TikTok Shop has rapidly emerged an important channel for some merchants: But whether those early gains are sustainable remains a question given the significant discounts that drove those results.

Gen Z favors a range of product discovery methods, cost-conscious spending patterns, and flexible payment options. Here are three crucial insights and actionable strategies to help brands capture Gen Z’s attention—and dollars—this holiday season.

Social commerce has yet to reach its potential in the UK. Social buying is still on the rise—and there is plenty of headroom to grow spend.

After its US launch in September, TikTok Shop faces its first holiday season, heating up competition in the social commerce space.

Dramatic shifts are in the works for 2024, as genAI, changing media norms, and innovative commerce redefine the business landscape. Our top nine trends explore what’s in store.

Walmart is launching its first shoppable video series: The first episodes of the holiday-themed “Add to Heart” will be available on Roku, TikTok, and YouTube beginning on Dec. 2.

Over half (53%) of US adults ages 18 to 29 will use TikTok for holiday shopping this year, per ESW.

TikTok's marketing influence grows: The platform is becoming pivotal in holiday campaigns and consumer engagement.

How does social media influence Gen Z’s customer journey?

Marketers may be obsessed with reaching younger consumers, but that doesn’t mean that baby boomers aren’t worth their time. Next year, 11.3 million consumers ages 55 to 64 and 10.8 million consumers 65 and older will make a purchase via social media, per our forecast.

Following TikTok trends is vital for staying relevant when working with influencers, creating content on owned channels, or developing paid social ads. But trending content on the platform also reveals greater patterns of what works (and what doesn’t) with Gen Zers, 71.1% of whom will be on TikTok next year, according to our May 2023 forecast.

Despite Meta’s strong year, ByteDance is close behind: TikTok owner’s $29 billion in Q2 revenues rivals US giant, which lags far behind in growth.

Amazon turns to Meta, Snap partnerships to keep TikTok at bay: As the retailer moves in on social commerce, TikTok is beefing up its supply chain.

Problematic creator funds are a thing of the past: TikTok is sunsetting its creator fund one year after YouTube changed the game with a revenue-sharing model.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how much audiobooks can move the needle for Spotify, how engaging its app is versus Netflix and TikTok, and how much of its podcast success is tied to Joe Rogan. "In Other News," we talk about how badly AI can hurt your company's customer service and why Google has called for a ban on personalized ads for minors. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Daniel Konstantinovic.

Retailers, advertisers, and customers are at odds when it comes to retail search experiences. Retailers are looking to expand ad revenues. Advertisers need the ability to drive product sales by expanding visibility through keyword use and placements. And consumers don’t want the hassle of sifting through sponsored items that aren’t relevant to them.

Social commerce sales are continuing to rise steadily, reaching $82.82 billion in the US next year, per our forecast. But it’s getting harder to convert new buyers. Here’s how retailers can encourage more social media purchases and boost their social commerce sales.

Best Buy, TikTok take diverging approaches to live commerce: But getting viewers to tune in remains a serious challenge, regardless of whether retailers focus on education or entertainment.

Amazon is on track for its first-ever $100 billion holiday season, boosted by its unbeatable delivery speeds, while click and collect gives Walmart an omnichannel edge, and Temu draws in price-conscious consumers. Plus, TikTok and mobile apps help retailers connect with consumers and stand out among the competition.