Social commerce thrives when merchants tackle trust issues

Social commerce is changing the landscape of global retail. Consumers today use social channels for inspiration and ideas, to connect with others, to browse — and increasingly, as a place to shop.

While social commerce hasn’t grown as fast in the United States as it has globally, the rise of TikTok Shop as a retail channel has accelerated adoption since its launch in late 2023. In fact, EMARKETER estimates that in 2025, U.S. social commerce sales will pass the $100 billion milestone for the first time, representing 22.4% growth over 2024 predictions.

In partnership with Ipsos, one of the world’s largest research firms, AfterShip surveyed one thousand American shoppers about their social media browsing and buying habits, and found that a little more than half (52%) have made a purchase on social media.

For shoppers not embracing social commerce, concerns about trust and security are their most cited issues. But many would purchase through social channels if they felt safer doing so.

This report explores consumers’ attitudes and buying habits when it comes to social commerce, and what merchants need to do to persuade them to join the next evolution of online shopping.

What motivates online shoppers

Regardless of where they shop online, consumers’ purchase decisions are primarily motivated by sales and promotions (87%) followed by reviews from other customers (78%).

While social media is less of a factor, it’s still a motivator for many shoppers. 38% say that a brand’s social content motivates them, 34% cite live shopping videos as a factor, and 31% of consumers are impacted by influencers.

Social media: What’s it good for?

Given how much time consumers spend on social channels like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, it makes sense that they’d increasingly adopt these platforms as marketplaces. Of the shoppers we surveyed, 79% use social media weekly. Of those aged 18-34, 71% reported daily use.

If only half are actually shopping on social media, then what are they using it for? The majority responded that they primarily use social channels for browsing (76%), followed closely by looking for inspiration and ideas (62%).

Just a little over one-third (31%) say social networks are their main source for trends and shopping, but the extent to which retailers leverage platforms still influences consumers’ brand attitudes. 41% say they are more trusting of merchants with a social media presence, and for 30%, a social commerce presence positively impacted their brand trust.

Why customers aren’t buying what social platforms are selling

Though consumers think it’s important for brands to have a social media presence, nearly half (49%) still prefer other methods of shopping, like through a brand’s website or store apps. The main reason is trust — 52% of those who don’t shop via social channels cite a lack of trust as a reason.

Shoppers don’t trust social commerce for a whole host of reasons. If they’re seeing a brand or product for the first time on social media, they may have concerns about legitimacy or quality. Worries about the security of their personal data and credit card information are also frequently cited. And while an item may be heavily promoted by influencers, savvy consumers may not believe that a paid testimonial is an authentic one.

What would it take to get more shoppers to adopt social commerce?

When asked what would motivate shoppers to embrace social commerce, trust and security led the pack. 44% of respondents said they’d shop if they trusted the platform more, and for 28%, more secure platforms would be the primary motivating factor.

When it comes to security, there are some differences based on gender and age. Secure platforms are particularly motivating for women — 33% cited that as the primary factor versus only 19% of men. And nearly half of those aged 18-34 are motivated by security, compared to only 26% of shoppers aged 35-54 and 24% of those 55 and older.

It’s worth noting that while trust and security are the main drivers of social commerce, shoppers still can’t resist a deal. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they’d shop via social channels if the items were cheaper than elsewhere.

Social commerce adopters aren’t who you think they are

It comes as no surprise that younger shoppers are the most likely to shop on social commerce, but the frequency with which they shop may be eye-opening: 34% of 18-34-year-olds shop on social media on a weekly basis.

When it comes to gender, men are significantly more likely than women to shop on social platforms weekly: 22% vs. 13%. And households with children are more likely to leverage social commerce than those without children (30% vs. 13%). This may be due to the convenience factor, especially for busy parents.

Also not a huge surprise: the older a shopper gets, the less likely they are to shop on social channels. The number, however, is much higher than you probably think: 73% of those over 55 say they never shop on social platforms.

The future still looks bright for social commerce

While many shoppers are wary of social commerce now, they haven’t ruled it out for future purchases. 4 in 10 consumers said that they are likely to shop through a social media platform in the future.

Whether it’s optimism that social media will become more secure as popularity grows or that companies like Meta and TikTok will get better as weeding out fake sellers and products, the road ahead for social commerce looks bright — if brands and platforms can instill more trust in users.

How merchants can boost their social commerce sales

As social commerce continues to grow, it is imperative that merchants leverage this channel to grow sales and revenue. Here are some tactics to consider:

Create a compelling social media presence to engage shoppers

Shoppers want to see that brands are authentic on social media. Highlight real shoppers and work with trusted influencers to boost your engagement and awareness. Focus on microinfluencers in your space rather than big names — they often have more dedicated, engaged followers.

Build trust with social proof

Shoppers trust other shoppers more than they trust brands. Collect and showcase authentic reviews on your social commerce channels, and consider syndicating reviews from your online store to your social channels for more social proof.

Offer incentives to purchase

Online shoppers are still motivated mainly by sales and promotions, and if you want to boost social commerce sales, you need to offer deals and perks that they can’t get anywhere else. Offer exclusive discounts, gifts with purchase, or free shipping as incentives.

Ensure a seamless customer journey

The customer experience will make or break your success on social commerce. Leverage trusted partners and integrations on social platforms to ensure that customers have a frictionless buyer journey and promote repeat purchases. For example, AfterShip Feed, which was designed specifically for TikTok Shop, makes product listing and order fulfillment easy by automating product listings, pricing, inventory, and order syncing to help retailers save time and resources.

Social commerce has already gotten over the largest hurdle facing retailers both online and in brick-and-mortar stores — getting shoppers in the door. Now merchants need to work on building trust. With some practical steps and the right partners, brands can provide a safe and secure shopping experience, and ensure that their expanded reach translates to higher sales and revenue.

Methodology

These are the findings of an Ipsos poll of n = 1000 Americans aged 18+. The research was conducted online via Ipsos’ proprietary panel. The research was in field from September 18 to 20, 2024. Quotas and weighted were used to ensure that the sample reflects the population of America according to census parameters. The accuracy of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. The results are considered accurate to within +/- 4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is one of the largest market research and polling companies globally, operating in 90 markets and employing nearly 20,000 people.

Their passionately curious research professionals, analysts, and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers, or employees. Their 75 business solutions are based on primary data from our surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative or observational techniques.