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, sales are growing quickly from a small base. US livestream ecommerce sales will rise 35% in 2026 to $19.76 billion, while buyer growth will slow to 9.5%, less than half the 2025 rate, according to EMARKETER forecasts. 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 discovery and impulse purchases. Most livestream shoppers (4 in 5) discovered a new brand or product from a live shopping event, and two-thirds have made a spur-of-the-moment purchase after clicking on a livestream, according to a December 2025 Adobe survey.

Where does livestream commerce live?

• TikTok Shop. The platform has normalized live shopping for younger audiences. Just over half of US TikTok users (51%) will make a purchase on the platform in 2026, 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, generated $8 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2025, per EMARKETER. On Black Friday 2025, shoppers spent over $75 million on Whatnot, the company told EMARKETER, which is three times last year's total.
• Meta. Instagram and Facebook are making a second attempt at live shopping. Meta launched Live Video Ads on Instagram and added in-stream shopping tools on Facebook in June 2026, per EMARKETER.

How does TikTok Shop compare to other livestream platforms?

TikTok Shop dominates US social commerce, accounting for 22.8% of the market in 2026, 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?

Nearly 2 in 5 consumers (37%) report purchasing a product during or shortly after a shopping livestream, according to an Adobe survey. Brand results show what the format can deliver.

• Pop Mart. Livestreams generated 85% of the brand's TikTok Shop sales in June 2025, per Modern Retail.
• goPure. The skincare brand generated $1 million in revenue and 64 million impressions from 483 hours of TikTok Live, it 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.
• TikTok Shop. Brands and sellers hosting livestreams saw 84% sales growth over the 2025 Black Friday to Cyber Monday period, as shoppers tuned into more than 760,000 sessions, according to TikTok.

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. A fifth of livestream shoppers say trust in the creator or host influenced their decision to buy, according to an Adobe survey.

The creator economy provides the infrastructure for this growth. IAB projects US creator ad spend will reach $44 billion in 2026, after growing 26% to $37 billion in 2025, nearly four times faster than the overall media industry. The industry's success highlights live shopping's potential.

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

Livestreaming accounts for closer to one-third of China's ecommerce sales, compared with 1.5% of US ecommerce sales, according to EMARKETER. Three 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.
• 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 shoppers lean toward shorter formats. Just 29% of social buyers say live video has influenced a social commerce purchase, compared with 68% for short-form video, according to an April 2026 EMARKETER and Bazaarvoice survey. 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 six 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. About one-quarter of US digital buyers (more than 58 million people) will purchase through a livestream in 2026, according to an EMARKETER forecast. Sales per buyer will outpace buyer growth into the year 2029, per EMARKETER, which suggests platforms will have more success engaging existing livestream shoppers than attracting new ones.
• 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 2027?

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.

Six tactics help brands get there.

• 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.
• Plan for after the stream. Nearly one-quarter (24%) of livestream purchases happen after the stream ends, per Adobe. Promo codes, pinned product links, and follow-up emails or texts help capture those sales.
• 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.