Dive Brief:
- TikTok is driving social commerce growth, with TikTok Shop making up nearly 20% of social commerce in 2025, according to a new report from Emarketer.
- TikTok Shop’s sales are forecast to exceed $20 billion in 2026 and surpass $30 billion in 2028. In 2026, half of U.S. social shoppers are projected to make purchases on TikTok.
- While social commerce is expected to surpass $87 billion this year, it is projected to exceed $100 billion in 2026 and reach nearly $119 billion in 2027, according to the report.
Dive Insight:
A little more than two years after TikTok Shop launched in the U.S., the social commerce hub has become a major e-commerce player.
U.S. shoppers under the age of 60 spent $708 on average on TikTok Shop in 2024, according to a report by PartnerCentric. The most popular product categories for TikTok shoppers are personal accessories, followed closely by household items, per that study.
Overall, TikTok Shop’s sales are expected to comprise nearly a quarter of all U.S. social commerce sales by 2027. The remaining 75% of the market remains dominated by other social platforms, chiefly Facebook Marketplace and Instagram, Emarketer noted in its report.
As TikTok Shop continues to rise, so will the entire social commerce market. More than half of U.S. online shoppers will have made a purchase via a social media platform by 2028, the report notes. The trend stems in part from the proliferation of shoppable content on social media, making consumers more comfortable with social commerce, Rachel Wolff, retail and e-commerce analyst at Emarketer, said in a press release.
“TikTok’s ability to blend shopping and entertainment is turning the platform into an e-commerce powerhouse,” Wolff said in the release. “While price concerns and value are top of mind for consumers this holiday season, so too is the desire to shop for fun — an itch that TikTok Shop is perfectly placed to scratch.”
As TikTok has risen to prominence, the social media giant has shaped how brands reach potential customers. Major brands and retailers, including Amazon, Maybelline, E.l.f. Cosmetics and Gap, have harnessed the platform to engage shoppers. To attract more shoppers, the company has even taken a page from retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target by launching its own sales events.
Though TikTok has become a go-to destination for browsing and shopping, the company aspires to venture beyond consumers’ mobile devices. In July, the company partnered with Westfield Malls to bring its ads and content to screens within the high-end shopping centers. The company has also collaborated with other partners to reach screens in vehicles, fitness centers, airports and malls.
