to browse online stores).
Some of the features allowing social media shopping are:
- Shoppable posts and tags – Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok allow businesses to tag products in posts, making them clickable so consumers can view details and purchase directly within the app.
- Live shopping – Brands and influencers can host live streams where they showcase products, answer questions in real time, and provide exclusive deals. Viewers can buy instantly without leaving the stream. This is a really popular feature on TikTok.
- In-app checkout – Social commerce enables internet users to complete purchases without leaving the platform, reducing friction and increasing conversion rates. Examples include Instagram Checkout, Facebook Shops, and TikTok Shopping.
- User-generated content (UGC) – Customers can share reviews, photos, and videos of products, creating authentic recommendations that influence potential social buyers. Brands often encourage UGC through hashtags and advertising campaigns.
- Influencer and creator collaborations – Social commerce thrives on influencer marketing, where creators promote products to their followers through posts, videos, and affiliate links, driving trust and engagement.
- Social recommendations and reviews – Platforms integrate peer reviews, comments, and likes, allowing shoppers to see real feedback and engage with other buyers before making a purchase.
- AI-driven personalization – Many platforms use AI to suggest products based on user behavior, preferences, and social interactions, making shopping more relevant and tailored to individual interests.
- Group buying and exclusive deals – Some social commerce apps, like Pinduoduo in China, encourage users to team up for bulk discounts, creating a sense of urgency and community-driven shopping.
- Direct messaging for shopping – Customers can ask questions, request recommendations, and even complete transactions via chat features on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram DMs.
- Augmented reality (AR) try-ons – AR technology allows shoppers to visualize how products (like makeup, glasses, or furniture) will look in real life before purchasing, enhancing confidence in their buying decisions.
What are some social commerce trends currently?
Popular social media shopping trends in 2025 include:
- Livestream shopping
Livestream shopping has gained significant popularity, enabling brands and influencers to showcase products in real-time, interact with viewers, and facilitate instant purchases. In fact, according to data, live commerce has a conversion rate of around 30%, which is 10 times higher than traditional commerce.
- AI integration
AI is everywhere, and it’s also enhancing social shopping. Platforms use it to optimize advertising, suggest products, and provide social media customer service.
- New social media platforms
The social commerce ecosystem is expanding with the rise of new platforms catering to diverse user bases. For instance, Xiaohongshu, also known as “RedNote,” has seen a surge in popularity as TikTok faced a national ban in the US. This app combines social media and ecommerce, offering a community-driven shopping experience.
- Focus on privacy and security
With the growth of social commerce, concerns regarding data privacy and security have intensified (and regulations follow). Platforms are implementing stricter measures to protect user information and guarantee secure transactions.
What do people buy most on social media?
According to the data gathered by Statista, the most popular product category for social shopping in the US is apparel, followed by beauty products, home products, and tech.
What is trending on social media?
Social media trends keep changing really fast, so a lot depends on when you’re reading this. 🙂 But when it comes to social media shopping trends, here are some things trending in 2025:
- Livestream sales
- Community-driven shopping
- Augmented and virtual reality
- Frictionless in-app checkouts
You may also like:
