New research reveals gender disparities in social commerce adoption, with men showing markedly higher engagement in weekly social shopping compared to women. 

According to AfterShip’s 2024 Shopper Sentiment Report, conducted in partnership with Ipsos, 22% of male shoppers make weekly purchases through social media, compared to 13% of women.

The study surveyed 1,000 American shoppers from September 18-20, 2024, indicating that 52% of U.S. consumers have made at least one purchase through social media channels despite persistent trust concerns.

Demographics and Shopping Patterns

Parents emerge as particularly active social commerce users, with 30% of households with children shopping via social platforms weekly, compared to 13% of households without children. Age remains a significant factor, with 34% of consumers aged 18-34 making weekly purchases through social media.

The research identifies a sharp generational divide, as 73% of consumers over 55 report never purchasing through social channels. However, the overall outlook appears promising, with four in ten consumers indicating they will likely shop through social media platforms.

Trust and Security Concerns

Security concerns show notable demographic variations. Among those hesitant to adopt social commerce, 33% of women cite platform security as their primary concern, compared to 19% of men. Age also influences security preferences, with nearly half of 18-to-34-year-olds motivated by security measures, dropping to 26% for those aged 35-54 and 24% for those 55 and older.

Source: AfterShip

The study reveals that 52% of non-social shoppers cite trust issues as their main barrier to adoption. Despite these concerns, 41% of respondents report greater trust in merchants with a social media presence, and 30% say a social commerce presence positively impacts their brand trust.

Purchase Motivators

Traditional factors drive online purchase decisions, with 87% of consumers citing sales and promotions as their primary motivation, followed by customer reviews at 78%. Social media influences play a smaller but significant role, with 38% of shoppers motivated by brand social content, 34% by live shopping videos, and 31% by influencers.

Source:AfterShip

The research with a credibility interval of +/- 4 percentage points indicates that social commerce is positioned for substantial growth. AfterShip cites Emarketer projections that U.S. social commerce sales will exceed $100 billion in 2025, representing 22.4% growth over 2024 predictions.

Platform usage remains high among consumers, with 79% using social media weekly and 71% of those aged 18-34 reporting daily use. While 76% primarily use social channels for browsing and 62% for inspiration and ideas, only 31% consider social networks their main source for trends and shopping.

The study finds that 44% of respondents would increase their social shopping if they trusted the platforms more. In comparison, 24% indicated they would shop via social channels if items were priced lower than alternative sources. Nearly half (49%) of consumers prefer traditional shopping methods, such as brand websites or store applications.

The full report is available here.