Livestream commerce combines real-time video broadcasting with instant purchasing, allowing viewers to watch product demonstrations, ask questions, and buy without leaving the stream. The format has transformed retail in China, and in the US, adoption is accelerating. US livestream ecommerce sales grew nearly 50% in 2025 to $14.64 billion, with buyers jumping 21.5% year-over-year, according to an EMARKETER forecast. Platforms like TikTok Shop, Whatnot, and eBay Live are driving growth, while brands experiment with creator-led streams to reach engaged audiences.

What is livestream commerce?

Livestream commerce is real-time video shopping where hosts demonstrate products, answer viewer questions, and enable instant purchases through integrated checkout. The format merges entertainment with transaction, creating urgency through limited-time offers and exclusive drops.

Unlike traditional ecommerce, livestream shopping relies on interactive engagement. Viewers comment in real time, influencing which products get featured and receiving personalized recommendations. This interactivity drives higher conversion rates: live shopping boasts conversion rates between 9% and 30%, compared to 2-3% for standard ecommerce platforms, according to Firework.

Livestream shopping’s success is tied to the creator economy’s momentum. US creator ad spend reached $37 billion in 2025, up 26% year-over-year, according to IAB’s Creator Economy Report. Brands are channeling this investment into livestream activations.

Where does livestream commerce live?

• TikTok Shop. The platform has normalized live shopping for younger audiences. Nearly half of TikTok users (48.9%) are TikTok Shop buyers, according to an EMARKETER forecast. Legacy players are entering the space. QVC gained over 100,000 customers from TikTok Shop in Q2 2025, validating its strategy to become a "live social shopping company," per EMARKETER.
• Specialized platforms. Whatnot, a platform dedicated to live commerce, expected sales to exceed $6 billion in 2025, the company told the US Chamber of Commerce. On Black Friday 2025, shoppers spent over $75 million on Whatnot, the company told EMARKETER, which is three times last year’s total.

How does TikTok Shop compare to other livestream platforms?

TikTok Shop dominates US social commerce, accounting for nearly 20% of the market in 2025, per EMARKETER. Its algorithm surfaces live content to users who have never followed or engaged with the host, creating discovery opportunities unavailable on other platforms.

TikTok Shop isn’t confined to live commerce. The share of total TikTok Shop sales from livestream declined from 26% in July 2024 to 18% in July 2025, according to Charm.io data cited by Modern Retail.

What conversion rates can brands expect from livestream commerce?

Brand results illustrate the format's potential:

• Pop Mart: 85% of TikTok Shop sales in June 2025 originated from livestreams, per Modern Retail.
• goPure: 483 hours of TikTok Live generated $1 million in revenue and 64 million impressions, the skincare brand told Glossy.
• Whatnot: Whatnot reported a fourfold increase in first-time buyers compared with last year’s Black Friday event. On average, shoppers bought 40 items per second.

Only 11% of creator-driven shoppers report having made a purchase from a creator's livestream, according to an EMARKETER and impact.com survey. This suggests livestreams are most effective for brand building and community engagement, with direct sales as a secondary benefit to creator partnerships for most brands.

What role do creators play in livestream commerce?

Creators are the primary hosts and sales drivers in livestream commerce. Their audience relationships create trust that translates to purchase intent. Brands and creators hosted over 8 million hours of livestream shopping sessions in the US in 2024, according to TikTok.

The creator economy provides the infrastructure for this growth. US creator ad spend hit $37 billion in 2025, according to IAB. This is nearly four times faster than overall media industry growth. The industry’s success highlights live shopping’s potential.

Why has livestream commerce succeeded in China but struggled in the US?

The gap is stark: livestream commerce captures roughly 60% of China's ecommerce market versus approximately 5% in the US, according to ARK Invest. Several structural differences explain this disparity:

• Platform integration. Chinese platforms like Taobao, Douyin, and WeChat built commerce directly into social experiences, while US platforms bolt shopping onto existing social features. In China, 54.7% of internet users shop via live broadcasts as of December 2023, according to the China Internet Network Information Center.
• Consumer mindset. "In China, social media is really already synonymous with commerce, so people will go to a social media platform with the mindset of buying something," said our analyst Carina Perkins. "In the UK and the US, people still primarily view social networks as social."
• Format preferences. US consumers find livestream shows too long and inconveniently timed. The biggest barrier to uptake in the US is convenience (32%), according to McKinsey. They also perceive weaker value propositions compared to Chinese streams, which feature aggressive discounting.

What challenges should brands anticipate with livestream commerce?

Despite momentum, brands face significant obstacles:

• Production demands. Effective livestreams require skilled hosts, reliable technology, and consistent scheduling.
• Audience building. Livestreams perform best with engaged, returning viewers. Building this audience requires a history of consistent content before sales materialize.
• Limited reach. Only 21.7% of US digital buyers purchased via livestream in 2025, according to EMARKETER. Meanwhile, 43% of US adults say they have not used and are not interested in livestream shopping, according to an EMARKETER and Bizrate Insights survey.
• ROI measurement. Attribution remains difficult. The format drives awareness and community alongside direct sales, but measuring the full value of a livestream activation is complex.
• Platform dependency. TikTok's regulatory uncertainty creates risk for brands building livestream strategies on the platform.
• Discount expectations: The heavy discounting that incentivizes livestream shoppers is not feasible for every brand.

How should marketers approach livestream commerce in 2026?

Start with awareness building rather than immediate sales conversion. The expense and effort required for livestreams means they are most effective for boosting awareness and building community first. Brands that incorporate livestreaming now will be positioned to benefit as consumer adoption matures.

Tactical recommendations:

• Match platform to audience. TikTok Shop reaches younger consumers through algorithmic discovery, Whatnot attracts collectors and niche enthusiasts, and Amazon Live offers brand storytelling for existing Prime shoppers.
• Prioritize entertainment value. Exclusive discounts, games, quizzes, and giveaways drive engagement. Charismatic hosts matter more than production quality.
• Partner with smaller creators. Micro and mid-tier influencers deliver better engagement-to-cost ratios than celebrities. Test creator partnerships before committing to long-term deals.
• Repurpose content. Record livestreams for later use as short-form videos, product demos, or social clips. This extends ROI beyond the live event.
• Track leading indicators. Monitor engagement metrics (comments, shares, returning viewers) alongside conversion data. Early-stage livestream programs should prioritize community metrics over immediate sales.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.

EMARKETER forecast data was current at publication and may have changed. EMARKETER clients have access to up-to-date forecast data. To explore EMARKETER solutions, click here.