It’s worth noting that Germany and the UK don’t even place in the top 10 by this measure. Though both are advanced ecommerce markets, digital buyers in these countries are relatively unlikely to be social buyers—chiefly because engagement with social networks is substantially lower than in countries such as China, Russia, the US, and Brazil. 

Pinterest: In late May 2021, Pinterest hosted its first in-app livestreaming event with an initial test group of 21 creators as hosts. Viewers were able to shop products promoted in the livestream sessions via Product Pins and also comment to interact with the hosts.

Companies like Snapchat and Pinterest that already used AR pre-pandemic have begun ramping up their use of the technology for social commerce. Others like Facebook and Apple are investing heavily in the hardware. Amazon itself also experimented with AR during lockdowns, launching an AR tool for furniture shopping in August 2020. It even experimented with a lipstick try-on feature with L’Oréal in 2019.

In the UK, for example, West Elm customers can use the company’s Pinterest Style Finder. This AI-based software scans a shopper’s Pinterest boards or photos to create a list of recommended furniture and interior decor items based on similar styles. Across Europe, eBay customers already encounter AI, too.

Pinterest: Influencer marketing isn’t new to Pinterest, but interest is increasing in some verticals. The platform’s abilities to drive product discovery and purchasing are particular strengths. In 2018, 77.4 million people in the US—or nearly a quarter of the population—used Pinterest, a 7.0% increase from 2017, according to our estimates.

In the UK, for example, West Elm customers can use the company’s Pinterest Style Finder. This AI-based software scans a shopper’s Pinterest boards or photos to create a list of recommended furniture and interior decor items based on similar styles. Across Europe, eBay customers already encounter AI, too.

Pinterest. With a focus on product discovery and a platform that’s primed for shoppers, Pinterest is well-situated to be a strong destination for AR-related commerce. But so far, its offerings are limited to just two features: Pinterest Lens and Try on, the latter of which was just launched earlier this year. Pinterest Lens is a visual search camera tool available since 2017.

In the UK and US, for example, the rate of social buying was 33% and 25%, respectively. According to a December 2020 Bazaarvoice survey conducted by Savanta, 24.5% of adults in Canada said they were most likely to use Facebook to make purchases, followed by Instagram (17.1%) and YouTube (16.5%). While Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and Snapchat also registered some responses, their shares were very low.

In a September 2020 survey by influencer marketing agency Takumi, 47.3% of teens and adults ages 16 and over in Germany, the UK, and the US said they engaged with influencers on YouTube. Over one-third (36.9%) said they engaged with them on Instagram, compared with 17.3% for Pinterest and just over 14% for Snapchat and TikTok. That makes sense.

We do forecast such spending for the US and the UK. About one-fifth (18.2%) of all media advertising in the US will be in social media this year. In the UK, that share will be even higher—23.6% of all media advertising. How does Canada compare? Closer to the UK, according to Sonia Carreno, president of IAB Canada, which reports annually on digital ad spending in Canada in partnership with PwC.