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News from Social Commerce — Archive

Whatnot Founders Built $20 Billion Live-Shopping Platform After Facing 100 Investor Rejections

Whatnot's cofounders persevered through significant early setbacks to build a live-shopping application now valued at $20 billion. According to CEO Grant LaFontaine, co-founder Logan Head spent four to five weeks in intensive development, coding 16 hours a day for six days a week to create the initial version of the platform.

The company's journey from struggling to secure investor backing to becoming a major player in the live-shopping space illustrates the challenges many startups face in their early stages. Despite facing 100 investor rejections, the founders' determination and technical execution ultimately proved successful, establishing Whatnot as a significant force in the emerging live-commerce market.

Sources: Fortune

Mountain Dew Launches Limited-Edition Baja Leo Zero Sugar with Spiced Flavors

Mountain Dew has introduced Baja Leo Zero Sugar, a new limited-edition beverage featuring a blend of spiced mango, chilli lime, and black pepper flavors. The exclusive drink will be available exclusively through TikTok Shop starting August 12, with availability continuing while supplies remain.

This release represents Mountain Dew's strategy to engage consumers through emerging social commerce platforms and limited-time offerings. By partnering with TikTok Shop for distribution, the brand targets a younger demographic and leverages the platform's growing influence in retail, while the time-limited nature of the release creates urgency and exclusivity around the product.

Sources: Livemint

Dangerous Travel Adaptors Found for Sale on Major Online Marketplaces

Safety testing by Electrical Safety First revealed that travel adaptors sold on major online marketplaces including Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, and TikTok Shop posed serious safety hazards to consumers. All 14 devices purchased from these platforms during the investigation failed basic safety tests, prompting warnings to UK consumers to verify their travel adapters before use.

The discovery highlights ongoing challenges with product safety oversight on third-party marketplace platforms where sellers from various sources list items with varying quality standards. Thousands of potentially dangerous adapters may have already been sold to travelers, raising questions about the effectiveness of safety screening mechanisms on these platforms and the need for stronger consumer protections.

Sources: Daily Record, LBC

Kixmon Launches Profit Tracking Tool for TikTok Shop Creators

Kixmon announced the launch of its TikTok Shop Creator Profit Tracker in August 2026, a solution designed to help TikTok Shop brands evaluate creator profitability. The tool combines data on sales, advertising costs, and other financial metrics to provide creators and brands with insights into the financial performance of their collaborations.

The development of specialized analytics tools reflects the growing maturity of the TikTok Shop ecosystem and the increasing sophistication of creator-brand partnerships. As more businesses invest in content-led commerce, tools that measure return on investment and profitability have become essential for optimizing marketing spend and creator selection strategies.

Sources: GlobeNewswire

Filipino Entrepreneurs Build Businesses Through E-Commerce Platforms

Filipino entrepreneurs are leveraging e-commerce platforms including TikTok Shop and Shopee to launch and grow their businesses, selling products ranging from contact lenses and specialty honey to baby clothes and electronics. Young business owners like 22-year-old Bridget Cortez are combining formal education with practical entrepreneurship, using these platforms to turn their business ideas into reality.

The growth of e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia has created new opportunities for small business owners to reach customers without requiring significant upfront capital or physical retail infrastructure. These platforms have become essential tools for Filipino entrepreneurs seeking to scale their operations and establish themselves in competitive markets.

Sources: Rappler

TikTok Shop Becomes Major Beauty Retail Channel and Commerce Platform

TikTok Shop has rapidly evolved from an experimental social commerce platform to one of beauty's most influential discovery engines and a fast-growing sales channel. By 2025, the platform had become the fourth-largest beauty retailer, demonstrating its significance as both a discovery tool and direct sales channel for beauty brands.

The platform's rise reflects broader shifts in how consumers discover and purchase products, particularly in categories like beauty where visual content and creator recommendations drive purchasing decisions. TikTok Shop's integration of social content with commerce has made it increasingly difficult for beauty brands to ignore, establishing it as a critical channel alongside traditional e-commerce platforms.

Sources: Forbes

TikTok Shop Expands Creator Support and Training Initiatives in Singapore

TikTok Shop announced new capability-building programs aimed at strengthening Singapore's discovery commerce ecosystem at an inaugural summit in August 2026. The platform committed to supporting and training at least 1,000 local sellers by the end of 2027 and more than 3,000 creators by the end of 2026, equipping them with skills and opportunities to succeed in content-led commerce.

These initiatives reflect TikTok Shop's broader strategy to establish itself as a major commerce platform in the region. The focus on creator and seller development aligns with the platform's emergence as a significant sales channel, particularly in beauty and other categories, where it has become an important discovery engine for consumers seeking new products and brands.

Sources: The Manila Times

Whatnot Reaches $20 Billion Valuation as Live Shopping Market Expands

Whatnot, a livestream shopping platform, has achieved a $20 billion valuation in its latest funding round, nearly doubling its valuation from less than a year prior when it stood at $11.5 billion. The platform, which enables hosts to sell a wide variety of items including sneakers, sports cards, fashion, tools, and collectibles through live auctions, continues to capitalize on growing consumer interest in livestreamed commerce in Western markets.

The rapid valuation increase reflects the expanding appeal of live shopping as a retail channel. Whatnot's model features fast-moving auctions and interactive 'breaks' that engage users in real-time bidding, though some participants have reported spending more than intended. The company's success demonstrates sustained investor confidence in the live commerce sector despite broader economic uncertainties affecting other consumer startups.

Sources: CNBC, Livemint, TNW, Business Insider