Openness to social media shopping worldwide 2021

In a survey conducted in 2021, more than three-quarters of social media users worldwide said they liked the option to make one-click purchases right then and there. In addition, 72 percent of respondents said they find social shopping convenient, the same percentage as those who said there should be more opportunities to shop through this channel.

A popular emerging shopping channel

Product advertisements are now a norm for users to come across while browsing on social media. As a result, social platforms have become one of the most popular emerging online shopping channels for potential consumers and internet users globally. In 2021, China and the United States were the two countries with the highest share of internet users purchasing from social networks out of a dozen leading e-commerce markets worldwide. Among those who regularly used social media channels, at least seven in ten had made at least one purchase of a product or service after seeing it advertised or reviewed on social media as of late 2021.

An impulse-driven trend?

While many consumers are swayed by ads seen on social media, two-thirds of those buying products found on social media in 2021 still made their final purchase through a shopping website or app. Less than one-third bought directly from the social media platform. Additionally, most online shoppers who purchased a product or service through a social network either did so impulsively or without any prior planning.