The Power of Social Commerce: Results of New Study Revealed
Social media began as simply a way for people to stay in touch with friends and family and to share content that they enjoyed. In recent years, the commerce aspect of social media has exploded and is absolutely booming. The trend looks set to continue as we move through the second half of this decade.
There are plenty of studies that back this up but for this edition of the Brickweb blog we're going to focus on one of the most recent, the results of which were published towards the end of March 2025. The report is a collaboration between TikTok Shop and Retail Economics. Commissioned by Scurri (a delivery management platform) and actioned by leading market research company Savanta, the research sought the opinions of 123 retailers in the UK including both mid-market and enterprise-level businesses.
- During the coming four years, the social commerce industry here in the UK is projected to rise dramatically to nearly £16 billion from its current value of almost £7.5 billion.
- By 2028, social commerce sales will account for 10% of the total e-commerce market, an increase of four percentage points from last year's figure.
- The predicted growth will represent growth at four times the rate of e-commerce sales overall.
- A massive 83% of respondents said that they believed social commerce is the sales channel that is growing most rapidly.
- 86% of retail brands in the UK credit social commerce with 'levelling the playing field' and 'democratising the retail landscape'. This is because the strategy provides mid-market companies with the ability to effectively compete with those at enterprise level.
- Half of enterprise retailers now believe that social commerce has ceased to be an optional add-on and is instead a 'key driver' of business growth.
- Retailers were asked which specific channels they thought would 'drive strategic growth opportunities' over the coming two years. 48% of enterprise retailers cited Instagram and TikTok Shop, with 57% also citing Facebook. 54% of mid-market brands also thought Instagram and TikTok Shop were set to be key drivers of growth, with a further 55% choosing to focus on YouTube.
- When it comes to shopper engagement activities, mid-market retailers were found to be more active than enterprise companies in several areas such as activation of paid partnerships and brand consumer content. The biggest disparity was in terms of live shopping events, with 46% of mid-market respondents using this strategy as opposed to just 24% of enterprise-level retailers.
Brickweb can help you succeed in the fast-growing social commerce sector. From helping you to create engaging content and seamlessly integrate e-commerce stores to managing your entire social media presence, we have the right solution for you. Just browse our website for more details and get in touch with our team to start your journey.
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