2025 Live Shopping Statistics

Key Takeaways:

• Live shopping is rapidly expanding: 86 million Americans have purchased products through live shopping shows. The U.S. market is projected to reach $68 billion by 2026, accounting for 5% of total e-commerce sales.
• TikTok dominates consumer engagement: 29% of American adults have viewed TikTok Live for shopping, outpacing traditional platforms like QVC and HSN, especially among younger demographics.
• Trust and exclusivity drive conversions: Exclusive discounts, quality assurance, and product demonstrations boost consumer trust and engagement, with conversion rates up to 30%, exceeding traditional e-commerce averages.

Live shopping combines two of Americans’ favorite things: online shopping and social media, and this powerful combination is dramatically reshaping the e-commerce landscape. According to our new research, nearly 60 percent of American adults have watched live shopping shows on social media, shopping apps, or retailer websites, and about 33 percent have made purchases this way.

Since web-based live shopping first appeared in 2016, when Alibaba launched Taobao Live, it has since been adopted across many social media platforms to give buyers more personalized—and sometimes more entertaining—shopping experiences. By 2026, the live shopping market is expected to grow to $68 billion in the U.S. and make up five percent of e-commerce sales, according to Coresight.

To find out how Americans interact with live shopping platforms and what type of content drives conversions, Savings.com researchers conducted a detailed study of nearly 1,000 American adults.

Where Are People Watching Live Shopping Shows?

Though many associate live shopping with social media platforms, the practice originated on television in the 1980s. TV networks like QVC ("Quality, Value, Convenience") and HSN (Home Shopping Network) were pioneers of the live shopping format with hosts demonstrating products live while viewers could call in to make purchases. These networks effectively merged entertainment with direct sales in real time.

Today, both QVC and HSN have live shopping apps, but QVC also partners with TikTok to stream 24/7 shopping content. This strategy may help the more traditional shopping network revitalize its business and reach younger audiences who primarily consume content through social media platforms. Fourteen percent of adults have also streamed live shopping on QVC’s or HSN’s native apps.

Based on our study, TikTok Live is by far the most popular way for Americans to consume live shopping shows today: 29 percent of adults have participated in live shopping on the social media app. Facebook and Instagram Live shows were also popular, and could stand to earn more viewers and buyers if TikTok should be outlawed in the U.S.

Who Participates the Most in Live Shopping?

Overall, around 60 percent of American adults have streamed live shopping shows, and  33 percent have purchased items. Live selling isn’t just for brands: around one in 10 U.S. adults (11 percent) have actually sold items on live shopping platforms like Poshmark, Whatnot, or Twitch.

Based on Savings.com data, there are clear, though often modest, demographic differences in live shopping engagement. Sixty-six percent of women have tuned into live shopping shows, compared to 61 percent of men. Women were also more likely than men to view shows on TikTok Live (34 percent vs. 24 percent).

Though it’s a new phenomenon, our study revealed that interest in live shopping is fairly consistent across generations. The median age for live shopping purchases is 46. That said, younger generations demonstrate slightly higher interest.  From our representative survey, 67% of live shoppers were Millennials, Gen Z, or Gen X. Baby Boomers, who typically have the greatest buying power, made 31% of purchases.

Gen Z gravitates more strongly to mobile-first platforms, with 57 percent watching on TikTok Live and 26 percent on Instagram Live. Millennials, meanwhile, show the highest engagement with YouTube Live at 18 percent, while older generations prefer traditional shopping channels. Generation Xers and Baby Boomers are significantly more active on QVC or HSN apps at 19 percent each, compared to younger shoppers.

How Frequently Do Consumers View Live Shopping Shows?

Most of our study respondents self-reported as occasional viewers, with 30 percent saying they only watch live shopping events a few times a year. Another 21 percent watch monthly, while only eight percent do so weekly. However, the practice will likely become more mainstream with major retailers like Walmart, Nordstrom, H&M, and Shein launching live shopping shows on social media and their websites to increase buyer loyalty and consumer engagement.

That said, those who’ve made purchases from live shopping shows in the past view them more frequently compared to people who’ve only browsed live shopping shows. Age also influences viewing frequency. About 15 percent of Gen Z respondents reported watching once a week, which was two to three times more than people from older generations.

For context, the average Amazon shopper makes purchases once a week, demonstrating that while live shopping is growing, it’s far from the primary e-commerce channel for American consumers.

Most Popular Times for Live Shopping

Among all live shopping viewers, the most popular time to watch live shopping events was at night. Those who’ve made purchases on live shopping shows were even more likely to view shows in the evening than those who casually view and haven’t converted.

Notably, viewers who have never made a purchase are much less likely to have a preferred time, with 43 percent watching "whenever they see a post" compared to only 27 percent of buyers. This suggests, naturally enough, that buyers are more aware of their preferences, while non-buyers are more curious than intentional.

Weekend mornings show the most considerable disparity between groups, with buyers more than twice as likely to watch as non-buyers during that time.

How People Discover and Watch Live Shopping Events

Social media is the primary channel of discovery for live shopping events, which makes sense since many live shopping events are integrated into social media platforms, or are hosted on e-commerce platforms that utilize social features, like Whatnot. Given this, it’s natural that traditional marketing channels—like newsletters (drawing only three percent of traffic) play a minimal role in live shopping event discovery.

Several demographic differences exist regarding the type of products people look for and discover through live experiences. Overall, people were most likely to be interested in purchasing electronics through live shopping shows, but this figure provides only a sliver of the story. The most dramatic gender differences appear in the fashion and beauty categories, where female buyers are heavily concentrated.

The appeal of live shopping varies significantly based on a viewer's purchasing history, with clear differences in what features matter most to different segments. Here’s a breakdown of what survey respondents say they like the most about live shopping shows:

The numbers indicate that browsers enjoy live streams for the potential of discovery. More than 42 percent of browsers tune in hoping to find unique or unusual products, compared to 36 percent of loyal buyers who answered the same way. This suggests that unique product offerings may be an effective way to attract viewers initially.

Both one-time and returning customers value product demonstrations and exclusive/flash deals more than browsers, suggesting that these features can be practical conversion tools.

As viewers transition from browsing to buying behavior, they are also more likely to interact with sellers directly, taking advantage of social features on the platform. The dramatic difference in valuing interactive Q&A is particularly notable: loyal buyers place more than twice the importance on this feature compared to browsers.

The data shows a clear progression: browsers are drawn in by unique products, first-time buyers are converted through demos and deals, and loyal buyers stay engaged through interactive features that allow them to connect directly with sellers.

Looking at what content would draw viewers to live shopping, limited-time-only products appeal to 53 percent of current buyers, suggesting exclusivity is a powerful motivator for those already making purchases.  As with traditional e-commerce channels, value and quality remain primary buying differentiators.

More than 60 percent of live shopping customers cite product value and quality as their primary purchase motivators, with Gen X placing the highest premium on this factor at 74 percent. Meanwhile, other motivations vary by generation. Twenty-one percent of Gen Zers are influenced by FOMO (fear of missing out) compared to just 11 percent of Gen Xers, and Millennials were most likely to be influenced to purchase by, well, influencers.

Conversion Boosters and Barriers for Live Shopping

According to McKinsey research, live shopping conversion rates are as high as 30 percent, up to 10 times higher than typical e-commerce conversion rates. Despite the outstanding conversion rates, many consumers are still cautious about shopping in this relatively new way.

An overwhelming 68 percent of browsers cite wanting more time to consider their purchases. In the live shopping format, viewers might feel they don’t have enough time during the show to carefully think through their purchase decision and may want to come back and buy later. Price concerns held back 35 percent of viewers, and 31 percent of viewers sometimes had concerns or doubts about the quality of products in live shopping shows.

To build trust and overcome these hesitations, browsers who haven’t made a live shopping purchase identify several key factors that could alleviate their concerns:

While payment security worries impact nearly a quarter of potential buyers, technical barriers like confusing checkout processes affect a small portion. This indicates that the fundamental obstacles to converting viewers to buyers are more psychological than technical, centered around trust and value perception rather than technological friction.

A striking 77 percent believe live shopping encourages impulse buying and overspending, and 57 percent view hosts as more entertaining than trustworthy. Only nine percent consider live shopping their preferred way to shop online, though this rises to 15 percent among Gen Z viewers, nearly twice the rate of other generations.

Improving the Live Shopping Experience

Consumers who have shown buying hesitancy in the past are largely clear on what it would take to get them to convert.

How-to tutorials and styling tips emerge as the most appealing content format with a significant gender divide—47 percent of women find this content compelling versus 32 percent of men. Current buyers show strong interest in limited-time-only products, suggesting exclusivity drives ongoing engagement.

Around a quarter of adults said they’d be likelier to watch live shopping if the sale of the product supported a charity or cause. Cause-based shopping allows brands to integrate purpose-driven elements into their live shopping experiences across all demographic groups and could incentivize new customers to convert.

Live shopping content preferences varied across age groups. Gen Z viewers were more likely to express interest in influencer collaborations than Boomers, and live shows with comedic content appealed more to Millennials than Boomers.

What would motivate live shopping viewers to convert to customers? Respondents said that exclusive discounts, product quality assurance, and a smoother checkout process would make them more likely to buy items via live shopping. Gen Zers stood out in wanting more engaging experiences and better hosts, reflecting their desire for dynamic shopping formats rather than just deals when making live purchases.

Live shopping is transforming e-commerce by combining social media engagement with direct purchasing opportunities. Today, the majority of American adults have watched live shopping shows, and millions have made purchases. Currently, TikTok leads this space, though traditional players like QVC are adapting to reach younger buyers. As the market expands toward an expected $68 billion by 2026, clear patterns emerge: browsers seek unique products and entertaining experiences and interactive shopping features help retain loyal customers.

Addressing consumer trust concerns will be essential for brands that want to succeed in this rapidly growing retail channel. Implementing quality assurances, transparent return policies, and demographic-targeted content strategies, such as electronic demonstrations for men, makeup and hair-tool styling tutorials for women, and influencer collaborations for Gen Z, could help overcome the psychological barriers to purchase. With conversion rates potentially ten times higher than traditional e-commerce, companies that balance trust-building with the engaging nature of live shopping will be best positioned to capture market share.

Our Data

Unless specified, all figures in this report came from a 2024 savings.com study. Researchers conducted a web-based study of 997 adults living in the U.S. Their ages ranged from 18 to 83, with a median age of 46. Of these, 51 percent were women, 49 percent were men, and two respondents did not report their gender. 63 percent of respondents were white, 19 percent were multiracial, 12 percent were Black, and six percent were Asian.