Top 7 Social Ecommerce Platforms To Pick  

Let’s explore the top social commerce platforms transforming online sales and elevate your business with our expert insights. 

What is a Social Commerce Platform?

Social commerce platforms essentially act as tools that enable brands to extend social shopping beyond the media platform. They assist merchants in creating shoppable social galleries, allowing customers to experience the entire shopping journey without redirections.

Top 7 Social Commerce Platforms For Increasing Sales

The rise of social commerce has brought forward several platforms that stand out in their ability to boost sales through social engagement.

CommentSold

CommentSold stands out as an advanced social commerce and comment-selling platform, revolutionizing the retail business for modern retailers. From sending invoices to syncing the inventory with social media and mobile apps, it significantly reduces manual workload, enabling retailers to focus more on strategy and less on operational logistics.

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CommentSold excels in automating engagement and sales processes, transforming social media comments into purchase opportunities.

Multi-Channel Support

CommentSold offers retailers a way to connect with customers wherever they are – social media, mobile apps, or websites. This multi-channel approach ensures that no opportunity for engagement or sales is missed.

Product catalog feature

The platform’s product catalog is not just a list of items for sale. It includes advanced features for product configuration, search, and filtering. Retailers can display rich content like photos, 3D views, and videos for each product, enhancing the shopping experience.

Live Shopping

CommentSold transforms traditional product listings into interactive, live-selling events. These virtual shopping experiences are streamed across all channels simultaneously, engaging customers in real-time.

Shop the Look 

A “Shop the Look” video post enables store owners to showcase up to 10 items in a single video, offering a more engaging shopping experience. 

With Shop the Look, shoppers can cart multiple items shown from within a single Shop the Look video post by commenting or selecting the desired products. 

Customer Review 

CommentSold has been a game-changer for my business, transitioning us from manual processes to a highly efficient, automated system. This transition helps me save costs and reduce errors. The platform excels in automating key processes like invoicing and inventory management, and the live selling feature is particularly impactful, allowing me to engage customers across multiple channels.

On the downside, I’ve noticed a decrease in live viewership on Facebook when using third-party services, which could potentially limit customer engagement.

Instagram

Instagram is one of the largest social ecommerce platforms, with more than one-third of global social network users using it to share photos and videos, buy products or follow friends. 

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Instagram’s strength lies in its visually rich content and seamless integration of shoppable posts, allowing users to discover and buy products directly through captivating images and stories.

Create a shop on Instagram.

Instagram allows businesses to set up their shops on the platform, transforming profiles into digital storefronts. These shops are not just about selling products; they’re spaces where brands can tell their stories, showcase their products, and curate collections based on themes like new arrivals or seasonal trends. 

Especially Product Detail Pages (PDPs) offer comprehensive information, including pricing and descriptions, and link content where the product is tagged, driving traffic to the business’s website.

Create Instagram Lives.

The Live feature on Instagram offers real-time video broadcasting, opening up dynamic ways to engage with followers. It’s perfect for Q&As, product launches, or just sharing updates, making the interaction with the audience more personal and direct.

Tag products in Instagram’s content. 

Store owners can tag products in images and videos across formats like Feeds, Reels, and Stories. These tags make it easy for users to discover products and learn more about them with just a tap. Additionally, integrating these tags into Instagram ads further amplifies the reach, allowing business owners to promote their products more effectively.

Customer Review  

Instagram excels in connecting me with my community through shared interests and visuals. The highlights section is particularly useful for organizing important moments and information, making my profile more engaging and accessible. Introducing features like IGTV and Reels keeps the platform fresh and relevant, offering new ways to engage with a broader audience.

Facebook

Facebook stands out for its integrative approach to social commerce. It has developed a suite of tools that facilitate selling and enhance the shopping experience for users. 

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Facebook creates a comprehensive shopping ecosystem, leveraging its vast social network to offer personalized shopping experiences.

