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Social commerce: How content, community and shopping come together
27 Jul 2026
Social commerce brings together inspiration, community and shopping. China shows how platforms such as Xiaohongshu and formats such as live shopping are changing product discovery – and creating new opportunities for consumer goods brands.
Social commerce brings together content, product recommendations, community interaction and shopping on digital platforms.
While traditional e-commerce focuses primarily on efficient product searches, social commerce places greater emphasis on inspiration and discovery.
In China, products are increasingly presented through stories, applications and relevant lifestyle contexts.
Shoptainment, live commerce and new video formats create more interactive product experiences.
Platforms such as Xiaohongshu combine product search, authentic recommendations and commerce.
European companies should adapt the principles behind Chinese formats rather than copying them directly.
Björn Ognibeni and Vyvyan Wang on Xiaohongshu, live commerce and community
How are Chinese platforms changing the way brands present products and build relationships with their audiences? Digital strategist Björn Ognibeni explains the mechanisms behind social commerce in China, while Vyvyan Wang from Xiaohongshu explores the opportunities for European consumer goods brands.
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What is social commerce?
Social commerce connects social platforms with digital retail. Users discover products through posts, videos, livestreams or recommendations, find out more about them, interact with other users and make purchases directly or through connected services.
It is about more than operating an online shop within a social network. Comments, personal recommendations, creator content, communities and direct conversations with brands all become part of the shopping experience.
Inspiration, advice, trust, community interaction and purchasing are brought together in one connected experience.
How does social commerce differ from traditional e-commerce?
Traditional e-commerce is primarily search-driven. Customers already have an idea of what they need, look for a suitable offer, compare products and complete their purchase. The customer journey is designed to be as simple and efficient as possible.
Social commerce begins earlier. Users do not necessarily visit a platform with a specific intention to buy. They may be looking for inspiration, entertainment or information. Interest in a product develops through content, recommendations and interaction with others.
In simple terms:
Traditional e-commerce: search, compare, buy.
Social commerce: discover, interact, build trust, buy.
The purchase remains important, but it forms part of a broader relationship between users, creators, communities and brands.
Why look to China for social commerce?
China offers valuable insights into how social commerce may continue to develop. Social media, entertainment, product search, advice and shopping are already closely connected within its digital ecosystem.
Mobile platforms connect the entire customer journey
China’s digital landscape is strongly mobile-first. Many platforms combine functions that are often spread across separate services in Europe, including communication, entertainment, search, product advice, customer service and payment.
This creates a more interconnected customer journey. A product might first appear in a short video, then be searched for on the platform, assessed through user reviews, demonstrated in a livestream and purchased directly.
These touchpoints do not function as isolated marketing activities. They form an ecosystem in which content and commerce work together.
Product discovery rather than product search alone
Many European online shops focus on helping customers find and purchase a particular product as quickly as possible. Chinese social commerce also recognises that people shop without having an immediate or clearly defined need.
Platforms therefore compete not only with other online shops, but also with social networks and streaming services for users’ time and attention.
Products need to offer more than functional information. They must become part of relevant and entertaining content. For brands, this means presenting products within concrete situations and lifestyles rather than relying on.
Which trends are shaping social commerce in China?
In China, social commerce goes far beyond conventional product posts or direct selling through social networks. Platforms combine entertainment, advice, community interaction and shopping in one connected experience.
Shoptainment combines shopping and entertainment
Shoptainment integrates products into shows, games, stories and interactive experiences. It can range from reward-based features and short video narratives to elaborate live shopping shows.
The key principle is that entertainment and selling are not treated as separate activities.
Live commerce combines advice, entertainment and sales
Live commerce plays a much greater role in China than it currently does in Europe. Successful formats combine several functions:
Products are demonstrated in use.
Viewers can ask questions.
Hosts respond directly to comments and requests.
Special offers provide additional purchase incentives.
Brands and creators build direct relationships with their communities.
Live shopping is therefore more than a digital version of traditional television shopping. Viewers actively participate, communicate with hosts and respond immediately to the content being presented.
Alongside brand-led livestreams, there are also formats hosted by retailers, buyers or creators. These can be particularly credible because the products are selected, explained and assessed from a personal or professional perspective.
Further information on the format, its benefits and its practical implementation can be found in our guide to live shopping in retail.
Micro-dramas, gamification and digital hosts
In micro-dramas, products are incorporated into short, serialised stories created specifically for mobile platforms. Rather than appearing as conventional advertising, they become part of the narrative.
Gamification can also encourage interaction and keep users engaged with a platform for longer. In addition, AI-generated hosts and digital representations of real people can present products, host livestreams and respond to audience questions.
