Whatnot’s VP of Categories and Expansion, Armand Wilson, reveals how TikTok’s uncertain future has propelled live shopping adoption in the US, driving significant user and seller growth for Whatnot. This episode offers insights into the mechanics of live commerce, Whatnot’s competitive strategy, and the critical role of community in this burgeoning sales channel. Ecommerce operators will learn how to leverage social commerce and live selling to diversify sales channels beyond traditional marketplaces.
Key takeaways
During a brief TikTok outage, Whatnot saw its biggest weekend ever for new sellers and sign-ups, highlighting the demand for alternative social commerce platforms.
Despite a major competitor like TikTok facing uncertainty, Whatnot's strategy is to focus on internal growth and development rather than getting sidetracked by competitive noise.
Live shopping is experiencing significant growth in the U.S., becoming a viable sales channel that brands should explore to diversify their ecommerce strategy.
Community and engagement are crucial for success in live selling; platforms like Whatnot are built around fostering these connections between sellers and buyers.
For businesses, live shopping platforms offer a unique opportunity to directly engage with customers in real-time, showcase products, and build brand loyalty through interactive experiences.
During the weekend when TikTok was briefly offline, Whatnot -- a platform that lets online brands and merchants sell products via livestreams on its app and website -- saw its user numbers surge.
"It was our biggest weekend for new sellers -- both in terms of news sign-ups and also sellers who went live for the first time," said Armand Wilson, vp of categories and expansion at Whatnot. "Over that Saturday, Sunday, Monday, we saw a huge spike -- and we continued to see those numbers since then."
It points to the uncertainty permeating the social media landscape right now. While TikTok is back up and running, it's unclear what its future is in the U.S. And more brands are testing out other startup social commerce platforms.
On this week's Modern Retail Podcast, Wilson spoke about the rise of Whatnot as well as what he's witnessed during the last six months when TikTok's future became unclear. "Particularly [at] the tail end of last year, we are hitting this kind of inflection point," he said.
Still, Wilson was clear that even though TikTok, a major competitor, has been constantly in the news, he and his team tried to remain focused. "We really, truly tried to not spend a ton of time thinking about competition," he said.
At the same time, the constant changes likely had an impact on overall adoption of social commerce, which still remains nascent in the U.S. "We've definitely seen a big growth in live shopping as a whole," he said. "And I'm sure some of that can be attributed to some of our competitors pushing and getting more vocal."
Frequently asked about this episode
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
During a brief TikTok outage, Whatnot saw its biggest weekend ever for new sellers and sign-ups, highlighting the demand for alternative social commerce platforms.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Despite a major competitor like TikTok facing uncertainty, Whatnot's strategy is to focus on internal growth and development rather than getting sidetracked by competitive noise.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Live shopping is experiencing significant growth in the U.S., becoming a viable sales channel that brands should explore to diversify their ecommerce strategy.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Community and engagement are crucial for success in live selling; platforms like Whatnot are built around fostering these connections between sellers and buyers.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
For businesses, live shopping platforms offer a unique opportunity to directly engage with customers in real-time, showcase products, and build brand loyalty through interactive experiences.
