3 minutes
Social commerce is reshaping how retail works
UK retailers are seeing social commerce drive real revenue as discovery and checkout merge on platforms like TikTok, supported by tools like Worldpay Payment Links+.
Key points
- Social commerce has moved past the pilot phase – brands are generating real revenue directly on platforms like TikTok Shop.
- Many UK merchants find authentic, relatable creators often outperform polished influencer content.
- Tools like Payment Links+ from Worldpay eCommerce let merchants sell on social without rebuilding their entire payments setup.
Social commerce has been labelled a trend for years – a fast-growing channel, a youth-driven experiment, a testing ground for challenger brands. Based on conversations with UK merchants navigating social commerce, we believe that framing is running out of road.
Social commerce has moved beyond the pilot phase. Global social commerce revenues are projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2028, according to 2025 Visa/Accenture data. Over 200,000 active businesses now operate on TikTok Shop UK – double the number from the prior year – and daily live shopping sessions have surged 64%, with approximately 5,000 live events occurring each day (Link Digital/TikTok data, 2024). Brands are launching products directly on TikTok Shop and capturing meaningful revenue before customers even visit their own websites.
A single creator’s post can ignite a chain reaction: Delivery questions appear in the comments within hours, customer service teams respond publicly – sometimes before internal processes catch up – and finance teams are drawn into discussions about reconciling platform sales with overall revenue. These are conversations that would have stayed within the marketing team only a year ago.
Social commerce is now embedded in the operational fabric of retail. Retailers face a structural shift: What happens when the platform is not just where customers discover products, but where they complete their purchase?
From channel to storefront
Traditionally, social media sat at the top of the funnel – generating interest and driving traffic to a brand’s website, where payment, stock management and reporting were controlled. That model is changing.
Customers can now discover a product in-feed, check sizing advice in the comments and complete checkout without ever leaving the platform. The brand’s website may no longer be the centre of gravity.
As transactions increasingly take place on social platforms, finance teams need greater visibility – ideally a single, unified view of all payments across channels. This consolidated perspective is essential for accurate reporting, effective forecasting and informed financial planning.
Discovery and purchase now happen in the same moment
Another clear trend: Customers are buying products they weren’t actively searching for. A creator’s styling video can drive immediate transactions. Anecdotally, brands report seeing Google search volume pick up only after an initial sales spike on social – a sign that purchase intent is being captured earlier in the funnel. On longer-form platforms like YouTube, detailed category reviews – such as home appliances and tech – give buyers room to resolve objections before clicking through.
'Product discovery, evaluation and purchase all happen within the same social environment.'
Search still matters, but it’s no longer always the first step. Increasingly, product discovery, evaluation and purchase all happen within the same social environment, with social proof visible alongside the product.
The UK converts differently
While social commerce technology is global, conversion is shaped by local culture. The UK market stands apart.
China is widely regarded as the most mature social commerce market, with live shopping fully embedded in consumer behaviour. The US leverages celebrity reach to drive volume. In the UK, highly polished influencer content doesn’t always outperform smaller, more relatable creators with engaged audiences. These aren’t studio broadcasts – they’re creators filming at home, building trust through ongoing interaction and authentic conversation.
The comment section is part of the sales process. Viewers form relationships with creators, and credibility builds through consistency.
Social commerce exposes organisational reality
Social commerce quickly moves from a marketing challenge to an operational one.
A viral product can be both exciting and disruptive. Sometimes a brand seeing an unexpected demand for a single product may be forced to decide whether to double down or rebalance focus.
Stock availability is critical. When a creator’s video goes viral, demand can spike within hours, and if inventory is shallow, the opportunity vanishes just as quickly. Planning for the next product is essential.
Live commerce adds complexity, requiring regular stock planning, fulfilment and customer service to match the rhythm of live sessions.
If something goes wrong, the conversation is public. Finance teams are involved too, especially when reconciling platform and internal performance data.
How Payment Links+ from Worldpay eCommerce helps you sell smartly on social
Payment Links+ gives merchants flexibility to create checkout links for single or multiple products that can be shared directly on social media. Instead of redirecting customers to an e-commerce website, you can focus on selling specific items – making the purchase process quick and targeted.
As part of Worldpay eCommerce, Payment Links+ lets you use one solution for both your website payments and payments received from social platforms, text, WhatsApp or even in-person with QR codes. All transactions flow into a unified dashboard, simplifying reconciliation and reporting.
Setup takes minutes, not weeks. Merchants generate payment links directly from the Worldpay Dashboard – no developers, no detours. Whether your customer converts in a comment, a WhatsApp thread or a QR scan in-store, every transaction flows into one dashboard for easy reconciliation.
Social commerce has crossed the line from experiment to infrastructure. The brands pulling ahead aren't waiting for the channel to mature – they're already selling where the conversation happens. Payment Links+ from Worldpay eCommerce gives you the tools to be one of them.
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