Meghan 
Welcome to our ecommerce marketplace predictions for 2025, the second installment in our series of ecommerce marketing predictions for the new year! As 2024 comes to an end, major online marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart will continue to rise as an undeniable force in ecommerce. Amazon Ads and retail media networks like Criteo Retail Media will keep growing in popularity, while emerging channels like social commerce continue to snowball alongside them.
Here are two key trends guiding our ecommerce marketplace predictions:
Prediction: TikTok Shop and social commerce will continue growing as a key ecommerce channel, driving significant sales, particularly in Gen Z and millennial markets.
Social media is the #1 product discovery channel for Gen Z and millennials. In fact, HubSpot reports that 31% of consumers look to social media for answers to their questions.
And TikTok is the fastest-growing platform in the US market, with 170 million monthly US TikTok users—more than half of America’s population! From setting up TikTok Shops and managing TikTok Ads to perfecting live shopping strategies and running affiliate programs, social commerce offers many opportunities, which will continue to take off in 2025.
Trend Insight: Brands that embrace short-form video content and shoppable posts will have a head start at unlocking the full potential of social platforms for ecommerce success. But keep in mind, different social media platforms offer unique experiences and capabilities. Each platform works best with a tailored approach.
“We first started working with LIVE shopping clients on Meta in 2020. The strategies we used then are very different than what we see work best on TikTok and TikTok Shop. You need to cater your strategies so they are native to the platform, no matter what social commerce campaigns you are running.”
Ethan Kramer
Managing Partner & Social Media Practice Leader, Agital
An exciting integration between Amazon and TikTok was announced in August 2024, allowing users to shop Amazon products (with real-time pricing and Prime delivery estimates) without leaving the TikTok app. The partnership presents new opportunities for Amazon sellers to begin affiliate marketing on TikTok, while also benefiting Amazon influencers looking to boost their earnings.
Prediction: Retail media will continue to grow as more brands shift to retail-specific ad campaigns.
Retail media networks (RMNs) are becoming one of the fastest-growing movements in advertising, projected to reach $231 billion by 2030. This is largely because 2/3 online product searches start on retailer sites, where brands can now connect directly with consumers through RMNs.
“Retail media is quickly evolving into a full-funnel experience, extending beyond just sponsored ads to onsite display and offsite ads on the open web. This convergence of performance and brand awareness allows for a unified view of the consumer journey, while also providing the holy grail of advertising: closed-loop measurement.”
Melanie Zimmerman
General Manager of Global Retail Media,
Criteo (in Forbes)
Revenue on Amazon has grown an average of 27% over the last four years for Agital clients, growing 10% YoY in 2024. Amazon Ads spend has grown even more, up 36% YoY!
Trend Insight: From Amazon Ads and Walmart Connect to retail media networks offered by Target, Criteo, and more—as RMNs continue to expand, businesses must adapt their ecommerce strategies to stay competitive.
Prioritize building a presence on rising marketplaces like TikTok Shop and niche platforms. Social commerce platforms like TikTok Shop are built to go viral—and that’s exactly what they do. Lean into the future of ecommerce by embracing the latest digital trends, from live selling to influencer marketing and beyond, and integrating those into your holistic, multi-channel marketing strategy.
Case Study:
EZ Bombs, now the #1 food and beverage brand on TikTok Shop, worked with Agital to optimize their use of social media, including TikTok Shop Ads and Meta Advertising, and create a smart omni-channel strategy, complete with email and SMS campaigns. The result? We helped them sustain a healthy average order value (AOV), increase customer lifetime value (CLV), and spark significant revenue growth.
Record-breaking success like EZ Bombs achieved doesn’t happen without help from the best social commerce expertise in the business.
But good news—we’re here to help! Most ecommerce brands see incredible growth after working with our team, and a common first step is our free TikTok audit. We’ll explore your best opportunities to maximize your ad return, optimize your TikTok Shop, create high-performing content, and blow your business goals out of the water.
Another option is, if you’d rather start with a more high-level conversation about how we can help your ecommerce business reach new heights, click below to contact us.
