Social commerce in the United States - statistics & facts

A world of opportunities ahead

Social media has traditionally been used by businesses as a marketing tool to build their brand, increase their visibility, and connect with current and potential customers. In the United States, at least nine of every ten companies were estimated to use this channel for marketing purposes in 2020. While advertising campaigns remain fundamental to targeting and engaging the right audience, generating conversion through them has become increasingly difficult. As a result, a growing number of brands and retailers started offering the possibility to make purchases directly from their social networks. According to a survey conducted in early 2021, nearly eight out of ten U.S. businesses anticipated selling on social media in the next three years. Social commerce has sparked the interest of all sized businesses. But for small and medium-sized companies, it is proving to be a game changer. Social commerce allows them to test their idea directly in the market without the hassle and commitment of an e-commerce site.

Gen Z and millennials, drivers of social commerce

Social media advertising influences U.S. consumers’ shopping behavior, regardless of their age. The leap to purchase from these platforms, however, has been primarily driven by newer generations, namely Gen Z and millennials. During a 2020 survey in the United States, almost half of social network users aged between 14 and 34 had bought at least one product through this channel in the previous year. The ability of social media algorithms to detect user preferences and provide personalized recommendations has been key to winning over shoppers in this age range. For many Gen Z and millennial shoppers, these platforms have even become the go-to place for discovering new products. In fact, more than 50 percent of them prefer social media over traditional online search.

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