In 2025, 61% of surveyed U.S. consumers discovered a new brand or product on social media, according to Deloitte Digital’s 2025 State of Social research. That shows that customers do not always begin with a product search. Sometimes, they find what they want while scrolling through a video, reading a creator’s review, or watching someone use a product at home.
Social commerce turns that discovery into a potential sale. But getting someone’s attention is different from earning their money. Consumers still compare prices, question exaggerated claims, check reviews, and look for a payment process they trust.
Understanding these buying habits is more useful than chasing every new social media trend.
What Is Social Commerce, and Why Is It Growing?
Social commerce is the buying and selling of products through social media platforms and the shopping experiences connected to them. Depending on the platform, a customer may complete a purchase inside an app or follow a product link to an online store.
According to EMARKETER’s social commerce forecast, U.S. retail social commerce sales are expected to surpass $100 billion in 2026. Forecasts depend on how social commerce is defined, but the broader direction is clear: social platforms have become meaningful sales channels.
The appeal is straightforward. Social media combines product discovery, entertainment, recommendations, customer feedback, and shopping in one experience. A video can introduce a product, comments can answer questions, and a shopping link can take the viewer directly to checkout.
Consider someone watching a creator demonstrate a compact espresso machine. The viewer sees how quickly it works, reads comments about cleaning and durability, checks the price, and opens the retailer’s website. The purchase may happen outside the social app, but social content helped create the demand.
What Actually Persuades Social Media Shoppers?
Deloitte’s 2025 consumer survey offers a useful picture of what encourages Americans to buy directly through social platforms. It surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers who were active on selected social networks and had made an online purchase in the previous 30 days.
| Purchase influence | Share of surveyed consumers |
|---|---|
| Deals and discounts | 62% |
| Customer reviews | 46% |
| Appealing product videos and images | 35% |
| An easier payment process | 34% |
Source: Deloitte Digital, 2025 State of Social research. Respondents could select multiple purchase influences.
Discounts lead the list, but the other results explain why promotional content alone often falls short. A bargain can attract attention; reviews and product demonstrations help a buyer decide whether the offer is worth accepting. A confusing checkout can still prevent the sale.
Imagine two retailers selling the same set of wireless headphones. One publishes a discount graphic. The other offers the same deal alongside a short sound-quality demonstration, a clear warranty, verified buyer reviews, and the final price. The second retailer gives customers more information with which to make a decision.
That is the practical lesson: make the value clear and give shoppers enough evidence to assess the offer.
Creator Recommendations and Customer Reviews Serve Different Purposes
Creators can introduce products to audiences that would never have searched for them independently. A good demonstration makes a product easier to understand, especially when its value is difficult to communicate through a photograph.
However, an endorsement is not the same as independent customer feedback. Shoppers may enjoy a creator’s video and still search for reviews before spending money.
Businesses should therefore combine creator partnerships with genuine user-generated content, such as customer photographs, unboxing videos, practical demonstrations, and verified reviews. Each format answers a different question: What is this product? How does it work? What was it like to buy and use?
Creator selection deserves the same scrutiny. A large following does not guarantee sales. A smaller creator with an audience that closely matches the product’s target market may generate more qualified interest.
Which Platforms Are Influencing U.S. Shopping?
Different platforms serve different purposes, so businesses should choose channels based on their customers rather than popularity alone.
- TikTok: Short-form videos, creator recommendations, product demonstrations, and in-app shopping can connect discovery with purchasing. TikTok reported more than 100 billion searches with e-commerce intent on TikTok Shop in the United States during 2025. This is a platform-reported figure, not an independent measure of completed purchases.
- Instagram: Product imagery, Reels, creator partnerships, and direct messaging can support visual discovery and customer conversations.
- Facebook: Groups, Marketplace, business pages, and community recommendations help customers find products and local sellers.
- YouTube: Reviews, tutorials, comparisons, and longer demonstrations help shoppers evaluate more complicated or expensive purchases.
TikTok’s figures come from its 2026 holiday-shopping report. The underlying lesson is that product discovery and deliberate search can happen on the same platform.
There is no universal winner. A makeup seller might find short demonstrations effective, while a business selling home appliances may need detailed product comparisons and tutorials. Test channels against actual orders rather than assuming that views or engagement will translate into revenue.
Trust Can Decide Whether a Customer Completes the Purchase
Social commerce offers convenience, but buying from an unfamiliar seller introduces uncertainty. Customers may wonder whether the product is genuine, whether the photograph is accurate, or whether their order will arrive at all.
Fraud is a real part of this environment. The Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers reported losing $2.1 billion to scams originating on social media in 2025. Nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam said it began on social media. These figures concern reported scams in the United States, not ordinary retail purchases generally.
For legitimate businesses, trust should be built into the shopping experience rather than treated as a marketing slogan.
- Display accurate product descriptions, prices, shipping charges, and return conditions.
- Use genuine customer reviews and show the product as it actually looks.
- Provide identifiable business information and a reliable customer-support channel.
- Use secure payment options and send clear order confirmations.
- Communicate delivery delays, cancellations, and refunds promptly.
Convenience also extends beyond checkout. In its 2026 U.S. e-commerce findings, DHL reported that 93% of surveyed American online shoppers identified as convenience-driven, prioritizing fast, free delivery and easy returns. Its U.S. shopper report reinforces a basic point: a smooth purchase experience includes what happens after payment.
How AI Is Changing Shopping Behavior
AI shopping assistants are becoming another source of product research. Consumers can use them to compare features, check prices, narrow choices, and find alternatives. Yet assistance does not automatically translate into permission to purchase on a person’s behalf.
A Gartner survey published in May 2026 found that only 11% of 322 surveyed U.S. consumers were willing to let AI make purchase decisions, even in relatively low-stakes categories. More were open to using AI to narrow product choices.
For retailers, the immediate priority is accurate product information. Keep prices, stock availability, specifications, compatibility details, and return policies consistent across the website and social channels. AI tools can only provide useful comparisons when the underlying information is reliable.
How Businesses Can Turn Social Engagement Into Sales
A practical social commerce strategy starts with a simple question: what does a potential customer need to see or know before buying?
- Choose one product and one audience. Define the customer problem, the product’s main benefit, and the likely objections.
- Create content that demonstrates value. Test product videos, customer reviews, comparisons, and creator content. Do not rely entirely on promotional graphics.
- Remove uncertainty. Make prices, delivery terms, return conditions, and product details easy to find.
- Simplify the purchase. Use a clear shopping link or checkout process. Respond to genuine questions quickly and make order confirmation straightforward.
- Measure completed sales. Track which content generates qualified enquiries, paid orders, profitable revenue, repeat purchases, and refunds.
Likes and follower counts can help describe audience engagement, but they are not a substitute for sales data. A post that receives fewer views may still be more profitable if it reaches people who are ready to buy.
Social Commerce is Becoming Meaningful
Social commerce is becoming a meaningful part of how Americans discover products and decide what to buy. Its strongest opportunities come from connecting engaging content with credible information and a straightforward purchase experience.
Discounts may win attention. Creators can introduce new products. Reviews help customers assess their options. Secure payments and reliable delivery give them reasons to complete the order and return.
The businesses best positioned to benefit are those that measure the entire buying journey. Rather than asking which post went viral, ask which content brought in the right customers, which concerns prevented them from buying, and which improvements produced more profitable orders. Those answers provide a better foundation for growth than engagement metrics alone.
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