These developments illustrate how content and commerce can come together through entertaining and interactive formats.
Why are relationships and communities so important?
In Chinese social commerce, the immediate purchase is not the only objective. Content, comments, chats and recurring community formats are used to create interest, trust and a lasting connection with the brand.
„The first aim is not to achieve as many conversions as possible, but to use content to build interest.”
Comments, chats, groups and recurring community formats can strengthen the relationship between brands and customers. People who follow a brand or become part of its community can be reached over the long term without every interaction depending on paid advertising.
From public reach to an owned community
In China, a distinction is often made between public reach and direct contacts that a brand can maintain over time. A brand may initially reach users through a public platform before building a closer relationship through groups, chats, its own channel or an app.
Social commerce should therefore be approached as a long-term strategy that connects content, dialogue and sales.
KOLs and KOCs: Combining reach and credibility
Different types of creators play an important role.
Key opinion leaders, or KOLs, have larger audiences and are comparable to conventional influencers.
Key opinion consumers, or KOCs, are smaller creators or enthusiastic customers. Their reach may be more limited, but their recommendations can be particularly credible within a specific niche.
Brands do not therefore always need to prioritise the largest possible audience. A number of smaller, highly relevant voices can create a strong collective impact. The key is a credible fit between the product, creator and community.
What is Xiaohongshu and how does the platform work?
Xiaohongshu, also known internationally as RedNote, is a Chinese lifestyle, community and commerce platform. It combines elements of a visual social network, a search and inspiration platform and an online shop.
Its central content format is the “Note”, which may take the form of an image, video, review, tutorial or product recommendation. Users can search, comment on, save and share this content.
One of the platform’s particular strengths is its combination of authentic community content and a sophisticated search function.
Product search starts with a question
Users do not only search for specific brands or products on Xiaohongshu. They often begin with a question, need or everyday situation, such as:
How can I furnish a small apartment?
Which tableware is suitable for a dinner with guests?
How can I create a relaxing atmosphere with home fragrances?
Which kitchen products save time in everyday life?
Which materials suit a particular interior style?
For brands, this means that content should not simply present products. It should answer questions, provide guidance and demonstrate relevant applications.
Products become part of a lifestyle
On Xiaohongshu, products are often linked to particular situations, needs and lifestyles. Cookware may represent the experience of preparing food together, while a home fragrance may be associated with a particular mood.
This creates content that goes beyond product features and presents products as part of everyday life or an aspirational lifestyle.
What opportunities does social commerce offer consumer goods brands?
Consumer goods are particularly suitable for social commerce when their use and relevance in everyday life can be made visible. Brands can show the situations in which products are used, the needs they meet and the lifestyles they support.
Visually appealing or more complex products are especially well suited to content built around applications, tutorials and recommendations. Examples include:
Home and lifestyle products.
Tableware and kitchen accessories.
Cookware.
Home fragrances and candles.
Seasonal decorations.
Hobby, craft and DIY products.
Tableware and kitchen products: Use and hospitality
Kitchen and tableware products offer a wide range of opportunities for social-commerce content. Some consumers look for products that simplify everyday tasks or save time. Others are interested in healthy eating, cooking together, hospitality or distinctive table settings.
Plates, glasses, cups and cookware can therefore be presented as more than functional objects. They may become part of a wider story about a shared dinner, a moment of relaxation or a table prepared for a special occasion.
Relevant content formats include:
Recipes and product demonstrations
Ideas for different occasions
Table-setting inspiration
Information about materials and manufacturing
Care and usage advice
Recommendations from retailers, creators or customers
On Xiaohongshu, kitchen and tableware products are frequently associated with health, enjoyment, hospitality and a consciously designed lifestyle. Brands can apply the same principle on other platforms by placing products in relevant everyday contexts.
Home fragrances and candles: Communicating an effect online
Home fragrances and scented candles present a particular challenge in e-commerce because customers cannot experience the fragrance before purchasing.
Social-commerce content can help communicate its effect more clearly. Instead of listing fragrance notes and ingredients alone, brands can show the rooms, moods or occasions for which a product is suitable. A fragrance might be associated with a relaxing evening, focused work, the festive season or a dinner setting.
Suitable content may include:
Short videos showing relevant rooms and situations
Personal fragrance descriptions from creators or customers
Recommendations for particular rooms, seasons or occasions
Insights into ingredients, production and fragrance concepts
Combinations with suitable colours, materials and interior styles
This gives consumers a clearer idea of how the fragrance might feel and whether it suits their home or a particular occasion. Personal experiences and recommendations from the community can provide additional reassurance.
