Buying a product straight from a video, post, or chat—without ever leaving the app—is no longer a novelty. It’s the new standard. Social commerce blends content, community, and commerce into one seamless experience, collapsing the gap between discovery and purchase. And no one does it better than China.
While Western brands struggle with rising ad costs and low conversion rates, Chinese platforms like WeChat, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Pinduoduo have built ecosystems where shopping happens naturally. In 2024 alone, social commerce sales topped $1.6 trillion globally and are growing at an estimated 32% annually. In China, 71% of consumers now prefer shopping through social platforms. The shift isn’t coming—it’s already here.
To understand where global retail is headed, it’s worth looking at how China redefined what it means to shop socially—and why the rest of the world is racing to catch up.
Table of Contents
What Is Social Commerce?
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Social commerce allows users to discover, research, and purchase without leaving social platforms. Instead of clicking through a separate site, shoppers buy directly through posts, chats, or videos. This in-app model removes friction and transforms passive browsing into fast, social shopping.
The key difference is integration. In social commerce, buying happens inside the app (via embedded carts, mini-programs, shoppable posts, or videos). This reduces friction and leverages social proof (likes, comments, shares) at the point of sale.
Unlike old-school e-commerce, which often forces users to leave a social environment and navigate a website, social commerce focuses on converting customers through the apps they already use. In other words, it removes barriers. Instead of opening a browser, logging into a store, and checking out, you just swipe and shop.
This embedded approach transforms how people shop. Social media is inherently social. Customers see peer recommendations, influencer posts, and real-time reviews. These social signals build trust and enthusiasm that advertisers usually pay for on traditional sites.
The result for businesses is often higher engagement, and the global average e-commerce conversion rate (the percentage of visitors who buy) is 3.65%. In short, social commerce transforms browsing into buying by merging content, community, and commerce in one experience.
A Quick History of Social Commerce
The concept of merging social interaction with online shopping isn’t brand new, but it has evolved rapidly over the last decade:
- Mid-2000s: Social platforms began experimenting with “Buy” buttons and embedded links, but adoption was slow.
- 2010s: Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook added more direct shopping tools, but social commerce was still seen as an add-on, not the primary sales channel.
- 2020 and beyond: Fueled by the pandemic, smartphone penetration, and a shift in consumer behavior, social commerce exploded, especially in China. Livestreaming sales, influencer-driven marketing, and in-app shopping became central to the retail experience.
Today, the line between content and commerce is blurred. A viral product can sell out in minutes on TikTok or Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese version). In WeChat mini-programs, whole brands operate e-commerce experiences inside a chat app. This is no longer a side strategy — it’s a core business model.
Why Traditional E‑commerce Needs a Reset
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Traditional e-commerce is under pressure. Ad costs are rising while ROI declines. One report noted that search and social ads are becoming more expensive but delivering fewer conversions. Meanwhile, shoppers are bombarded with promotions and increasingly skeptical of fake listings.
A 2024 study found that 28% of potential sales were lost due to trust issues. With growing privacy concerns and ad fatigue, users are more likely to ignore or block ads entirely.
The result? Poor conversion from social interest into actual sales. Brands may have large Instagram followings, but forcing users to leave the app to buy disrupts the journey. Fewer than 2% of users who discover a product on social complete the purchase on an external site—a costly drop-off.
These issues—skyrocketing ad costs, skeptical shoppers, and broken funnels—drive the shift toward social commerce. Research shows that 85% of consumers trust social shopping platforms, compared to just 48% who trust standalone e-commerce sites. This trust factor gives social commerce a clear edge and signals why traditional models need a reset.
The Chinese Social Commerce Revolution
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In China, social commerce is not just a trend – it’s a way of life. Mobile social platforms have deeply embedded shopping features that make the lines between browsing social content and buying products almost invisible. Chinese consumers are leaders in this space: over 71% prefer social shopping (buying through social apps) rather than traditional online retail.
Thanks to this embrace, China’s social commerce is already enormous: research estimates that social commerce will reach 17.1% of all online retail sales in China in 2025, far surpassing the scale seen in Western markets.
