Social commerce in Thailand - statistics & facts
From TikTok Shop to LINE MyShop, social commerce has taken Thailand by storm, with 9 out of 10 consumers purchasing from social networks. Through social commerce, Thai consumers can seamlessly shop while browsing through their favorite social media. Since the global outbreak of coronavirus, the social commerce revenue in Thailand has been enjoying continuous growth. And it is expected to accelerate in the following years as more consumers turned to shop through social commerce. Why is social commerce well-received in Thailand and what are the leading platforms?
However, when it comes to texting, Thais prefer to engage through LINE, the country’s most popular messaging app with its own payment and shopping ecosystem. With LINE Shopping, users can buy and sell products on LINE MyShop, making it a highly convenient and personalized method to purchase and sell products. Moreover, numerous local and luxury brands in Thailand use LINE Official Accounts (OAs) to facilitate connections and keep a close relationship with clients. In the future, social commerce in Thailand is expected to experience more growth as consumers will likely place more importance on the commerce form as it allows them to shop conveniently. Brands and businesses are learning and understanding that social media is no longer just a channel for communication or customer relationship management but also to generate sales.
Why social commerce is popular in Thailand
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, social commerce has emerged as an innovative sales channel for both small and large businesses in Thailand. It allows direct communication and relationship-building between sellers and buyers. Brands view social media platforms as opportunities to promote themselves while being able to target niche groups of customers. Moreover, with influencer marketing gaining popularity in Thailand, the impact of influencers and key opinion leaders (KOLs) is also a major factor contributing to the growing significance of social commerce. Many Thai consumers rely on their favorite influencers and KOLs for product recommendations. Subsequently, they shopped through social commerce that was promoted by an influencer or celebrity they followed. Additionally, many Thais rely on social media for product research as well as reselling their secondhand or pre-loved items.The leading social commerce platforms in Thailand
In 2023, Facebook was the most-used social network in Thailand, enabling it to dominate the country’s social commerce scene. Thai people buy and sell directly through Facebook Profiles, Pages, Groups, or Marketplace. Facebook Live has been integral in paving the way for live commerce in Thailand since the Live feature was made available in 2016. Since then, many sellers have implemented live stream selling, blending entertainment and commerce to create an engaging customer experience across social networks. Many Thai brands use Instagram profiles as product catalogs and to market their brand identities. Additionally, selling and buying through Instagram messages is also common.However, when it comes to texting, Thais prefer to engage through LINE, the country’s most popular messaging app with its own payment and shopping ecosystem. With LINE Shopping, users can buy and sell products on LINE MyShop, making it a highly convenient and personalized method to purchase and sell products. Moreover, numerous local and luxury brands in Thailand use LINE Official Accounts (OAs) to facilitate connections and keep a close relationship with clients. In the future, social commerce in Thailand is expected to experience more growth as consumers will likely place more importance on the commerce form as it allows them to shop conveniently. Brands and businesses are learning and understanding that social media is no longer just a channel for communication or customer relationship management but also to generate sales.
