Young consumers are turning to social media for curated holiday shopping.

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Young people spend a lot of time on social media.

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and lots of money.

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The pandemic has cemented the ease and convenience of online shopping and is now driving a shift to shopping via social media.

According to Shopify, social commerce sales in the US (i.e., sales via platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok) in 2022 are estimated at $958 billion.

People who shop on social media recently said: washington post In articles, teens, 20s, 30s, 60% of Gen Z (born 1997-2012) and 56% of millennials (1981-1996) plan to do their holiday shopping at least somewhat that way.

For both groups, this is about a 10% increase over 2021.

So what’s the appeal of social shopping compared to visiting a store’s website?

Social media (especially TikTok and its “for you” algorithms) know you and know your tastes. and get your attention.

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“It’s more personal,” said one millennial shopper who didn’t want to be named.

“I follow a few people online and I trust their tastes and recommendations. I see them use products and try on clothes before I buy. It makes shopping so much more fun and I’ve found things on social media that I haven’t seen in stores.”

The beauty of shopping on social media is that it can provide every step of the process, from inspiration to decision-making to checkout.

Everything in the world is available online. That means you have nearly unlimited access to items and ideas. Thousands of shopping possibilities not found in any store nearby.

You can research items from reviews posted online. You can check with influencers and others who curate the world’s products for you, and then display wishlists of what’s best for you and the people you shop with.

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Then click to pay and the perfect Christmas gift will be right at your doorstep.

Craig Patterson, President and CEO of Retailer Insider Media, said: Retailers are using social media, especially Instagram and TikTok.

“Social is going mainstream. It’s important to have that presence and be able to sell on those platforms.”

On the influencer side, Patterson said he follows several salespeople he trusts at luxury stores.

One is specific to Holt Renfrew. I trust his preferences and advice. ”

As for in-store and online shopping, “traffic at better malls is about as good as it was pre-COVID, but online habits are here to stay,” he said.

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Mr. Patterson admits that he recently purchased a $7 item online. Recently, I shop more on Instagram and TikTok. ”

The curation element of social media is important. Many shoppers appreciate the fact that influencers have already taken the time to sift through their options and present only those they deem to be of value.

“Too many products are bad,” Patterson said. We are all looking for the best product, not a million ideas. Social can curate based on his AI, but Store can’t.

“A lot of technology comes into shopping.”