Leading this shift are China’s tech giants – Tencent, Alibaba, ByteDance, etc., each of which has woven shopping into their social ecosystems:
WeChat (Tencent)
Known as an “app for everything,” WeChat is at the core of Chinese social commerce. It’s not just a chat app but a full-on digital ecosystem, with payment, mini-programs, official brand accounts, video channels, and more.
The goal is to make WeChat the ultimate social commerce platform, where conversations, content, and commerce exist without friction. With over 1.3 billion monthly users, WeChat gives brands immediate access to an enormous, engaged audience.
In 2024, WeChat’s “Mini Shops” feature took off: active merchants doubled, daily sellers tripled, and total sales (GMV) surged 200% year-over-year. WeChat’s in-app shops and payment (WeChat Pay) mean a user can see a product in a friend’s chat or a brand post and tap to buy it immediately, without leaving the app.
The result: a considerable percentage of WeChat users now shop on the platform, making it a true one-stop social shopping hub.
Douyin (ByteDance)
China’s answer to TikTok, Douyin, is a short-video powerhouse with seamlessly added shopping. In 2024, Douyin’s e-commerce revenue exceeded 3.5 trillion yuan (a 30% jump from the year before). Douyin drives social commerce with highly entertaining video content and influential creators.
Users watch bite-sized product demos or challenges, then tap an embedded link to purchase. In livestream “digital shopping festivals,” Douyin can draw millions of viewers simultaneously, driving billions in sales. (In fact, live-stream shopping in China will reach 8.16 trillion yuan in 2026).
Douyin’s growth is staggering: it went from 639 million daily users in 2021 to a projected 835 million by 2025, spreading from big cities into lower-tier regions. With its AI-driven “interest graph,” Douyin feeds each user endless new products.
Brands on Douyin see high engagement and, often, higher conversion: research shows Douyin users spend far more on social commerce than their counterparts abroad. (For example, a Deloitte report found Chinese Douyin users are far more likely to spend >5000 RMB per year on social shopping than global social app users. Douyin’s mobile-first design and captivating videos make it a hugely effective sales engine – as one ByteDance ad proudly points out, Douyin’s apparel sales have rivaled those on Alibaba’s Tmall.
Xiaohongshu (RedNote)
A hybrid of Instagram and Amazon, Xiaohongshu is China’s go-to app for trusted product reviews and shopping recommendations. It’s built on user-generated content: everyday people and influencers post stylized pictures of products (from makeup to travel gear), often writing detailed reviews.
Other users can click right through to buy those items in-app. Xiaohongshu has become a cultural trendsetter among young Chinese, especially women. Brands flock to Xiaohongshu because it’s “the most trusted” social platform for shopping in China: the peer review model means users rely on authentic, community-driven advice.
The platform even supports cross-border shopping, letting Chinese customers easily buy niche products from overseas. (For example, L’Oréal and other global brands run major campaigns on Xiaohongshu, often with a surge in followers and sales after collaboration with local stars.)
Pinduoduo
A social shopping phenomenon that started with group-buying deals. Pinduoduo gamifies commerce to get a steep discount or free product; you form a “team” of friends who buy together. The app encourages users to share purchase links in WeChat or elsewhere to recruit teammates. This model took off, especially in smaller cities and rural areas with intense bargain hunting and social sharing.
Today, Pinduoduo is China’s second-most significant e-commerce player (behind Alibaba), with revenue of $54.71 billion in 2024 and 500+ million active buyers. In practical terms, Pinduoduo’s screen often looks like a marketplace of bargains—“buy one with two friends and get it at 50% off” or “start a free team with nine friends.”
This communal approach turns shopping into a social game. The strategy paid off: Pinduoduo reached a $100 billion market cap in under five years. Today, its influence pushes other platforms to adopt group-buying features as well.
Meituan
Best known as China’s “everything app” for food delivery, hotel bookings, and local services, Meituan has also embraced social commerce, primarily through its community group-buying model, Meituan Youxuan.
