The Micro Era Begins
As social commerce swells into a $15.8B market, scale is losing to specificity — and the future belongs to niche creators, focused communities, and brands building their own ecosystems.
Hi friends!
Hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend! As much as we love socials here at Outfit, I really enjoy the unplugged feeling of a three-day weekend. This past President’s Day was no exception. I took down a good chunk of the spy novel I’m reading and dabbled in some Love Island All-Stars.
So while I was unplugging, some subtle shifts were happening in the social commerce space – platforms and consumers are urging users away from generalized content and pointing them to their niche areas of interest. A couple of stories this week reflect the change.
First, let’s set the stage. By the end of 2025, TikTok Shop accounted for nearly one-fifth of the country’s social commerce market, valued at $15.8 billion.We’re talking about an enormous portion or an enormous sector that is only growing. TikTok is adding a “local” feed as the transition to American ownership, and just this week, MrBeast’s former manager told Business Insider that its the “hardest it's ever been to break through the noise and become a big macro creator."
Even though the overall market is large, it’s fragmenting into narrower verticals. Individual creators can’t be everything to everyone — and audiences don’t want them to be. The shift is toward focused communities and micro-influencers who drive trust and conversion within specific niches.
American Eagle is leaning into a micro-influencer strategy, launching its own creator program similar to Walmart’s. The shift isn’t just happening in retail — academia is following. Syracuse University kicked off the 2025–26 school year by launching a Center for the Creator Economy. As the space matures, being a creator is no longer a side hustle — it’s becoming a legitimate career path, or at least a core skill in the modern media and business toolkit.
(February 10th)
🦅 American Eagle is launching a points-based creator program for smaller creators👖
The move is an attempt to create relationships with creators that grow over time, rather than simply a one off campaign. Creators receive $1 for every 1,000 points accumulated, which can be redeemed for products, gift cards, discounts etc. It’s an interesting zag from their more controversial celebrity campaigns.
Apps like TikTok and Instagram are pushing niche, personalized content over general fare.
It's the "hardest it's ever been to break through the noise and become a big macro creator," Reed Duchscher, MrBeast's former manager, told Business Insider.
🛍️ By the end of 2025, TikTok Shop was an estimated $15.8 billion U.S. ecommerce business, according to eMarketer, putting it close to one-fifth of the country’s social commerce market.
Forbes profile Luke Arnel Cameron, a creator who built out live selling on the fly, “Instead of building slowly through paid ads or a website-first strategy, he went straight into live selling, learning the platform in real time.”
Total U.S. social commerce reached an estimated $87.02 billion in 2025, up 21.5% year over year.
🐊 TikTok Shop is responsible for a huge Q4 for Crocs
Crocs did better than expected in Q4, as consolidated revenues dropped 3.2% year over year to $958 million, with direct-to-consumer sales up 4.7% and wholesale down 14.5%. Gross margin contracted to 54.7% compared to 57.9% last year. Net income plunged over 71% to $105.2 million. Their struggling brand Heydude also rallied and helped round out revenues to slightly over $768 million.
Both brands, but especially Heydude, have been helped by their growing social presence. Crocs is the No. 1 footwear brand on TikTok Shop in the U.S., according to CEO Andrew Rees, who anticipates “significant future growth in social selling, including on this platform.”
📸 Instagram chief casts doubt on social media addiction
In a landmark social media case in Los Angeles last Wednesday Adam Mosseri said his colleagues at Meta define the issue as “problematic use” when referring to “someone spending more time on Instagram than they feel good about, and that definitely happens.”
🏀 Major sports events prove to be a creator convention
This year, the NBA invited a record 200 creators to capture content at All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, as well as host events, and gain exclusive access.
This comes off the back of YouTube’s Super Bowl LX Flag Football Game, which drew 14M live views, 2x the previous year. I also want to flag creators' forays into boxing and soccer.
My bold prediction: The NBA will partner with YouTube and merge the creator game with the celebrity all-star game. Maybe even broadcast it on one of the major linear networks.
📰 TikTok Launches Local Feeds Feature Under New U.S. Ownership
Local Feeds invites users to “live like a local” through a home screen designed to feature content related to travel, events, restaurants, and shopping, as well as posts from small businesses and local creators, according to the company’s announcement.
I’ve been seeing this local desire thriving organically on Substack, where local publications dedicated to New York City neighborhoods are thriving. I personally enjoy the Court Street Journal.
🏫 Go to college to get more knowledge…and followers
Syracuse University broke new ground by launching its Center for the Creator Economy at the start of the 2025-26 school year.
The Center, which is co-led by Syracuse’s famed Newhouse School of Public Communications and its Whitman School of Management, opened up its physical space in January. Amenities such as lighting equipment and recording pods serve students looking to go pro on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
Reminds me of #rushtok taking over TikTok years ago. The kids are going to create, so might as well give them a space to do so. Also worth noting that Alix Earle’s catapult to fame came from turning college into content.
🔍 Case Study
🥗 Violet Witchel makes dense salads and content
I want to highlight a NetInfluencer interview with Violet Witchel. I have been a fan of hers since her viral bean salads popped off. I’ve always loved her classic NoCal culinary ethos. She’s Gen Z’s Alice Waters, and I swear I can feel my bone density increase when I make one of her nutrient-rich dishes.
Her thoughts on the state of the food-creation space are insightful. She’s bringing a slower and more thoughtful approach.
“People are gravitating toward people with expertise who consistently create unique, quality content,” she told NetInfluencers. “There was an era of performative food. Cheese pulls. Gimmicks. I think people are shifting back toward culinary.”
📎 Read more
Ok, see you next week. In the meantime, Sell! Sell! Sell! 🫡