Craft supplies and DIY: Connecting knowledge and community
Hobby, craft and DIY products are also well suited to social commerce. Their use can be demonstrated clearly, while completed projects provide inspiration and can be developed further within a community.
Relevant formats include:
Step-by-step tutorials
Before-and-after content
Material and product comparisons
Ideas for seasonal projects
Advice for different skill levels
Projects and results submitted by the community
The products are not presented in isolation, but as tools for achieving a particular creative result. Questions, comments and user contributions can reveal new applications and inspire further content.
The community therefore becomes more than an audience: it can also act as a source of ideas and a participant in the creative process.
What can European brands learn from China?
Chinese platforms and formats cannot be transferred directly to Europe. However, the principles behind them provide valuable inspiration for brands developing their social-commerce strategies.
Content begins before conversion Not every post needs to generate an immediate sale. Content can inspire, answer questions and build trust, thereby preparing customers for future purchase decisions.
Products need a relevant context What matters is not only what a product can do, but also the role it plays in customers’ everyday lives. Specific situations, needs and applications make content more relevant.
Involve communities actively Customers and creators can share experiences, answer questions and demonstrate new uses. Smaller creators with a clear specialist focus can often be particularly credible.
Test new formats selectively Brands do not need to develop a comprehensive live-shopping strategy immediately. It may be more effective to test individual formats such as live advice sessions, application videos or recurring community formats.
Adapt mechanisms rather than copying formats Chinese formats need to suit the individual brand, target audience and platform. The transferable principle is to use content not only to generate reach, but also to encourage interaction and build trust.
Measure success more broadly In addition to short-term sales, relevant indicators include saved posts, returning users, comments, recommendations and repeat purchases. These signals show whether the brand is building lasting relationships with its audience.
For practical guidance on tutorials, user-generated content, editorial planning and performance measurement, read our article on how retailers can implement social commerce successfully.
How can trade fairs and social commerce work together?
Trade fairs and social commerce perform different but complementary functions. At a trade fair, buyers and retailers can experience products in person, assess their materials and quality, and speak directly with companies. Social-commerce formats can then make these impressions accessible to a wider community.
In the online event, Vyvyan Wang highlights several possibilities:
Brand livestreams directly from the trade fair
Buyer livestreams hosted by buyers or retailers
Content and brand stories centred around selected products
Buyer matching between brands and suitable business partners
Buyer livestreams can be particularly interesting. Buyers select products at the trade fair and introduce them to their own communities. As they have inspected the products in person and can assess them professionally, they provide a credible and accessible perspective.
The trade fair therefore becomes a starting point for further digital content and sales opportunities. Products are discovered and assessed in person, communicated through personal stories and then presented to a wider community.
Conclusion: Social commerce begins before the purchase
Social commerce connects inspiration, advice, community interaction and purchasing in one coherent customer journey. China demonstrates how relevant content, credible recommendations and direct dialogue can turn products into part of a wider lifestyle, rather than presenting them as isolated items.
For European brands, the opportunity lies not in copying individual Chinese formats, but in understanding the principles behind them. Products need a clear context, communities should be actively involved, and success should be measured beyond immediate sales. By adapting these approaches to their own audiences, platforms and markets, consumer goods brands can create more relevant product experiences, strengthen customer relationships and generate new purchase opportunities over time.
Social commerce connects social platforms with digital retail. Users discover products through content and recommendations, interact with others and can purchase directly or through connected services.
Traditional e-commerce is usually based on an existing intention to buy. Social commerce begins with discovery, inspiration, recommendations and interaction, which may later lead to a purchase.
Xiaohongshu is a Chinese lifestyle, community and commerce platform, also known internationally as RedNote. It combines visual content, search, reviews, recommendations and shopping functions.
Products that can be demonstrated visually, explained through applications or associated with particular lifestyles are especially suitable. These include home and living products, tableware, beauty products, home fragrances, seasonal decorations and craft supplies.
Individual mechanisms and formats may also be relevant in Europe, but they need to be adapted to local platforms, regulations, cultural expectations and customer behaviour.
Björn Ognibeni
Digital strategist & Practical Visionary
Björn Ognibeni is a digital strategist and Practical Visionary. He focuses on digital innovation, platform economies and developments in international e-commerce. He helps organisations understand technological and commercial trends and translate them into practical projects and business models.
Vyvyan Wang is an e-commerce account manager for Home and Home Accessories at Xiaohongshu. Her work focuses on how consumer goods brands can reach Chinese audiences through content, product search, creator partnerships, livestreams and communities.