Targeting residents in lower-tier cities, Meituan Youxuan allows users to join local buying groups for groceries, snacks, or household essentials. Orders are placed through WeChat-based mini-programs and picked up at nearby collection points the next day. Group leaders (often stay-at-home parents or local shopkeepers) manage orders and share promotions within WeChat groups, creating a hyper-local, trust-based sales network.
In 2024, Meituan’s community group-buying division surpassed 500 billion yuan in sales, driven by convenience, affordability, and neighborhood-level trust. This model blurs the line between social chat, service coordination, and commerce.
While less flashy than live streaming or short video, Meituan’s approach shows how social commerce thrives in essential, low-margin categories—especially when convenience and social relationships drive repeat behavior.
Live Commerce and KOL Marketing
Two of China’s most powerful social commerce strategies—livestream shopping and KOL (Key Opinion Leader) marketing—blend entertainment with retail to drive massive engagement and impulse buying.
Live Commerce
Live commerce is exactly what it sounds like: a host demonstrates products in real time, and viewers can purchase instantly within the stream. This model evolved from China’s preexisting livestream culture, where millions already tuned in for gaming, tutorials, or lifestyle content. Platforms like Taobao Live (Alibaba), Douyin Live, and Kuaishou added native “buy” buttons to these streams, transforming passive viewing into real-time shopping.
The scale is staggering. Top hosts routinely attract millions of viewers. In one famous case, Li Jiaqi, China’s “Lipstick King,” sold 15,000 lipsticks in just five minutes. These streams combine urgency (limited-time deals), social proof (live chat and viewer reactions), and seamless checkout to drive conversions. According to McKinsey, brands using live streaming in China have seen conversion rates near 30%—roughly 10x higher than traditional e-commerce averages.
KOL Marketing
KOL marketing is closely tied to live streaming. Key Opinion Leaders are influential content creators who command the trust of millions in niches like beauty, tech, fashion, and fitness. Their appeal lies in peer-level authenticity: audiences see KOLs as relatable figures, not corporate spokespeople.
Brands frequently partner with KOLs to launch products, explain features, and demonstrate use cases. Their influence is enormous—“Doudou Babe,” a popular beauty vlogger, once sold over 7.75 million lipsticks during a single Douyin Livestream. These campaigns are not outliers. Market studies show that 45% of Chinese consumers rank influencer recommendations as the most credible form of advertising, surpassing celebrities and traditional media.
KOL marketing also includes KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers)—micro-influencers or everyday users with strong community influence. Whether mega or micro, the strategy is the same: leverage social trust to drive behavior. In practice, a 10-minute influencer livestream can outperform weeks of traditional advertising, both in reach and revenue impact.
Together, live commerce and KOLs create a uniquely immersive shopping experience. Viewers can interact in real time, ask questions, and make purchases on the spot. The scale isn’t limited to domestic stars—international celebrities like Paris Hilton have also joined the trend, once selling $10 million of products in a single Singles’ Day stream.
Community Buying and In-App Ecosystems
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Two more innovations underline China’s social commerce edge: community group buying and in-app shopping ecosystems. Community buying, also known as group buying, thrives on neighborhood-level trust. Apps like Pinduoduo and Meituan Youxuan enable users to unlock discounts by forming small buyer groups—often through WeChat chats.
One person shares a deal, others join in, and everyone gets a lower price. This model resonates especially in smaller cities, where social ties are substantial, budgets are tight, and word-of-mouth plays a bigger role in decision-making.
We’ve already seen how Pinduoduo’s group deals work. But the idea extends beyond one app. WeChat launched a group-buy mini-program (Xiao’e Pinpin) in which users form a “group” by inviting friends, and everyone in the group enjoys a lower price.
Meanwhile, each platform has built its in-app ecosystem of shops, mini-programs, and payment solutions.
- WeChat has mini-programs and official brand stores
- Douyin has in-feed shops and checkout
- Xiaohongshu has integrated e-stores
- Weibo and Meituan (China’s Yelp) have social shopping features
The key is seamlessness: a consumer can move from chat to brand article to video ad to store without leaving the environment.
What Can the West Learn – and How Will It Catch Up?
