by Bill Bernardoni

I still think fondly of the days I spent in middle school and high school hanging out with friends in the local mall. It was more than just a place to shop—it was a hangout, a social hub, a rite of passage. But today, with very few exceptions, those malls have become ghost towns.

The future of shopping isn’t a mall—it’s a livestream. And your favorite influencer? They’re the new CEO.

From QVC to TikTok: A Retail Rebirth

Think of it like this: QVC isn’t dead. It reincarnated on TikTok, swapped pearls for hoodies, and gave the hosts direct equity in what it is that they’re selling. Back in the day, buying something from QVC meant dialing a number, waiting on hold, giving your credit card info over the phone, and hoping it all went through. It took time, effort, and patience. Now? A single tap and it’s on its way to your doorstep. We’re living in an age where shopping and content have fused into one single, irresistible stream. That fusion of storytelling, entertainment, and direct purchasing power is what defines the new social commerce frontier.

Livestream shopping isn’t just a trend in Asia anymore. Platforms like Douyin (China’s version of TikTok) have long pioneered this space. But now, Western platforms are following fast. TikTok Shop, Instagram Checkout, YouTube Shopping, and Amazon Live are all racing to build seamless shopping experiences powered by creators.

The Creator Economy Is Booming—And Taking Over Commerce

The days when influencers were just paid to smile with a product are gone. Today’s top creators are brand partners, co-founders, and media empires in their own right. They have a near-perfect understanding of their audiences, better than most marketing teams. And more often than not, they’re cutting out the middlemen.

Case Study: MrBeast’s Feastables

MrBeast, one of the most-watched YouTubers in the world, didn’t just create a snack brand—he turned it into a viral retail phenomenon. In early 2022, he launched Feastables, a line of chocolate bars, leveraging his massive digital audience. Within months, the brand sold millions in product, crashed its own website from traffic, and later launched in over 4,000 Walmart stores across the U.S.

He promoted it through giveaways, viral content, and fan challenges, creating a commerce experience that felt more like fandom than retail. No ad agency, no traditional rollout—just pure creator power.

This is the creator economy at full throttle: massive reach, authentic voice, and built-in marketing all rolled into one.

We’re seeing creators with millions (or even hundreds of millions) of followers launch beauty lines, energy drinks, apparel, and so much more. They’re raising venture capital. They’re building product pipelines. They’re not just promoting trends; they’re creating them.

And importantly, they’re turning their platforms into high-performance sales engines. Whether it’s a fashion haul on TikTok, a makeup tutorial on YouTube, or a tech review on Instagram, creators are making buying feel like part of the content—not an interruption.

Why It Works: Trust, Authenticity, and Conversion

Consumers are tuning out traditional ads. But they’re not tuning out people and creators THAT THEY TRUST. That’s the advantage that creators have. Their audiences feel like communities because they actually are communities. Their content doesn’t feel like sales pitches because the creator is actually invested in the product they’re selling. And that authenticity converts.

According to a Nielsen Catalina Solutions case study, influencer marketing can deliver up to 11 times the ROI of traditional banner ads. Meanwhile, a 2024 report from Matter Communications found that 78% of consumers trust brands more if they are promoted by relatable creators.

In the attention economy, creators hold all of the currency. They know how to keep people watching, clicking, and buying. And platforms are giving them more tools to cash in.

Platform Wars: Who’s Winning at Social Commerce?

• TikTok Shop: TikTok is blending short-form video, algorithmic discovery, and seamless checkout into one addictive experience. Expect to see this grow rapidly as ByteDance continues to scale its global commerce ambitions. That said, TikTok continues to face scrutiny and regulatory pressure in several Western markets, including potential bans in the U.S. While those headlines fuel some uncertainty, it’s important to note that TikTok’s cultural and commercial grip remains strong—and realistically, it’s not going anywhere any time soon.
• Instagram & Facebook: Meta has been trying to push native commerce for years, but its shopping experience remains fragmented. Compared to TikTok’s smooth, one-tap purchasing, Instagram and Facebook often feel cluttered with too many features, confusing paths to checkout, and an inconsistent user experience. While tools like Instagram Checkout and affiliate tagging exist, they haven’t seen the same creator or consumer adoption largely due to this complexity.
• YouTube Shopping: YouTube has begun integrating direct shopping features into videos and livestreams. Given the platform’s depth in review content and its dominance in long-form video, it has strong commerce potential.
• Amazon Live: Amazon is betting that trusted influencers can turn product pages into entertainment. Its focus is on scale, efficiency, and converting search traffic into sales. What sets Amazon apart is that it’s already the default destination for online shopping. With most consumers starting their product searches on Amazon, it has a built-in advantage—layering in creator-led livestreams and reviews only strengthens its dominance. If Amazon can make shopping as engaging as its logistics are efficient, it could quietly become the most powerful player in the social commerce race.

