Consumers who bought directly on social media worldwide 2023, by generation

Seven out of ten online shoppers around the world between the ages of 27 and 42 had already made purchases directly through social networks as of the second quarter of 2023, according to a worldwide survey. That makes millennials the generational group with the highest adoption of social shopping. Gen Z e-commerce users —aged 18 to 26— followed, with over half reporting purchases through these platforms.

The consumer experience

In a 2023 survey, Facebook and Instagram were the social media platforms offering the best shopping experience. To gain deeper insights into the elements constituting a satisfactory social commerce shopping journey from the user's viewpoint, key factors shaping consumers' heightened engagement with social commerce included, but were not limited to, deals and discounts, seamless purchasing processes, exclusive offers, and increased availability of customer reviews.

Social shopping destinations

Facebook is the leading social commerce platform globally, except among Gen Z, who favor Instagram and TikTok. However, the types of social media accounts that shoppers followed and purchased from varied by age group. Gen Z and Millennials predominantly bought from brand accounts, with Gen Z also showing a preference for social media influencers. Conversely, Gen X and Boomers preferred purchasing from trusted retailer accounts.