like Taobao or Douyin (the Chinese equivalent to TikTok).  As reported by analytics firm Statista, livestreaming e-commerce generated nearly $682.5 billion  (5 trillion yuan) in sales in China in 2023, with projections suggesting that the market will reach $1.11 trillion (8.16 trillion yuan) by 2026. Recently, livestream shopping has started taking off in countries like Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.  Statista reported that US livestream commerce sales reached an estimated $50 billion. By 2026, these sales are projected to grow by 36 per cent, making up more than 5 per cent of all e-commerce sales in North America. CI&T’s global director of retail strategy, Melissa Minkow, told Inside Retail that she has long predicted that live shopping will eventually take off in the US.  “It’s just a matter of getting it right, and getting it right here is slightly different than abroad,” she said. “The success of TikTok in the retail space in the US proves that there is an appetite for live shopping in some form on behalf of US consumers.” While there is still a long way to go before livestream commerce sales reach similar levels in the US as they are currently in Asia, social media platforms like TikTok and Whatnot, a live shopping marketplace, are poised to capture this developing market.  The rise of livestream shopping in the US As a concept, livestream shopping has been around since the mid-80s when the home shopping network QVC launched in the US and introduced consumers to an entirely new shopping experience as hosts presented and demonstrated products. The channel lost relevance in the 2000s, as younger consumers gravitated toward online shopping. But now, livestream shopping is on the rise again, as social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube have started launching their own live shopping features.  As Varshika Prasanna, a research associate at asset management company Ark Invest, explained, these social media platforms “offer natural channels through which live video sellers can reach target audiences, hoping to encourage discovery, engagement, and instant purchases.” Even QVC is partnering with TikTok, first in August 2024 and then more officially in April, to try to draw in younger consumers.  “The reason TikTok works so well as effectively a live shopping platform is because it’s entertainment first and retail second. Consumers authentically feel as though they’re there purely for enjoyment and education, which allows them to seamlessly move into shopper mode,” Minkow said. “So many consumers are starting their problem-solving and research journeys on TikTok, looking to clear up acne or learn how to pull together a thrifted outfit. That specific type of research, rooted in a commercial need, is what makes it such a perfect live shopping-esque type platform. TikTok is becoming the gateway to US consumers’ comfort with live shopping.” However, TikTok isn’t the only player enjoying a piece of the livestream shopping pie in the US.  One rising player within the US livestream shopping market is a not-so-little platform called Whatnot.  Whatnot and the importance of authenticity Whatnot is a US-based live shopping marketplace that enables retailers, small businesses and individual sellers to create digital shops to go live and engage with customers in a community-driven format. Launched in 2019, Whatnot is one of the larger livestream shopping players in the US market today.  Armand Wilson, the company’s vice president of categories and expansion, confirmed that in 2024, the brand sold approximately $3 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV), more than double the amount sold in the year prior.  Additionally, Wilson confirmed that within the first five months of 2025, Whatnot saw more signups than in all of 2024, marking a 400 per cent year-over-year increase.  “Whatnot stands apart from other US-focused live shopping platforms by being built entirely around real-time, community-driven commerce,” Wilson explained to Inside Retail.   Viewers can bid on items, chat with other viewers, enter giveaways and connect with sellers and other buyers in real time.  “But what really sets us apart is how we are able to engage with all age groups, from buyers who crave elements of nostalgia to trending items that can be found across our categories,” Wilson added. “Shoppers want authenticity, connection and entertainment, and our live show format lets them interact directly with sellers in real time, ask questions and see products up close before buying. This creates a more trustworthy and exciting shopping environment than traditional static marketplaces.” Minkow agrees that livestream shopping is only going to get bigger in the US as brands use these platforms to educate consumers on how their products solve problems.  “This is how live shopping will evolve to popularity in the US,” she said. For retailers that want to launch into the livestream space, be it via a social media tie-in like TikTok Shop or through a more specialized platform like Whatnot, presenting an authentic and engaging experience will be the key factor in winning over consumers’ trust and their wallets.