What is the best place to buy a luxury watch? In China, more and more high-end shoppers are turning to social media. That is an opportunity for luxury brands seeking younger customers. For social networks themselves — including TikTok, currently the subject of a complex US-China carve-up — it could be a big driver of value.
The first to benefit from this trend has been Douyin, TikTok’s sister platform in China. There, shoppers buy luxury items the same way they buy lipstick or air fryers: by tapping into a livestream. A chatty host demos products and makes jokes, while viewers can buy anything they see on the stream with a single tap. It has become the default way millions of young consumers shop in the country.
Douyin sold 46 per cent more merchandise by value in the year to July than it did in the same period of 2024, according to the company. It became the third-largest online shopping platform in China last year. European brands have taken notice. Versace has hosted livestreams and opened an official Douyin flagship store. Burberry joined the platform’s “Super Brand Day” and collaborated with Douyin to dress virtual avatars.