February 16, 2026
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Does TikTok Shop Represent a ‘Modern Gold Rush’ Into Shoppertainment?
Platforms such as Whatnot and TikTok Shop represent something of a “modern gold rush” into shopping as entertainment — or “shoppertainment” — as Forbes contributor Catherine Erdly pointed out. Out of a total $87 billion social commerce business in the U.S. for 2025 (a segment which grow YoY by 21.5% in that year), TikTok Shop claimed a whopping $15.8 billion of the total sum, with Whatnot positioned somewhat lower, at $8 billion in sales across its operations in North America and Europe last year.
“TikTok Shop is increasingly acting like a modern gold rush, creating breakout businesses from kitchens and living rooms, at a speed traditional e-commerce rarely delivers,” Erdly wrote.
“The growth in live streaming is another facet of the broader phenomenon of ‘shoppertainment’ or shopping as entertainment, which is set to be a major retail trend this year,” she added.
From creator to commercial mindsets, instead of the traditional model — perhaps best exhibited by QVC and more curated live sales platforms — which do things the other way around, TikTok Shop and Whatnot see upstart brands commanding immense audiences, driving impressive sales. Two specific examples are outlined by Erdly:
- P. Louise looks at their TikTok Live selling as a full production, with the U.K.-based makeup brand’s “Get Unteddy With Me” event (a play on the popular “get unready with me” de-glam routines on social media more broadly) seeing 250,000 viewers and 31 products sold each minute. “[This] wasn’t just a launch; it was a show,” said founder Paige Williams.
- Luke Arnel Cameron’s Yass Clean brand moved 650,000 unique orders in its first year of operation via TikTok Shop, selling more than $95,000 worth of product during its first livestream event. “I left my job, [and] I did it full time. I was making ten times more than I was in my regular job,” Cameron said of the brand’s fast-moving success.
TikTok Shop, Whatnot, and Live Selling a Bit of a ‘Wild West’
The nature of live sales and the participation of so many would-be brand founders and up-and-coming entrepreneurs also adds a bit of “wild west” to the aforementioned gold rush sentiment. In other words, this explosive new retail format is as fraught with danger as any new and developing market.
“But the same mechanics that make TikTok Shop explosive can also make it challenging because virality forces big-company moves at small-company speeds. And Cameron can testify to this as he’s about to sign a contract for a massive warehouse and retail space,” Erdly underscored.
“It’s the part of the story that’s easy to miss: the living-room setup can unlock demand fast, but sustaining it requires infrastructure–stock, shipping, support, returns, and cash flow discipline,” she added.
Live Selling Involves Shopper Psychology and May Create New Shopper Expectations
There may also be a great deal of shopper psychology at play: Today’s cash-strapped (yet pining for personalization and retail therapy) consumer can develop kinship with other users in a live selling chat, or even with the host themselves, a strong loyalty indicator. This sort of compelling entertainment value also means that users are enticed to spend more time within the platform ecosystem, with frictionless payment options and instant buying with a single swipe defining a new era of in-your-face — or, perhaps more accurately, up-close-and-personal — e-commerce selling.
That new era could see TikTok Shop reach even greater heights: eMarketer projects that the platform will experience $23.41 billion in U.S. e-comm sales in 2026 alone.
“For founders building from kitchens and living rooms, TikTok Shop can create demand at a rare speed. The advantage goes to sellers who can operationalize that demand before the next viral wave moves in,” Erdly concluded.
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Discussion Questions
Will the live selling “gold rush” via TikTok Shop and Whatnot continue to gain traction stateside? What obstacles remain versus its success in other markets?
Do you see younger shoppers, particularly members of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, being more attracted to live shopping platforms versus older consumers? Why or why not?
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In the research we undertook for TikTok Shop last year, a very high proportion of the customer base used the platform to be entertained. This is one of the reasons why selling methods are more focused on storytelling and showcasing. Interestingly, smaller brands are often better at this as they have interesting things to say and come across as more authentic. But now larger brands are getting in on the act, some by using real-world influencers. All of this is fueling substantial growth for TikTok, and it differentiates it from other platforms like Amazon.
It has always been challenging to quantify the effects of social selling, as the inevitable questions of when does the sale happen and what most directly influenced it come into play. Facebook live works wonders in emerging countries for over a decade, allowing SMBs to essentially host their own Home Shopping Network, and I view this as a continuation of that trend.