Create a Facebook Shop 

Setting up a Facebook Shop is a straightforward process with the Commerce Manager. It allows brands to showcase their products on Facebook and Instagram, highlighting featured items and bringing their brand’s story to life. This integrated approach makes shopping effortless for customers, contributing to a more engaging and interactive buying experience. 

Use Facebook Marketplace 

The Marketplace feature offers a local and national platform for buying and selling. It’s recognized as safer and more user-friendly than other similar platforms. Facebook’s expansive customer base makes Marketplace an attractive option for reaching a wider audience.

Flexible to Use Meta Pay  

Meta Pay offers a secure and seamless payment solution across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and other participating online stores. With the convenience of saving payment information for future use, Meta Pay streamlines app transactions, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

Customer Review  

As a regular user of Facebook for Business, I’ve found it to be a valuable tool for expanding my brand’s reach and connecting with my audience. Its user-friendly features and robust analytics dashboard make managing social media marketing more streamlined and insightful.

Moreover, integrating multiple apps has made life significantly easier, enhancing the efficiency of my marketing efforts. The analytics dashboard is user-friendly and offers valuable insights, making it easier to track performance and make informed decisions.

Snapchat

With social commerce sales expected to exceed $107B in the US by 2025, platforms like Snapchat are at the forefront, driven by consumer needs and innovative technology.

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Snapchat stands out with its interactive AR features and engaging content formats like shoppable ads, offering a unique and immersive shopping experience, particularly for younger audiences.

Create a branded filter

Snapchat allows brands to create personalized filters and lenses, adding a unique touch to any event or campaign. This feature enhances brand visibility and encourages user engagement in a fun and interactive way.

Implement shoppable Snapchat Ads 

Shoppable Snapchat Ads, also known as Collection Ads, feature tappable tiles showcasing multiple products. This format offers a frictionless shopping experience, allowing users to browse and buy directly from the ad, streamlining the path from discovery to purchase.

AR Lenses   

Snapchat’s AR Lenses offers in-depth augmented reality experiences. From transforming the world around you with 3D effects to introducing interactive objects and characters, these lenses take user engagement to the next level.

Customer Review 

As a regular user of Snapchat, I’ve grown to appreciate its unique approach to social media. The user-friendly design, centered around the camera, makes it accessible for users of all skill levels. What stands out for me are the augmented reality features. The creative filters and lenses add a playful dimension to the content, allowing for fun and imaginative expressions.

However, Snapchat is not without its flaws. Some of the app’s redesigns have been met with resistance, and I’ve personally found them somewhat challenging to adapt to.

Pinterest

Pinterest has mastered “soft selling” through a seamless and visually driven shopping experience. The platform offers “Your Shop,” a personalized shopping page featuring products tailored to user preferences.

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Pinterest is a hub for discovery and inspiration, where users can create personalized boards filled with shoppable pins, blending the joy of exploration with the convenience of online shopping. 

Pin items to a Shopping List

When users save product Pins to their boards, these items are automatically added to a shopping list. This feature consolidates all saved products in one place and provides additional information like price, reviews, and shipping details, enhancing the shopping experience.

Join the Verified Merchant Program

The Verified Merchant Program (VMP) offers an opportunity for brands to gain visibility and credibility on Pinterest. As a verified merchant, your Pins can appear organically to users actively searching for products, and you may also access exclusive features that showcase your brand’s values and community. 

Use Shopify to offer in-app checkout 

Pinterest’s integration with Shopify allows merchants to promote and sell products directly on the platform. The in-app checkout feature enables users to make purchases without leaving Pinterest, offering a streamlined and convenient shopping experience.

Customer Review  

Pinterest has been an invaluable tool in my creative process, offering endless inspiration and a platform to organize my ideas effectively. It’s more than just a social media app; it’s an essential part of my daily routine for brainstorming and gathering creative inspiration.

Pinterest’s interface is a visual treat – vibrant, colorful, and free from the clutter and ads typical in other social media platforms. This clean and minimalistic approach makes for a relaxing and enjoyable browsing experience. The high-quality images and diverse creative ideas are particularly beneficial, fueling my creativity and keeping me abreast of various trends and techniques.

