Shoppable Video

Shoppable video blends entertainment with checkout, letting viewers buy products directly from the clips, livestreams, and creator content they're already watching. Instead of leaving for a separate store, a shopper can tap a tagged item, add it to a cart, and complete the purchase without leaving the app. The format spans short-form feeds, live shopping broadcasts hosted by creators or sellers, and branded video ads with built-in product links.

Why it matters now

Social commerce has grown from an experiment into a major retail channel. Platforms such as TikTok have built full marketplaces around video, live shopping apps like Whatnot have attracted significant investment, and Meta and other rivals are racing to keep pace. The mix is also shifting. The balance between livestreamed selling and on-demand video keeps changing, and artificial intelligence is starting to reshape how products are discovered, recommended, and marketed. For brands, independent sellers, and creators, these platforms increasingly decide who gets seen and who makes the sale.

What you'll find here

This hub tracks the business and technology behind video-driven shopping, including:

• Platform growth and sales trends, from merchandise volume reports to shifts in which formats shoppers prefer
• Funding and valuations for live shopping startups and marketplaces
• AI shopping tools, such as in-feed assistants that answer questions and suggest products
• Seller and creator services, including programs where platforms handle marketing or operations for merchants
• Competition and strategy among social networks, e-commerce giants, and newcomers

Whether you sell online, build commerce tools, or want to understand where retail is heading, check back here for ongoing coverage.