I do believe the live selling “gold rush” — epitomized by TikTok Shop, Whatnot, and similar platforms — will continue to gain traction in the U.S., but not in the explosive, one-size-fits-all way some early headlines suggested. Live commerce resonates in markets like China in part because of deeply embedded social shopping behaviors, integrated super-apps, and ecosystem alignments that simply don’t exist at the same scale here. In the U.S., progress will be incremental and dependent on how well these platforms can marry engaging content with clear value and convenience. For now, adoption is working when it feels natural — entertaining hosts, limited-time deals, niche communities (collectibles on Whatnot, beauty drops on TikTok) — rather than when it’s forced into every category.
Younger shoppers — especially Gen Z and emerging Gen Alpha — are generally more receptive to live shopping formats than older consumers, because these experiences align with how they already consume media: short-form video, interactive community, real-time engagement and social validation. These cohorts are comfortable with dynamic, creator-driven commerce and are less anchored to traditional search/browse/buy paths. That said, receptivity doesn’t automatically translate to conversion across all categories. A teen might love watching a live unboxing or a streetwear drop, but apply a very different decision lens when purchasing higher-considered items or essentials.
Older consumers — Boomers and older Gen X — tend to approach shopping as a transactional task, driven by clarity, utility, and reliability rather than entertainment. For them, the novelty of live commerce doesn’t always overcome the friction of learning a new interface or trusting a new purchase flow. That means the success of live selling in the U.S. will likely be segmented, not universal: highly impactful within communities that value social interactivity and discovery, and more marginal in categories where straightforward ecommerce still wins on familiarity and predictability.
In summary, the live selling “gold rush” in the U.S. will continue to grow, but in a nuanced, segmented manner rather than as a wholesale replacement for traditional ecommerce. Platforms that succeed will be those that respect consumer context—providing younger, socially engaged shoppers with formats that feel native to their behavior while not alienating more traditional users. As with most trends in retail, the key is alignment with genuine shopper needs and preferences, not merely pursuing the latest engagement metric.
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In the research we undertook for TikTok Shop last year, a very high proportion of the customer base used the platform to be entertained. This is one of the reasons why selling methods are more focused on storytelling and showcasing. Interestingly, smaller brands are often better at this as they have interesting things to say and come across as more authentic. But now larger brands are getting in on the act, some by using real-world influencers. All of this is fueling substantial growth for TikTok, and it differentiates it from other platforms like Amazon.
It has always been challenging to quantify the effects of social selling, as the inevitable questions of when does the sale happen and what most directly influenced it come into play. Facebook live works wonders in emerging countries for over a decade, allowing SMBs to essentially host their own Home Shopping Network, and I view this as a continuation of that trend.
I do believe the live selling “gold rush” — epitomized by TikTok Shop, Whatnot, and similar platforms — will continue to gain traction in the U.S., but not in the explosive, one-size-fits-all way some early headlines suggested. Live commerce resonates in markets like China in part because of deeply embedded social shopping behaviors, integrated super-apps, and ecosystem alignments that simply don’t exist at the same scale here. In the U.S., progress will be incremental and dependent on how well these platforms can marry engaging content with clear value and convenience. For now, adoption is working when it feels natural — entertaining hosts, limited-time deals, niche communities (collectibles on Whatnot, beauty drops on TikTok) — rather than when it’s forced into every category.
Younger shoppers — especially Gen Z and emerging Gen Alpha — are generally more receptive to live shopping formats than older consumers, because these experiences align with how they already consume media: short-form video, interactive community, real-time engagement and social validation. These cohorts are comfortable with dynamic, creator-driven commerce and are less anchored to traditional search/browse/buy paths. That said, receptivity doesn’t automatically translate to conversion across all categories. A teen might love watching a live unboxing or a streetwear drop, but apply a very different decision lens when purchasing higher-considered items or essentials.
Older consumers — Boomers and older Gen X — tend to approach shopping as a transactional task, driven by clarity, utility, and reliability rather than entertainment. For them, the novelty of live commerce doesn’t always overcome the friction of learning a new interface or trusting a new purchase flow. That means the success of live selling in the U.S. will likely be segmented, not universal: highly impactful within communities that value social interactivity and discovery, and more marginal in categories where straightforward ecommerce still wins on familiarity and predictability.
In summary, the live selling “gold rush” in the U.S. will continue to grow, but in a nuanced, segmented manner rather than as a wholesale replacement for traditional ecommerce. Platforms that succeed will be those that respect consumer context—providing younger, socially engaged shoppers with formats that feel native to their behavior while not alienating more traditional users. As with most trends in retail, the key is alignment with genuine shopper needs and preferences, not merely pursuing the latest engagement metric.