Grip  

Grip‘s appeal lies in its innovative features that foster user engagement and streamline the live shopping process. The platform’s mobile-friendly live streams and seamless purchasing experiences cater to a wide range of product categories, making it an attractive choice for SMBs.

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Grip specializes in live commerce, offering interactive live-streaming capabilities that bring products to life and foster real-time engagement between sellers and buyers.

Sell via Livestream 

Known as “Grippers,” sellers on Grip can host live streams where they showcase products, interact with viewers, and facilitate direct sales. This interactive format boosts engagement and allows for real-time interaction with customers, adding a personal touch to the online shopping experience.

Invite VIPs for Exclusive Lives and Offers

Grip enables sellers to create exclusive experiences for valued customers by inviting VIPs to special events and offers. This includes unique showcases like new product reveals, secret fan meetings, and entire markets, offering VIP customers a personalized and interactive shopping journey.

Create Game Functions for customers 

To enhance engagement, Grip incorporates interactive game functions in its live events. These games, including True or False, raffles, and first-come-first-served deals, entertain viewers and encourage active participation.

Customer Review  

My experience with Grip, a live commerce platform, has been overwhelmingly positive. Its standout feature is undoubtedly the user-friendly interface, making navigation and usage both straightforward and efficient. This aspect alone significantly enhances the overall experience, setting Grip apart from its competitors.

WeChat

WeChat, widely recognized for its comprehensive social selling capabilities, has significantly contributed to the growth of social commerce. Its mini-program integration, enabling users to share e-commerce content and experiences.

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WeChat’s all-in-one platform integrates social interaction with e-commerce functionalities, providing a seamless shopping experience within a familiar social environment, especially in the Chinese market.

Create a WeChat store

Setting up a store on WeChat is straightforward, thanks to the WeChat Mini Shop. This feature allows businesses to sell their products or services to WeChat users without them leaving the app. Integrated with WeChat Pay, it simplifies the purchasing process, enhancing the user experience.

Add items to the Good Product Circle 

The Good Product Circle, an extension of WeChat’s “Shopping List” feature, lets users share and discuss products with friends within the app. This social aspect of shopping enables direct interaction between users and merchants, fostering a community-driven shopping environment.

Sell products via Chinese Shopping Festivals  

WeChat proves its might during Chinese Shopping Festivals, offering businesses a robust platform for promotion, marketing, and sales. Its large user base and extensive functionalities provide a significant advantage, especially for marketing and customer engagement.

Customer Review  

WeChat, with its multifaceted features, Customer Review WeChat has established itself as a vital tool in social media and communication. Its seamless integration of messaging, social networking, and financial transactions creates an incredibly convenient platform for users.

Its user-friendly interface is particularly noteworthy, making navigation effortless, even for those less tech-savvy.

3 Benefits of Social Commerce Platforms 

Social commerce platforms have revolutionized how businesses interact with their customers, blending social media’s connective power with the convenience of online shopping. These platforms offer three significant benefits:

• Enhanced Customer Engagement

Social commerce platforms facilitate direct and meaningful interactions between businesses and customers. Through features like live streams, comments, and shares, these platforms create a dynamic space for engagement, fostering a sense of community and connection. This interaction not only enhances customer experience but also builds brand loyalty.

• Streamlined Shopping Experience

Integrating shopping with social media platforms offers a seamless shopping experience. Customers can discover, research, and purchase products without leaving their favorite social media sites. This convenience significantly reduces the purchase journey’s friction, leading to higher conversion rates.

• Access to Rich Customer Data

Social commerce platforms provide businesses with valuable customer insights. By tracking user interactions and preferences, these platforms offer a wealth of data that can be used to tailor marketing strategies, personalize customer experiences, and create targeted advertising campaigns. This data-driven approach helps businesses to understand and cater to their customers’ needs.

Wrapping Up

As we explore social commerce, it’s clear that these platforms are reshaping the way businesses interact with customers and sell products online. Each platform offers unique features that cater to different aspects of the online shopping experience.

Social Commerce Platforms: FAQs