For many years, live shopping has been a huge hit in the eastern part of the world. The fast-paced, community-driven shopping experience has skyrocketed in popularity due to its social quality. It provides a highly connective environment for seasoned internet users to shop in a way that is deeply comfortable and highly entertaining for them. Despite this type of shopping growing in other parts of the world, some key players in the market have pushed to bring social commerce to the west.
Whatnot, a live commerce platform started in 2019, recently secured $225 million in additional investor funding. The brand is leading the revolution, its worth up to nearly $11.5 billion. It began as the prime marketplace for Funko Pop toys and has since expanded to encompass a variety of collectible items such as trading cards, sports memorabilia, and has grown to include many other categories like vintage fashion, footwear, beauty products, and more.
How Live Commerce is Shaping the eCommerce Industry
The way that live commerce works is simple; a salesperson displays products on a livestream, answering questions and providing details about the products, while users rush to purchase before the countdown runs out. Whatnot allows buyers to purchase through the auction system or immediately, so not only is it an action-packed live auction experience, but the platform also supports traditional eCommerce shopping formats. Platforms like Whatnot charge a 5-8% fee for sellers, but the platforms handle everything from payments, to shipping and fulfillment, to analytics.
In 2025, the number of sellers on the platform in Europe grew by more than 600%. Whatnot has been affectionately referred to as “one of the fastest growing marketplaces of all time” for a reason, and it isn’t just because of the hype around social commerce. Whatnot has been known to invest a lot of resources into the back-end of the platform. Unlike their major competitor TikTok Shop, with a primary focus on the seller and buyer experience rather than the social aspect, they’ve gained an advantage with their technical polish.
How to Get Started on Whatnot
The platform’s user interface is thoughtfully designed to support casual sellers and businesses alike. Upon opening the app, you’ll be asked to fill out a seller application. Once your shop is approved, you may need to complete onboarding procedures and add information about your store. Whatnot will provide tips on how to optimize your product listings and host your first successful stream. Just like an eCommerce store, it’s important to ensure your product listings include high-quality images and concise yet detailed descriptions to boost confidence and trust with your potential customers. Once you’ve made your first sale, Whatnot takes the lead thanks to integrations with your inventory and fulfillment systems.
Final Thoughts
Live commerce capitalizes on the competitive nature of an auction. Young shoppers gravitate towards the sense of urgency it creates within us, and the excitement and gratification we feel when we win something. It’s not just the buzzing energy that’s so attractive to consumers, however. What sellers and shoppers love about social commerce is the sense of community and connection it can inspire, allowing brands to build loyalty and trust through deeper relationships with their customers.
The biggest takeaway from Whatnot’s success is that in 2026, live social commerce isn’t slowing down. Whether you’re an established commerce brand looking to get ahead, or a growing business ready to level up, live social commerce may be the next big thing for your sales strategy. If you’re looking to get started, you’ll need an eCommerce platform that can keep up.
Since live commerce platforms like Whatnot and TikTok shop needs to integrate with your eCommerce platform, you may need to consider moving to a platform that supports your growth and offers greater flexibility and control. Virid’s eCommerce platform, marketAgilty, allows enterprise retailers to create custom integrations from scratch to allow for seamless connectivity with a variety of commerce tools. Set up a consultation today to get started.