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Western markets have been watching this shift closely. Many social media companies (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest) are now aggressively adding shopping features. Instagram Shops, TikTok Shop, and Facebook Marketplace attempt to follow China’s lead. Yet experts note that Western social commerce is still “years behind” China in terms of integration and scale.
Today, the gap is narrowing slowly. For instance, U.S. social commerce is expected to surge to $71.6 billion in 2024 (a 26% jump) and top $100 billion by 2026, mainly driven by TikTok and Instagram. However, over 70% of Chinese still prefer social shopping channels, whereas in the U.S., social commerce is just becoming mainstream.
So what can Western businesses do?
First, make shopping seamless on social channels. People in the West are getting accustomed to “in-app checkout” thanks to one-click shopping on Facebook and Instagram, but these features must go deeper (e.g., allowing group deals, chat-based ordering, or livestream sales).
Second, leverage the community and influencers creatively. Western brands can learn to build tight-knit online communities (like WeChat groups) or partner with micro-influencers who create authentic buzz. China’s KOL playbook – in-depth reviews, interactive lives, gifts – offers lessons on boosting engagement.
Third, integrate payments and rewards. In China, WeChat Pay loyalty programs and mini-game promotions (scratch cards in live streams, etc.) keep users buying. Western apps may need to incorporate more interactive elements (e.g., TikTok’s coin rewards) to match that level of user habit.
Finally, patience is needed. Social commerce will evolve differently due to cultural and regulatory factors. Privacy laws in the West may slow down some common data-driven tactics in China. Still, the momentum is clear that social media platforms will gradually become shopping malls. In other words, Western brands would study China’s ecosystem – from mini-program shops to livestream festivals – and adapt those ideas incrementally.
How Ashley Dudarenok’s Keynotes Support Your Social Commerce Strategy
This is precisely where Ashley Dudarenok’s keynotes bring incredible value. With exclusive insights, rich case studies, and customized strategies, Ashley helps global teams understand where social commerce is going and how to lead it.
Photo by ChoZan超赞. Futurist keynote speaker.
Ashley Dudarenok has been a Pinduoduo’s Global China Experts Group member since 2018, positioning her at the forefront of social commerce strategy alongside one of China’s biggest social e‑commerce platforms.
In addition, she has worked with Alibaba and JD.com through initiatives like Alibaba’s “Global Influencer Entourage” and JD’s expert group. These partnerships gave her direct access to observe and advise on key social commerce tactics, including livestreaming commerce, social incentive mechanisms, and integrated cross-platform marketing strategies. Her involvement with these major players reinforces her deep expertise in China’s dynamic digital retail ecosystem.
Through her companies Alarice and ChoZan, Ashley provides hands-on training and strategic consulting for global brands like Coca-Cola, Shiseido, and Disney, helping them localize their digital and social commerce approaches for the Chinese market.
She also shares her expertise through bestselling books, such as Unlocking the World’s Largest E-Market and New Retail, and in keynotes on livestreaming funnels, WeChat mini-programs, virtual influencers, and community-based sales strategies.
Ashley’s extensive experience in digital transformation, especially in China’s rapidly evolving social commerce landscape, makes her the perfect guide for companies looking to harness the power of this emerging trend. In her talks, Ashley covers:
- Disruptive Innovations: Learn how AI, XR, and emerging tech can be used with social commerce to transform your customer experiences.
- Deep Dive into China’s Social Commerce Model: Ashley has studied China’s most successful social commerce strategies and can share exclusive insights into how global brands can leverage them.
- Social Media Platforms and Engagement Strategies: Discover how to engage audiences on the world’s top social platforms and create authentic, community-driven content that resonates with today’s consumer.
- Actionable Social Commerce Frameworks: Ashley provides step-by-step frameworks for integrating social commerce into your existing sales and marketing operations.
Photo by China Digital Plus Summit. Futurist keynote speaker.
By bringing Ashley in for a keynote, your team will be empowered with practical, cutting-edge knowledge to help them build, refine, and execute a social commerce strategy that works.