Each platform is vying for creator loyalty and consumer dollars. But in the end, the winning formula is clear: make content shoppable and make shopping entertaining. The key will be simplicity—making it easy for both creators and consumers to engage without friction is essential for long-term success.

The Rise of Affiliate Platforms and Creator Monetization Tools

It’s not just the platforms leading the charge. Third-party tools are powering the backend. Affiliate marketplaces like LTK, ShopMy, and MagicLinks are giving creators new ways to earn, track conversions, and prove value to brands.

These platforms offer deep analytics, conversion tracking, and product linking tools that make creators more like media buyers. The difference? Their audiences already trust them.

This level of performance visibility is also changing brand expectations. Marketers now expect real ROI from creator partnerships. That’s why creators with niche but highly engaged audiences are increasingly in demand.

What Marketers NEED to Do Now

If you’re still treating creator partnerships as an experiment, it’s time to get serious. This isn’t a side channel anymore—it’s the new main stage. That said, not every strategy will fit every brand. Everything depends on your target audience—how they discover products, where they spend their time, and what kind of messages they trust. Traditional ads aren’t going away. But this new layer of commerce and content isn’t either.

Here’s what modern marketers should prioritize:

• Rethink your budget allocation: Shift dollars from traditional display ads to influencer and creator-led campaigns.
• Invest in long-term creator relationships: Don’t just buy one post. Build trust, co-create products, offer equity.
• Launch a livestream shopping pilot: Test how your products perform in real-time with an engaged audience.
• Leverage affiliate data: Work with creators who can prove performance and provide transparency.
• Focus on community, not just reach: Engagement > impressions. The best creators build tribes, not just followings.

Challenges on the Horizon

Of course, this new frontier of modern marketing isn’t without some pretty serious friction. Regulatory scrutiny over sponsored content and disclosure is tightening. Platform algorithms remain opaque and extremely volatile. And creator burnout is a really serious issue.

Plus, not all influencers are built equal. For every creator driving conversion, there are dozens delivering fluff and utter nonsense. Brands need to vet, verify, and set clear expectations with these types of relationships.

That said, the upside is enormous for those who get it right. We’re not just seeing a shift in where people shop—we’re seeing a shift in who they buy from.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

The numbers below tell two sides of the same story: the $1.2 trillion projected in social commerce sales shows how consumers are buying, while the $528 billion creator economy valuation reflects the engine behind that shift—those building the trust and content that drive those transactions.

• $1.2 trillion: Projected global social commerce sales by 2025 (Accenture)
• $528 billion: Projected size of the creator economy by 2030 (Exploding Topics)
• 11x ROI: Influencer marketing vs. traditional display ads (Nielsen Catalina Solutions)
• 78%: Consumers trust brands more if they are promoted by relatable creators (Matter Communications)

These aren’t soft trends. These are fundamental shifts in the way products are discovered, trusted, and purchased. But it’s important to remember that the best strategy depends entirely on your audience. For some brands, traditional advertising will remain essential—and should be—while others will thrive by leaning further into creator-led commerce.

Final Thought: Don’t Just Sponsor the Culture—Be Part of It

So, what does all this mean for brands trying to find their place in this shifting landscape?

The brands winning in this new world aren’t the loudest. And they aren’t necessarily the ones abandoning traditional ads either. They’re the ones making smart, layered choices—reaching the right people, in the right places, with the right voices. They’re the most embedded. They show up where people already are, collaborate with voices people already trust, and make buying part of the experience.

“Creators are the entrepreneurs and cultural curators of tomorrow. By 2025, those who master authenticity, embrace new technologies, and foster meaningful collaborations will shape the next generation of commerce and content.”
— Emma Monks, Head of Creator Partnerships at Billion Dollar Boy

If you’re in marketing and still asking if this is worth the investment, you’re already behind. Because the next generation of consumers isn’t watching commercials. They’re watching creators.

And more importantly? They’re buying from them too.