Social commerce reshapes young consumers' shopping journeys as e-commerce sites struggle to keep up
47% of Gen Z/Y shoppers have used TikTok Shop to browse or buy products in the past three months, compared with just 21% of UK shoppers overall, according to research from Savvy.
Carried out across 1,005 UK shoppers, the findings suggest social commerce is no longer an emerging channel but a growing force that's reshaping how younger consumers discover and buy products, raising expectations that traditional e-commerce sites increasingly struggle to meet.
While brand and retailer websites remain the UK's mostcused online shopping destination (used by 54% of Gen Z/Y and 52% of shoppers overall in the past three months), the research indicates that social platforms are rapidly narrowing the gap with conventional e-commerce for younger consumers, changing what they expect from the digital shopping experience.
Alastair Lockhart, Insight Director at Savvy, comments: “Since the birth of online shopping, e-commerce has offered shoppers range, convenience and practicality, but it has often lacked the excitement and theatre of physical retail. Social commerce is starting to change that. It brings together discovery, entertainment, social proof and instant purchase in a way that makes traditional ecommerce feel increasingly functional by comparison."
“For retailers, the challenge is not about whether to sell through TikTok Shop. It is how to make every channel - websites, apps and stores - feel more engaging, responsive and confidence building.”
Social platforms are playing an increasingly significant role before purchase. Among Gen Y/Z shoppers, 64% have watched product reviews or recommendations on social media in the past month, 49% have clicked links to view products featured in posts or videos, and 36% have saved or bookmarked products to look at later.
While the social shopping opportunity is traditionally associated with fashion and beauty, category relevance is broadening. Consideration now extends into everyday categories including household and kitchen items, cleaning and laundry, gadgets and electronics, and food and snacks.
Live shopping is also accelerating the shift from static e-commerce to more interactive retail experiences. Savvy’s May 2026 Shopper Panel found that 57% of Gen Y/Z shoppers enjoy watching live shopping events such as TikTok Live, while 66% said seeing products sell out or go viral makes them more likely to buy.
Lockhart says: “It’s all about tapping into the psychology of shopper decision-making, including social proof, fear of missing out and repeated exposure to products through creators, reviews and viral content. Social commerce works because it mirrors how shoppers actually build confidence. They see the product demonstrated, hear from other customers, watch creators explain it and see whether it is gaining momentum. That is a very different experience from searching a product grid or reading a static product description."
“The retailers that come out on top will be those that turn viral moments into real-world shopping experiences. Consumers are already discovering what they want on social media - now they expect retailers to make finding and buying those products effortless, wherever they shop. We’re already seeing this start to happen in retail - at Boots for example where they highlight TikTok trending products in-store, but we expect to see a lot more of these types of retail activations as social commerce grows further. As social commerce gathers pace, the connected retail experience will quickly shift from competitive advantage to customer expectation.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Social commerce will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
