The Long Game of Social Commerce
Why TikTok, Whatnot, and PACKFIRE are betting on trust, creators, and community over quick sales
Hi friends!
Welcome back to Sell! Sell! Sell! — your weekly hit of social commerce news.
This week, we’re digging into why TikTok Shop believes it’s only scratching the surface in cosmetics, Whatnot’s snapshot of the multibillion-dollar live-shopping economy, what “community” really means to top marketers in 2026, and TikTok’s touch-and-go first week under American ownership.
We’re also spotlighting PACKFIRE, an outdoor-gear brand rethinking growth by prioritizing relationships with adventurers over early sales.
Let’s dive in.
(February 3rd)
💄TikTok Shop is ‘Just Scratching the Surface.’
TikTok Shop’s Ajay Salpekar doesn’t mind that brands that initially rose to prominence on the platform are breaking into retail.
Sales of Korean beauty products on the platform have increased by triple digits year over year.
“Couple that with the fact that three in four TikTok users use the platform to search — that’s a pretty compelling signal to brands, even those at premium price points, that this is where you should be engaging with your audience,” Salpekar said.
🛒 Whatnot’s insights into the $22 billion live shopping industry.
Here’s what they found:
The live shopping market in North America and Europe reached an estimated $22 billion in 2025, with Whatnot holding nearly 60% market share and more than $8 billion in live sales, more than doubling year-over-year.
Sellers who go live multiple times per week see much better results: on Whatnot, those streaming 3–4 times weekly average over $13,000 in monthly sales, and consistent live selling drives stronger revenue and engagement than traditional ecommerce.
A significant majority of sellers say live commerce is crucial to their business: 88–93% report that it outperforms traditional ecommerce and is important for long-term success, and many plan to expand their live selling efforts in 2026.
🤝 What “community” actually means for influencer marketing in 2026
Emarketer surveyed the marketing industry to gain a clear understanding of what community means in 2026. Below are some of the most insightful takeaways:
“The industry needs to stop appropriating the word ‘community’ when they are really just talking about consumers on social media,” Gabe Gordon, CEO of Reach Agency.
“At its core, community is an empathy practice. It requires understanding what people are feeling, what they need, and why they are showing up in the first place.” - Pat Timmons, senior manager of social and brand communications at PandaDoc.
“The community thrives on peer-to-peer interaction. Members answer questions, discuss topics, and share knowledge, and it continues to grow organically without the brand driving every conversation.” - Lindsey Gamble, influencer marketing expert.
Bottom line: “Community” isn’t just another word for “audience.”
🇺🇸 TikTok’s Turbulent First Week Under American Ownership
During TikTok’s first week with an American Passport, two major events disrupted the app: a severe snowstorm that knocked out Oracle datacenters and caused outages, and outrage over the killing of a 37-year-old U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers, prompting prominent users to accuse TikTok of censoring protest content. These snafus opened the door for rivals, with Mark Cuban-backed Skylight growing to 380,000 users and UpScrolled climbing to No. 2 in U.S. social rankings.
📎 Read more onTechCrunchandThe Guardian
🏕️ Brand Spotlight
Why PACKFIRE is prioritizing adventurous creators over early sales.
Perfect for mobile ‘mallows
PACKFIRE, an outdoor gear brand, partnered with creator platform Popfly, whose creator marketplace includes more than 10,000 adventure creators, to build a structured ambassador program focused on trust and long-term relationships rather than immediate ROI. For PACKFIRE, creators are more like modern “store associates” who validate products and educate audiences, replacing traditional retail and media channels that no longer deliver the same level of credibility.
Instead of expecting early sales, PACKFIRE is investing time in building a foundation of creator-led content and real user validation ahead of its peak sales season. The program emphasizes authentic alignment, with creators opting in and sharing genuine experiences that resonate with their followers – scaling relationships in a way that compounds trust.
🔭 Trend Watch
How brands win by prioritizing talent and long-term trust
Social commerce works best when it’s built on a strong foundation. What we’ve seen across the industry this past week—from PACKFIRE’s brand strategy to TikTok’s role in accelerating beauty through social commerce, to Whatnot’s survey of the live-shopping ecosystem—is that success comes from tilling the garden, not chasing quick harvests.
Growth happens organically when brands stop confusing “community” with “audience” and instead invest in long-term trust. Aligning with the right social talent creates a network effect rooted in shared values and credibility, not immediate sales. It may feel counterintuitive, but the tortoise still beats the hare.
In practice, this means:
🤝📈 Partnering with social talent that signals both awareness and conversion
🔒📊 Treating trust as a core KPI
🐢⏳ Practicing patience with ROI
🛍️💬 Leaning into live shopping’s growth by prioritizing peer-to-peer interaction
Ok, see you next week. In the meantime, Sell! Sell! Sell! 🫡