Ready to lead the future of retail? Book Ashley Dudarenok for your next keynote or internal event and equip your team with insights shaping tomorrow’s commerce.
The Future of Social Commerce
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Looking ahead, social commerce is poised to reshape global retail. Even beyond China, features like live shopping and community buying are spreading. Experts foresee further growth into emerging tech: imagine shopping via virtual reality live streams, or AI-driven personalized recommendations in your social feed. The boundary between content and commerce will continue to blur; short videos, memes, and influencer talks may all carry clickable shopping tags.
Many analysts predict social commerce will grow several times faster than e-commerce. For example, market researcher Grand View expects global social commerce to expand at ~32% CAGR through 2030.
In practical terms, this could mean that 20–30% of all online shopping will happen via social apps in a few years. Brick-and-mortar brands, international retailers, and startups are already building social commerce strategies.
One key trend to watch is Gen Z and beyond. Younger shoppers have grown up with social apps as second nature. A survey found that one in three young Americans shop on social media weekly. As those habits solidify, non-social e-commerce may feel even more antiquated.
In summary, social commerce is not just a niche sales channel – it’s a fundamental shift. It addresses modern pain points (ad costs, trust, engagement) by transforming the shopping experience. And because China has been “eating the future” of retail, Western markets would be wise to keep an eye on its innovations. Whether it’s livestreaming TikTok shopping festivals or WeChat mini-stores popping up on Instagram, the legacy of China’s lead is already global.
FAQs on Social Commerce
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Social commerce is the buying and selling of products directly through social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or WeChat. Instead of clicking out to a separate website, customers can discover, research, and buy within the app. It merges shopping with social interaction, making the entire purchase journey faster, more engaging, and more convenient.
Traditional e-commerce requires users to leave a platform and visit a separate website to buy. Social commerce keeps everything inside the app: discovery, checkout, and payment. This reduces friction, shortens the buyer journey, and increases conversion rates by turning social engagement into immediate transactions.
China leads social commerce due to its mobile-first population, integrated platforms like WeChat and Douyin, and consumer trust in influencer content. Over 70% of Chinese consumers prefer shopping within social apps. These platforms seamlessly combine payments, shopping, and entertainment, making the experience fast, familiar, and deeply embedded in daily life.
The top platforms are WeChat, Douyin (TikTok China), Xiaohongshu, and Pinduoduo. Each offers in-app stores, live shopping, or group deals. WeChat’s mini-programs, Douyin’s shoppable videos, Xiaohongshu’s user reviews, and Pinduoduo’s team buying model create rich social shopping experiences that dominate the market.
5. What is live commerce (livestream shopping)?
Live commerce lets influencers or brand reps showcase products in real time during livestreams, with viewers buying directly through the video. It blends entertainment, urgency, and social proof, often leading to higher conversion rates than traditional e-commerce. It’s a major sales driver across platforms like Taobao Live and Douyin in China.
KOLs are trusted influencers who promote products to their large, loyal followings. They play a huge role in social commerce in China, often selling thousands of units in minutes. Their recommendations are more authentic and compelling than traditional ads, especially during livestreams and exclusive product launches.
Group buying allows users to form teams to unlock lower prices. Pinduoduo popularized this model by letting shoppers share deals with friends on apps like WeChat. Once enough people join the group, everyone gets the discount. It’s a social, viral way to drive purchases and create urgency.
Western brands are adopting features like TikTok Shop and Instagram Checkout, but still lag behind China in integration and user behavior. To catch up, they need better in-app experiences, stronger influencer partnerships, and creative use of social interactions. Learning from China’s seamless, community-driven models is key.
Social commerce reduces ad costs, builds trust through peer reviews, and shortens the buying process. It improves conversion by removing the need to leave the app, while features like livestreams and group deals increase engagement. This helps brands turn social interactions into measurable sales more effectively than traditional ads.
Yes—social commerce is growing rapidly worldwide. Consumers increasingly prefer discovering and buying products on social platforms. With rising adoption among Gen Z and continued innovation in live shopping and AI tools, experts predict social commerce will soon rival or surpass traditional online retail in many markets.
