In 2019, social properties finally started making measurable gains in social commerce. Instagram led the way with several new shopping features, including Checkout, that make it easier for consumers to go from inspiration to purchase.
Now, there’s evidence to suggest a real uptick in adoption.
According to Civic Science’s trend adoption tracker, the percentage of internet users who had bought a product directly through social media channels grew each quarter between Q4 2018 and Q3 2019, rising from 13% to 21%. The biggest jump came in Q2, shortly after the launch of Instagram Checkout.
“Instagram Checkout definitely helped jump-start the appeal of completing a purchase on a social platform,” said Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer principal analyst and author of our latest report, “US Social Trends for 2020: eMarketer's Predictions for the Year Ahead.”
“The idea has been around for years, but never really gained much traction," she said. "Now, hundreds of businesses are testing Instagram Checkout in the US."