Abstract: The TikTok Shop has been available in Germany since March 2025 and is fundamentally reshaping the digital customer journey. For smart home providers such as smartkram, social commerce opens new opportunities to combine brand awareness, community engagement, and direct sales on a single platform. This article analyzes the strategic potential, risks, and concrete implementation …
On February 2, 2026, the Kölner Wissenschaftsrunde invited curious minds to the Europasaal in the historic Rathaus Köln for a new installment of “Wissenschaft im Rathaus” — a monthly lecture series that brings academic research to the public forum. The event “The TikTok Shop from a Scientific Perspective” featured Prof. Dr. Richard C. Geibel, Head …
The TikTok Shop marks a turning point for e-commerce in Germany. By integrating shopping directly into an entertainment-driven platform, the boundaries between content, community, and commerce are dissolving. One of the first German brands to strategically leverage this opportunity is Hitschies. The confectionery brand is widely regarded as a pioneer of the TikTok Shop in …
With the official launch of the TikTok Shop in Germany in March 2025, social commerce has entered a new phase. Consumers can now purchase products directly within the app via videos, livestreams, and the integrated shop tab—without ever leaving TikTok. While this creates enormous potential for impulse purchases, research clearly shows that trust is the …
The beauty industry is one of the most powerful drivers of social commerce. Few sectors combine emotional branding, visual storytelling and community interaction with integrated purchasing as consistently as cosmetics. The presentation “Beauty Goes Social – Using Essence as an Example” illustrates how purchasing behavior, particularly among younger audiences, is changing and why platforms such …
than one billion users and a highly visual environment, the platform offers ideal conditions for brands that want to present their products in an emotional and engaging way. The student presentation “Instagram Shops as a Sales Channel – Success Factors & Challenges in Social Commerce” offers a structured overview of how Instagram functions as a …
Social commerce is reshaping how consumers discover and purchase products — and the development is accelerating rapidly in Europe. As platforms like TikTok, Instagram and eBay expand their live-shopping and in-app checkout options, both brands and consumers are adapting to this new environment. In a television interview with the German broadcaster ZDF, Prof. Dr. Richard …
China has become the global innovation engine of social commerce. Platforms like WeChat, Douyin (TikTok China) and Taobao Live have already demonstrated how seamlessly social interaction, entertainment and in-app shopping can merge into one ecosystem. In Europe, by contrast, social commerce is still at an early stage—fragmented, highly regulated and culturally more cautious. The presentation …
Social commerce is evolving faster than any other digital sales channel, and Instagram has become one of the most influential platforms shaping this transformation. With built-in shopping features, product tags, Reels and even a fully integrated Amazon shop, Instagram already provides the technical foundation for seamless in-app purchases. Yet despite millions of daily impressions, user …
Social commerce is transforming the way we shop online. Platforms like TikTok are no longer just about entertainment — they are becoming dynamic marketplaces where brands meet consumers directly. For sustainable fashion label Armedangels, the TikTok Shop offers a timely opportunity to connect with Gen Z and young Millennials right where they spend most of …
TikTok is no longer just a platform for viral videos and creative trends – since the launch of TikTok Shop in Germany in March 2025, the app has rapidly evolved into a serious e-commerce channel. The first German Shop Report shows how quickly this form of social commerce is gaining traction: over 14,000 sellers are …
Social media has become a central hub for inspiration in fashion retail. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok introduce new brands, trigger spontaneous purchase impulses, and offer retailers enormous reach. Despite this potential, many purchases are never completed. Research shows that nearly half of social commerce shopping journeys in the fashion sector are abandoned before completion. …
Social Commerce is no longer just a trend – it has firmly established itself among the wider consumer base. According to the latest KPMG Consumer Barometer 01/2024, over 70% of respondents have already purchased a product via social commerce channels, while only 13% reject this form of shopping. In times of inflation and restrained spending, …
The German e-commerce landscape is experiencing a shake-up: TikTok has officially launched its TikTok Shop in Germany, France, and Italy — posing serious competition to established platforms like Instagram. But what does this mean for brands, creators, and consumers? And how is influencer marketing evolving in this new era of social commerce? TikTok Shop: The …
Online shopping is no longer a linear process. Today, consumers discover products in seconds—not via webshops, but through their social media feeds. A tap on a video, a swipe, and a spontaneous impulse buy. Welcome to the world of Social Commerce, where social media, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence merge into a seamless new shopping experience. …
How are digital commerce and customer experience evolving globally—and what can European retailers learn from Southeast Asia? The Retail & E-Commerce Innovation Summit Malaysia 2025, held on July 17 in Petaling Jaya, brought together brands like AEON, Domino’s, Bosch, Baskin-Robbins, ADA, and Philip Morris to explore these very questions. The event delivered powerful insights into …
In today’s fast-paced digital world, the way we shop is constantly evolving. Social Commerce—buying products directly via social media platforms—is one of the most promising developments in e-commerce. Especially TikTok, known for its viral short videos, has become a powerful platform to reach younger audiences and drive conversions. A recent project by Dorkas Pfeifer at …
TikTok is no longer just a platform for viral videos – it’s rapidly becoming a serious marketplace. With TikTok Shop, the app offers a direct way to sell products inside the feed. A key factor for success? The right fulfillment model. In this post, you’ll learn how fulfillment works in TikTok Shop, which models are …
Shopping behavior is changing – fast. What used to happen on websites now happens directly on social media. Welcome to the world of Social Commerce. Whether it’s Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, users now buy products with just one click – without ever leaving the app. This blog post explains what Social Commerce is, why it’s …
Instagram is evolving rapidly—from an inspiration platform to a fully integrated sales channel. This transformation is particularly impactful in the world of social commerce, especially when it comes to lifestyle-driven products like nutritional supplements. But how exactly does the platform’s shopping feature influence consumer behavior among younger audiences? Instagram as a Sales Channel: The Rise …